Page 133 of Fumble Into the End Zone
After hanging up with Mom, I called Bryce.
“Hey, Mia, what’s up?” he said in a light tone.
I sniffled before I could get the words out, and Bryce was on alert. “Mia, what’s going on? Where is Marcus?” he asked.
Leaning my head back, tears fell to my ears. “Mrs. Eddy died this afternoon and I’m getting ready to tell Marcus.”
“Kindness and I are on the way,” he said and hung up.
Thankfully, my parents sent a car service over and they drove us home. Marcus and I held hands in the back seat and cried in silence. Pulling into the driveway, Bryce sat on the steps waiting for us. Marcus hugged him hard as he approached the house. Seeing Kindness and Stacie waiting for me, allowed me to take a breath; but I cried as they approached me.
“Thank you. Thank you,” I said between sobs.
“We got you,” Stacie whispered.
“Granny! Granny !” Marcus yelled from inside the house, and I broke down in my friends’ arms.
“Bryce got him, but you have to calm down, Mia,” Stacie said, as she touched my stomach.
My father pulled up, parking the car, and left it running. He grabbed me and kissed my temple.
“Your mother texted me. She has Harley and they’re eating ice cream nearby,” he said.
“Noooooo! Get your fucking hands off her,” Marcus yelled.
My father sprinted toward the house. Following my dad inside, my heart broke at the sight of Bryce consoling Marcus. Bryce had a bear hold grip on him to prevent him from running after the corner.
“I got you, Marcus. I got you,” Bryce said as they zipped the bag over Granny’s face.
We sat around for an hour before my alarm sounded off. Viewing the screen, I confirmed it was my mother’s car. I swallowed hard to prepare to console Harley.
“Daddy,” Harley said as she ran to Marcus.
He lifted her in the air and embraced her hard. “Daddy, what’s wrong, why are you crying?” she asked and wiped away one of his tears.
Marcus looked over at me and I knew he couldn’t speak the words.
“Harley, baby, can you sit between us?” I asked, patting the seat.
She climbed out of Marcus’s arms and peered up at me with those big brown eyes. “Harley, today Granny went to heaven to be with your grandpa,” I said.
Her eyes ballooned, and she jumped up. “No, I prayed for her knee, not for her to die. I want my granny,” she said and passed me, running to the back.
I paused my mother from chasing after her while Marcus stood in stillness.
“She is gone! She is gone!” Harley screamed as she ran back into the living room.
I extended my arms, and she ran to me and cried into my shoulder.
It was three in the morning before I could climb out of bed with Marcus and Harley. They sandwiched me in, making the bathroom trips hard. Marcus moved Harley between us. The more Marcus cried, Harley followed suit and my mother stepped in, cradling Harley until she drifted off to sleep. Dr. Choice warned me they would be clingy, and he was on standby for grief counseling. He also recommended his wife to Harley. She was a child trauma therapist.
Stacie and Kindness prepared dinner but I couldn’t keep anything down but water, and Marcus couldn’t eat at all. As I made myself a cup of tea, I noticed a large envelope on the kitchen table. I walked over and opened it. Inside were Mrs. Eddy’s funeral wishes, including a paid burial plot. Even the obituary was complete. Inside were letters for me, Marcus, Harley, and her daughter, Mariah.
“All right, Mrs. Eddy, I will make sure your wishes are carried out,” I said into the void and sipped more tea.
I placed the items back inside the envelope and sat back in the chair with closed eyes.
“Baby.”
