1 month earlier-3
490 Words
Sarah Gardner“COME ON, YOU GUYS,” Sarah said as Adam let out a cry—likely because of growing impatience towards the adults milling around him. “Adam,” Sarah sang and smoothed his cheek with her free hand. “Don’t cry, honey. Okay,”—she looked up from the birthday boy—“let’s do this if we’re going to do this. The kids will wreak havoc soon.” She looked across the garden where her own children chased after each other. Caleb carried Zoe on his shoulders while Liam and Noah jumped up to reach her.
“No fair,” Noah cried, scrunching his little face. “Zoe’s too high to catch!”
Sarah smiled. Caleb had been a constant in their lives—a good kind of constant. And their relationship had blossomed into something more than she could have ever hoped for; not after losing her husband—her best friend, her rock. When Adam died, it seemed like he had taken the life out of everything along with him. When Caleb came into her life, it was like a sliver of hope had opened up.
It wasn’t easy, though. She had to fight the overwhelming feelings of guilt that consumed her. It wasn’t normal for a widow to fall so easily for someone else, whatever that means. It wasn’t supposed to happen, and people didn’t like it. They whispered. They passed rumors around like hot potatoes. Had it not been for Kate and Louise, Sarah could have lost her babies to child services. She might have well lost herself completely.
“Alright, is everyone ready?” Kate called.
“Yes!” Sarah and Louise replied in unison, both poised to take the first snips of Adam’s hair.
“Kids,”—Caleb rounded the kids together—“they’re starting!”
“On the count of three!” Kate smiled excitedly. “One—two—” But her phone rang. Kate cast a quick glance at it and then looked at Sarah. “It’s my mother.” Kate felt her stomach turn. Her mother never called.
“What?” Sarah looked up, hand on hip.
Kate put a hand up, ultimately pausing the ceremony. “Hello?”
Adam cried again, more insistent than before.
“Okay, that’s enough for now.” Evan undid the straps of Adam’s chair and picked his restless son up in his arms.
“What?” Kate’s voice quivered. She glanced at Sarah and then at Louise.
“Is everything okay?” Sarah mouthed.
Kate pulled out a chair and sat down. “When? How?” she spoke into the phone.
Sarah sat down next to her.
“What’s going on?” Louise asked.
“I don’t know,” Sarah whispered. “It’s her mom.” Sarah knew Kate didn’t have a very good relationship with her mother—at least not since Kate had disappointed her by leaving the Philippines to follow Evan to the United States.
Kate bit her bottom lip, and tears flowed from her eyes. “Okay,” she whispered into the phone. “I love you too.”
“What’s happened?” Louise asked when Kate ended the call. “Is everything alright?”
Kate looked up at them; her face drained of any life. “That was my mom.”
Sarah took Kate’s hand in hers. “What did she say?”
“It’s my dad,” Kate said. “He’s dead.”
- Writer
