21 Jump Street (Tom Hanson)

Family Ties

His expression was sorrowful, which gave me a bad taste in my mouth and a twist in my stomach. I slipped out of his hands and walked past him so I could see the television screen. Doug stepped to the side so I could take his place to see the screen better, and the very first thing I saw was a photograph of my mother flashing across the screen.

My mother left me at a neighbors house when I was a little over a year old, and she never came back, so I only know who she is through pictures. We didn't keep a lot of her photographs after she left, just the ones where she was with me and my brother. This photo was one I had never seen before, but I knew it was my mother. Her dark hair was teased and curly, like a typical 60's Pricilla Presley bouffant, with a bright smile on her face. She was so young in the photo, she looked like she could have been my sister.

The news anchor was talking when my ears finally registered what he was saying, "...the remains found have been identified as Susan Lane Gregg. She was found in this warehouse in Twin Peaks in January of this year. Her death has been ruled a homicide, but officials cannot give any more details at this time."

An interview with one of the Twin Peaks officers came into the screen and he said, "Susan Gregg has been a missing person since 1969, when her husband contacted Metropolis Police Department. But, we believe she has been in this building for about six months but we cannot say for sure until the autopsy results come in."

The news anchor's voice was played over another picture of my mother, but this time with my entire family. I was too young to remember taking it. "She is survived by her estranged husband, Ace Gregg, and her daughter, Michelle. Her son, Jack, died in 1976. We will have more details as the story unfolds."

The television screen blinked off and I was too stunned to speak. My jaw was dropped and I couldn't even blink as I tried to process everything. I could feel everyone staring at me because their eyes were all burning into my skin, but I was too focused on my reflection in the black screen.

Someone's hand landed on my back, I think it was Doug's, but I stumbled backwards and I could feel a tightness in my chest that forced me to leave the room. I ignored everyone's attempts to comfort me and I headed to the door. I realized that I forgot my coat after I was already out the door and the rain was soaking through my clothes. I stood there for a moment to catch my breath. I couldn't leave, but I really wasn't ready to go back inside so I burned off my energy by pacing the metal platform without going down the stairs.

My teeth were clenched and couldn't stop shaking out my hands. I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that my mother was murdered. I blew a few raspberries between my lips and looked up at the sky as I paced so tears wouldn't fall down my cheeks. The cold rain had soaked my clothes and was clinging to my hair and slipping down my face, but the rain was the least of my concerns.

The emptiness that I felt was one that I couldn't explain. It was like someone threw a brick at my chest and it took the place of my heart. It took all the strength I had to stay up on my feet. She was practically a stranger to me, so why was this effecting me so much?

I heard the door open so I stopped in my tracks and jumped around to see Tom slipping through the door wordlessly. He had a sincere, sympathetic look on his face and the door softly clicked behind him.

When I saw him, I couldn't help but laugh. I sniffed the snot that I could feel running down my nose, and I used my sleeve to wipe the rain that had collected around my lips. I blinked and the world turned hazy from my tears that welled in them and leaked down my hot cheeks, blending with the rain that continued to pour overhead. I ran my fingers up through my wet hair and I said through my nervous laughter, "it's stupid. It's so stupid. I shouldn't be upset. I didn't even know her, you know? She left me... She left me, so why am I crying?"