JUMP STREET'S JUNE BRIDE???

CHAPTER 22: DARK DAY AND FLASHBACKS

Tom said, "Anyway my life was perfect. I had a girlfriend who I loved, and I mean all the girls in school were always wanting to try and get with me, but I would never cheat. I was only with her. I loved her. Was thinking we would be together forever. I mean our moms were already hoping and planning for us to get married maybe after college. And I was ok that with idea."

"It was Valentine's Day. I was 16. I wanted to give Jenn the best Valentine's Day. I worked double shifts at my job and mowed and made extra money to buy her concert and VIP tickets to her favorite singer, who was going to be coming to town like 6 months away. I had even tricked her, she wanted to get tickets, so I told her we could go, but then they sold out in hours, and we didn't get them. She was disappointed."  I said, "But you actually got them" Tom said, "Yep I was not going to give them to her till Valentine's Day so she would be surprised."

"I was going to take her to dinner, give her roses, and then the tickets."  I said, "I bet she loved them. Was so surprised."  Tom looked at me.

He said, "I had wrestling practice after school. Practice usually ended about 7.  It was 5. The office lady came into the gym and went over to talk to the coach.  She left. Our coach walked over to the assistant coach talked to him, then the coach said "Hanson" and motioned for me to come over.  I ran over to him.  He said, Son, I need you to go into the locker room and get changed, and I will meet you. We need to go to the office.  I asked, he wouldn't tell me. Just said that I had a visitor. I asked who he said just go get changed. I didn't think it was that big of deal, I thought maybe a scout, you know and so I wasn't upset."

"I met him at the door, and as we were walking, I started getting upset. Because of how he was acting. The look on his face. He looked upset. And he wasn't talking, just had his arm on my back."

"Sydney I can still remember like it was yesterday, the long walk from the gym to the office, I mean normally not a long walk, but this one seemed like it. With each step, I was feeling worse. He opened up the office door, and I walk in, and I had 2 visitors. And when I saw them, it felt like someone had kicked me in the stomach and beat the shit out of me. It was my dad's partner and his Captain."

I said, "oh no Tommy."  He cried, loud sobbing. I hugged him. And he cried on my shoulder. I don't know how long.

I rubbed his back, and ran my hands through his hair, massaging his head.  My heart was breaking for Tom.

Tom took some deep breaths.  He said, "I'm sorry I got to stop. I need to go wash my face and get a drink. Then I can finish" I said, "If you don't want to finish if it's too hard."  He said, "No I want to."

I called Jay to check in. Told him Tom was not drunk. He's fine. I'm ok. Please don't worry.  Jay said, "ok"

Tom came back sat down.  As Tom is telling all of this, he is having flashbacks in his head of each moment, minute by minute, and I can see that is what is happening.

He said, "I knew why they were there. I mean the look on their faces, somber, tears in their eyes, my dad wasn't with them."  I cried.  He took my hand and held it.  He said, "They said, Thomas we are so sorry. There was a .  I stopped them. I said, "Don't say it. We don't have time for that, just tell me where my dad is."  They are like Thomas, and I won't let them talk. I'm like is he in the hospital, in surgery, transferring to a trauma hospital, it's ok, does my mom know, I can take care of everything that needs to be done. I can take care of the house, of my mom, work more hours, so that my dad can just recover."

They kept trying to talk, and finally they said, "there was a robbery in a diner, your father was eating at, your father was a hero, he saved everyone in there, but he was shot. He didn't make it. He died on the way to the hospital"  I said, "oh God oh Tommy. I'm so sorry."  I burst into tears.  He hugs me.  He is crying to.