Falling Darkness

Bill Hamburger

            The next day we reached the Hummer with Rave who murmured under her breath and stared glossy-eyed in a delirium. Rex kept his arm around her, staring into her face, wishing her insanity away. Rufus was panting. Like a dog usually does, they pant, but his was excessive like he was catching a heart attack or something. His eyes were opened up real wide and he was on the alert. I followed the direction of his eyes wearily, ready to get to a hotel.

            But then I froze recognizing the broad shoulders and the stark white lab coat now tattered and battered, gleaming frostily against the sun’s hard rays. I could have recognized that strong head of dark brown hair anywhere or the stern clench of the manly jaw or the decisiveness in his steps. I gasped even before he turned. But when he did turn, it pinned me to the seat. His slicing pale gray eyes seared into me like beef, torching my heart ripping open my veins for all my blood and ardent passion to leak out of my old ears. My lips quivered, cracking in the dry heat that my heart set ablaze with.

            “Who is that?” Rex wrinkled his nose, gazing at the stranger.

            “That, my son, is William Hamburger.”

            “Who the hell is William Hamburger?” Rex replied still staring at the man.

            I couldn’t answer because I was already walking towards him. I had to touch him; I had to believe he was real. Faintly I heard Tank above the swooshing in my ears screaming, saying that that was his dad. I was close enough to touch him and even began to reach out when I caught sight of his eyes. They were different, broken somehow, as if his spirit had been extinguished.

            “Bill?” I gasped.

            “Doctor,” he nodded, looking towards his son and recognizing Rex.

            I could see the shift in his posture. He stood up more erect, trying to get a good look at his other son. Then he pushed past me, pushed past Tank even and walked to the open door to gaze at Rex.

            “What?” Rex growled, alarmed.

            Bill just nodded and went around to the passenger door. Surprisingly he opened it and got in without saying a word.

            The whole ride back I kept glancing at him sideways and looking at him from the corners of my eyes. He made no attempt to make small talk and his presence was so daunting no one dared to breathe. It was strange seeing him there after knowing for so long that he was dead. I mean, Bill knew how to live and when to live and I’ll be damned if he didn’t know when to die. Maybe he knew that there were things still to be done and ends to be tied up.

            I pulled into a parking slot at the Holiday Inn, wondering who he was going to share a room with or if he would estrange himself from us, his family. Nervously I peeled my cuticles as I got out of the Hummer. Tank was wide-eyed and seemed to be in bitter shock, wondering who this man was and knowing it couldn’t be his father. I had my doubts too. Bill could never pass up reuniting with his own son, either one of them, or pass up reuniting with…me, could he? He immediately walked to the counter and without saying a word, placed enough money for one room with two beds. He grabbed the key and started towards the stairs, then turned around and grabbed Rave by the waist. We all watched as he walked away and I ordered three more rooms, one bed in each.

            “Sir, we don’t allow pets here.” The woman said wrinkling her nose at Rufus.

            “But he’s my son’s blind-seeing eye dog,” I said, jerking my thumb over to Rex who had his shades on and was trying to hide his distrust of Bill.