Marshal’s Law #11: Sometimes you get and Sometimes you get got.
A cheery fire snapped in the hearth and Christmas carols played over the radio. Monica sat with a darkened phone in her lap and stared at the shadows that danced over the hearth. The music seemed distant.
“You’re crying again,” Luke whispered.
She swiped a sleeve over her eyes and managed to mutter, “Am not.”
“Are, too.”
Luke took her phone and pushed it onto the side table before wrapping his mother’s neck. She lost the pretense. Tears streaked the twinkle lights into exaggerated stars. When she’d cut herself off from Marshal, she thought she was saving herself this pain; but losing him was just as devastating as losing Jason. In both cases, she’d lost the love of her life.
Standing between her legs, Luke rocked her as if she were a child. “It’s Thanksgiving next week,” he said, like it was a promise of happiness.
Monica squeezed him guiltily. She had to shake this. She’d stayed in Paris for her family. Her mother was moving, granted, and her sister had disappeared with a note-- “Gotta figure a few things out.” But they all needed her. The boy in her arms needed her. His sister needed her. But she missed Marshal the way she missed oxygen.
Her eyes slid to the phone. Though darkened, it would show his picture and number the minute it was brought to life. All she had to do was touch one, small button.
“Maybe you opened me up to some possibilities, too.”
Remembering the words, her chest pinched. It’d been months since she’d heard from him. For her there had been no one else. She didn’t want anyone else. But him? He’d had months of getting to know new people, exciting people. It wasn’t a stretch to think that he’d found someone new by now.
No, she’d leave him to his new life. She hoped he was happy. If anyone deserved to be happy, it was Marshal . . .
“Mom, I can’t breathe.”
Monica let loose of her son and he stumbled away from her. “Sorry,” she said and brushed the wrinkles out of his clothes. Embarrassment burned her wet cheeks and she couldn’t manage to hide all of the emotions she didn’t want to feel, much less acknowledge. She tried for an explanation and Luke tried to tell her it was alright and neither of them could finish a sentence, much less make sense of what anyone was saying; when the phone rang.
They silenced, both of them staring at the name on the screen. It chimed twice more before she managed to scoop it up and mash the button.
“Kody?”
“Monica, I’m sorry to call like this, but my dad’s in trouble.”
“Trouble?” Panic swelled in her chest. “What kind of trouble?”
“I don’t know exactly,” he said. “But I can’t go and Mark has to stay with Susan because of the baby.”
“Doesn’t he have anyone there?”
“No,” he said and it sounded so certain that Monica’s heart lurched. The panic grew until it pressed on her throat. “Monica, I’m sorry. I know you two left on bad terms.”
“No, we didn’t . . .”
“He needs you.”
Monica fell back into her chair. She stared into the fire, the flames blurring into orange and red and yellow streamers.
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Marshal's Law
ChickLit“Has that ‘curl up with hot chocolate and read’ feel to it.” ~*~*~ Monica doesn't believe in life after death. Obligations, certainly. But, after her husband's death, there hasn’t been much ‘life’ to speak of. Just her kids, her farm, and the ma...
