The Wretched

Chapter 14

Fifteen-year-old Danny wandered around his high-school’s hallways, as the teacher kicked him out of the Chemistry lab for experimenting on his own. Finally, he reached his locker and slid down to the base of it, burying his head into his knees.

The bell rang and the halls were flooded with kids. Danny stood up and ran his fingers through his ginger hair, stuffed some books into his backpack and rushed out into the parking lot, his deep brown eyes searching for a certain car. Spotting it, he sprinted towards it, sliding into the passenger seat.

“Hi, dad” he mumbled, looking out the window at the grey clouds that decorated the sad sky.

Theodore sighed and patted his son on the back. “What happened, Daniel?”

The ginger shrugged. “Just…everything’s upside down lately. I got kicked out of class twice today and I’ve been feeling weird lately. Why are you picking me up today, anyway?”

The doctor kept his gaze on the road, merging the car into the Manhattan traffic. “It’s been ten years since…” he cringed as he thought about it.

Danny’s mouth formed an ‘o’, his brown eyes now glazed with sorrow as he thought about it. “Since mom died” he whispered. “You never told me how”

Theodore squinted his eyes, fighting back tears. “I’ll tell you when we get home”

The ginger nodded quietly, leaning back into his seat.

Soon, the doctor pulled up in front of their house, the two males climbed out and dragged themselves inside. As soon as they entered, a delicious scent smothered their nostrils. Someone was cooking dinner.

It was just like in those good old days, when they would come home to Octavia’s crappy cooking. Theo would pick three-year-old Danny from kindergarten on his way home from work, the toddler would run into the house and snuggle up into his mother’s apron-clad lap, and she would smile contently, picking him up and placing him at the dinner table. Back then, they had civil work hours, as both of them were transferred to the Police Station. Octavia worked from early in the morning ‘til two p.m., while Theo’s work hours were from ten a.m. to six p.m.. Theo would always get young Danny ready for kindergarten and drive him there on his way to work then pick him up on his way back.

The memory caused the ginger tears. He might have been five when his mother died, but the memories were still fresh in his mind. He followed his equally sorrowful father into the kitchen, both of them lost in though. Even so, what they saw in there put a half-smile onto their faces.

“Uncle Caleb! Uncle Austin!” Danny exclaimed and jumped to hug his homosexual uncles, who waited for the ginger with open arms. “Leon! Lauren!” he continued somewhat happier, hugging the brunet man and the red-headed woman.

The five males and woman sat down and ate, a somber silence reigning in the room, until Danny pushed his chair back, making a screeching sound, turning his whole body just to face his father.

“Dad, tell me why did mom die” he demanded, and now the silence became heavier.

Theo sighed and put his spoon into the plate, turning to face the ginger. “Right” he took a deep breath before continuing. “Octavia had an accident one week before her due date. She bashed her head on the corner of the coffee table. Luckily, I came home shortly after and took her to the hospital. Due to prior injuries, she slipped into coma. One week later, while still unconscious, she went into labor. They had to do a C-section, and that’s when it went wrong. The doctors forgot a piece of dead mead inside of her. Over time, it got infected and it extended to her internal organs, including her heart. And after five years, she died at work when a coworker dropped a tray of utensils on the ground. The weakened tissue couldn’t handle the shock. The problem was noticed only through autopsy” the light brown haired man wiped a tear from his eyes, before another thought made him cringe. “And now, I’m about to lose you as well” he sobbed and crashed his head on the table, missing his plate by a measly inch.