Lion Den

Part 15

Emma drove through Main St, keeping her eyes ahead of her as she studied the buildings. She turned left at a light, checking her rearview mirror to make sure that no one was following her. She didn't see anything suspicious and continued down the snaking road.

When she arrived at the entrance, she felt the same goosebumps as always. The slabs of marble and granite jutting up from the ground did nothing to help with the feeling of dread. Even the trees at the old cemetery seemed haunted. The morning was foggy and chilly, with the threat of rain hanging in the air.   The sun was hidden by the dull, slate-grey sky. Emma steeled herself and got out of her car, locking it. She walked down the familiar path to her beloved father's gravestone, buried right next to her dear Gramps.

Luke Kevin Bailey, Jr

August 11, 1976-August 9, 2020

Beloved Father, Husband, Son

Mayor of Freeburgh 2010-2020

"For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he was heard."

Emma took a deep breath as she placed a single daisy on his grave.

"Hi, Pop. It's been a while since I visited, I know. Pop, really bad things are happening. It's gotten out of control. The police are no better than the gangsters now. The mayor is taking bribes. Mom kicked me out of the house. My boyfriend beat my ex-boyfriend to death! I got-" Her voice choked off. She continued talking, breathing out the words.

"I got strangled by Tony, and now the cops think I have something to do with his death.

"My new boyfriend did a really bad thing. A few really bad things. He saved my life, though! He didn't kill me when he should've. He stopped Tony from strangling me. He stopped one of his men from hurting me, but he hurt me. He's, well, he's a character, that's for sure. He's so quiet, so withdrawn. He's a gangster. Nonetheless, I think you'd love him. He loves me so much. Oh, Pop, he knows who killed you! He knows who pulled the trigger at least. I don't think you knew this, but you had a hit out on you. The explosion that day was just a distraction.

"Did I tell you about Marisol? She hates me now. She kissed me, and I rejected her. I don't like girls. I like Andrei. He's so caring. I just don't know what to do anymore, Pop." She started to feel raindrops coming down from the sky. Her father had once told her that rain was the angels crying, and it seemed fitting.

Standing there, in the cemetery, Emma longed to weep. She longed to feel the release of hot tears down her face. She wanted to cry for the loss of her father, the loss of her innocence, the loss of her home. She just couldn't find it within herself. She wondered if she was becoming cold. She stood there for a few long minutes.

"Te Amo, Papí." She kissed two of her fingers and touched them to the hard, marble tombstone.