You Have My Word

Chapter 26: He's Gone

"Mari!" Josh's voice cracked as he tried to escape the mens' grasp. "Oh my god, Mari!"

"I think it's best she be alone. We're keeping her here, just in case, Josh. Go."

—————

"Oh my god, Mari," Catherine sighed, wrapping her arms around her friend. "I'm so sorry."

"I- Jack- they-"

"Shh. It's okay," Catherine said softly. "It's alright."

"H-he can't be gone," Mari cried. "He can't."

"If anybody could survive that, it's Josh," Catherine nodded. "Don't give up hope. He could still be out there."

"He's not," Mari sobbed. "I can't do this, Cath, I can't. Amelia- she won't- Cath, I can't."

"It'll be okay. I'm here, Mariah. I'm always here," Catherine sighed. "Have you told Amy yet?"

"No...Jack didn't have the heart. I can't look at her, Cath. She has his eyes."

"Do you want me to?" Catherine frowned. "I still haven't told Matt...but I could tell Amy, if you want."

"Oh, Matt," Mari yelped, breaking into sobs again. "I didn't even think about Matt."

"It's okay. I'll deal with him later," Catherine shrugged.

"Josh...he promised that he would never leave."

"It wasn't his fault, Honey," Catherine said with tears welling in his eyes.

"I didn't even get to say goodbye," Mari sobbed.

"I know," Cath sighed. "But you'll get through this. You're Mariah Gerry. You're strong and fiercely independent."

"I don't feel like either," Mari sniffled. "I just want to see him one last time."

"I know you do," Catherine frowned, tears running down her own cheeks.

—————

Cath knocked on the doorframe. "Hey, Matt, I have something to tell you."

Matt gave a grin. "Check it out. It's a toy for Amy. A stomp rocket, ya know?"

"A what?" Catherine frowned. She quickly shook it from her head. "That's not important right now. I...I have some bad news. I just...I need you to stay calm, okay?"

"I'm always calm. Did Logan get picked on again?" Matt asked, crossing his arms.

"Believe it or not, this might be worse," Catherine sighed nervously, sitting down next to her husband on the couch.

"Honey, it's Josh. He, um...he was on a train this morning and it was hijacked. They aren't one hundred percent certain, but they're pretty sure that Josh didn't make it."

"W-what?" Matt frowned. "That's- that's not possible."

"Baby, I'm sorry," Cath said softly.

"They said that the chances of him making it were very slim to none. Matt, what are you feeling?"

"There's no way that happened. No way."

"It did, Honey."

"I didn't!" Matt exclaimed firmly.

"Shh. Baby, he's gone," Catherine said softly. "I'm sorry."

Matt swiped open his phone and dialed Josh's number. "That's not funny, Cath."

"I'm not joking," Catherine frowned as Josh's voicemail beeped.

"I'm calling again," Matt said sternly.

"Hon, you can call a thousand times. He won't pick up. He's dead," Catherine sighed, her voice breaking.

"He's not dead!" Matt yelled. "Don't say that!"

"Shh. Calm down," Catherine said comfortingly, putting a hand to his cheek. "Baby, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," Matt laughed. "He's fine. There's probably just a power outage or something."

"Honey, he's gone. I know that you want to deny it, but Josh was killed."

"He can't be!" Matt nearly screamed. "He's not! You're lying!"

"Shh. I wouldn't lie to you, Babe," Catherine said softly.

"I'm going over there," Matt said firmly, getting up.

"Going where?"

"Isaac's!"

"He won't be there."

"Then I'll go to work!" Matt spat, pulling on his coat.

"He won't be there either, Honey," Cath said softly.

"He has to be!" Matt shouted, stuffing his feet in his shoes. "I'm going, and he's going to be there."

Catherine softly put a hand on his shoulder. "Baby...Baby, he's not there."

Matt pushed her away and stormed at the door, heading for Mari's.

Catherine sighed and returned to her three kids, giving them the unfortunate news.

They all sat in silence, not knowing what to say.

—————

"Come here, Amy," Mari said softly.

"Okay," she shrugged, sitting on her mother's lap. "When is Daddy coming back?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Mari smiled. "Daddy's...well, Daddy's on a bit of an adventure."

"Where did he go?" Amy frowned.

"Well, he was on that train to the airport, right? And some pirates stopped it and told him to get off."

"Where is he?"

Mari set Amy aside and raced to the bathroom to throw up. When she returned, she pulled her legs close to her chest. "I-I don't know for sure."

"Are you sick?" Amy asked with a furrowed brow.

"Yes, in a way," Mari nodded. "I-I just miss Daddy so much that it's making me a bit sick."

"I miss Daddy too," Amy pouted.

There was suddenly a loud knock on the door. "Open up, Mariah!" Matt called.

Mari struggled to her feet and unlocked the door. "Matt?"

"Where's Josh?!"

"He's on a trip, Matt," Mari said, grabbing his arm. "We can talk about it outside."

Once the door was shut, Matt asked, "What happened? Where is he?! Catherine said he was dead!"

"What?!" Amy shrieked from behind the door.

"Dead...ly specimens of fish," Mari stammered, putting a finger to her lips. "He's won a special trip, classifying fish." She grabbed Matt and dragged him further away from the door.

"Is it true?" Matt whispered.

Mari nodded hesitantly. "I'm afraid so," she sighed.

Matt stumbled backward. "I'm gonna be sick."

"I understand the feeling," Mari sighed, tears welling in her eyes.

"I can't live like this," Matt moaned, putting a hand to his head.

"Like what?"

"Without him," Matt said, his hand trembling violently. "I can't."

"You have Catherine," Mari reasoned. "And your three children."

"They're nothing if I don't have Josh. They're my family. Josh is- Josh was my life."

"He was mine too," Mari sighed. "I should get back to Amy."

"Amy," Matt moaned. "Poor Amy."

"I still haven't told her."