Chapter 11

It had only taken a few hours to clean the kitchen but Erin hadn’t wanted to go back to the cottage until today.  She still had a hard time going into the kitchen without cringing at the smell of cleaner and disinfectant.

Erin laid on the couch dozing.  The past few days had been a blur of questions and people.  She knew that Detective Ardanowski had tried to make thing easy for her but it hadn’t helped.  When the last question had been asked and the last cop had left her along V. had hung around to make sure that Erin was going to be okay.  V. had only left a few hours ago and Erin was already regretting asking her to leave.  V. had the uncanny ability to take away pain and anger (even if it was for only a short time) by just being there.  Erin loved to hear what it was like to grow up with a father and 4 older brothers who loved to tease and torment her to no end.

Erin reached for the phone several times to call her, but each time she resisted the temptation.  She had to relearn how to deal with things like this.  She had gone through even worse things then this, why couldn’t she just pull herself together and start acting like the old Erin, the Erin who could deal with anything that came her way.

Nik had had to go and see to some business, and Erin was glad of that.  She didn’t want him to see her so shaken.

Erin grabbed one of her Shakespeare books ready to loose herself in the lines of the Tempest when there was a nock at her door. She got up heavily and walked to the door.  She pulled it open to find no one there.  I don’t need this now.” She said to herself.  Erin closed the door and walked back to the couch.  She was just sitting down when she was interrupted once more, this time by the phone.

“Hello,” no answer. “Hello?” Erin asked again, still no answer.  “This isn’t funny.  Who is this?”

“Someone you don’t know, but who knows you.”  It was the same voice she had heard in the hall at the hospital. Then the man hung up the phone.

Erin stood for a few moments holding the phone.  Her had shakingly put the receiver down and she melted down onto the couch.  She closed her eyes took a deep breath, she wasn’t going to let this get to her, she was stronger then that and to her joy Brenda was standing holding the twins.

“I hope I didn’t come at a bad time,” Brenda stated coming right in.  She looked around the room happily.  “I always loved the way this room looked in the morning.  The sunlight comes through the windows just perfect,” Brenda looked at her and smiled as if remembering that someone else was in the room.  She put the twins down onto the couch softly.  “I was hoping you and I could go shopping or something.  Things have been so crazy around her lately that we haven’t been able to spend much time together, as I would like.  So what do you say?”

“Yes, I’m fine, thank you for asking.  It’s so nice to see you too,” Erin said sarcastically acting mad.  Both women burst out laughing.  When Erin had regained her breath she smiled and said; “Yes I would love to go shopping with you.  I’m going crazy sitting here not doing anything.”

 

Erin helped Brenda put the twins in their car seats and slid into the seat nest to Brenda.  The day had been wonderful.  They had taken the twins with them when they went shopping.  People would stop and comment on how beautiful they were.  Stone and Lilly loved the attention and Brenda didn’t mind it either.

“What a long day.  Are you sure you don’t want me to drive?”  Erin asked noticing Brenda yawn.

“No I’m fine.”  Brenda started the car and pulled into the road.

A few minutes into the ride Stone began to cry unhappily.  Brenda tried to ignore it but finally she had had enough.  “Erin, would you mind driving?  I’m going to sit in the back with the twins.”

“Sure,” Brenda pulled over to the side of the road, everything seemed to go into slow motion and go quiet.  Erin watched as Brenda got out and walked to the back of the car.  There was a squeal of tires and Erin watched in horror as a car swerved towards Brenda.  She looked up in time to see the black car only a few feet away.  There was no time to move she was trapped.  Brenda screamed in terror.  “Brenda!” was all Erin could yell.  Sub-conchinsly she took note of the license plate.

 

The room was deadly quiet.  The spacious room was decorated like a garden, there were flowers everywhere giving off an array of sweet smells that brought on the feeling of spring.  The sun rose slowly and filled the room with its warm golden glow.

Brenda was lying in her new bed.  She looked like an angle with her hair curling around her face and shoulders.  The dark tresses shinned against the white satin pillow.  Her hands were folded peacefully over her stomach.  The white gown she was wearing was embroidered with baby blue and pink roses.  She had it made for the Nurse’s Ball to go with their theme of Heavenly Help, bout now she would not be attending.

Erin stood looking down at the friend now resting peacefully.  Brenda had experienced so much pain in her life she hadn’t deserved this.  The person who had hit her was drunk and had walked away unhurt.

She reached down and brushed a stay lock of hair out of Brenda’s face.  A solitary tear slipped down her cheek, Erin choked back the flood of tears that were threatening to break free.  “I love you.”  Erin choked out emotionally.  She placed a light kiss on Brenda’s for-head and turned away before she broke-down.  She looked up at Jax.  He was holding both the twins in his arms, the pain in his eyes was obvious, his face was tear stained and his eyes were empty.

Jax could see in Erin’s eyes that she had lost almost as much as him.  He placed Stone into her arms.  The small child clung to her neck.  He was too young to understand what was going on but he could tell that something was wrong.  He saw his mother lying in a long box across the room next to the fireplace.  This was all very confusing for a six-month-old.

Erin held tightly to the small boy she had thought of as her little brother.  She looked one last time at the woman who had felt like a mother to her for the past year and a half.  This woman had excepted her into her life, her home and even into her heart.

Everyone at the private funeral had lost something.  Jax had lost his wife, Stone and Lilly had lost their mother.  Robin had lost a best friend; Jason had lost a friend.  Erin herself had lost one of the most important people in her life, and V, well Erin wasn’t sure how V knew Brenda but it was evident that she had lost someone dear to her heart.  Brenda had a way of making her way into everyone’s heart it didn’t matter who it was anyone who knew Brenda had lost something special.

Erin carried Stone with her out side and sat down on the porch swing.  She closed her eyes and leaned back.  A few leaves stirred on the ground as a warm breeze swirled around her.  She could feel Brenda’s presence with her even now.  Erin opened her eyes and smiled.

“I love you too, babe,” Brenda’s spirit stood next to where Erin sat.  “I need your promise.”

“Anything Brenda.”

“I need you to watch out for Stone and Lilly.”

Erin smiled.  “You know I will, I was there when they were born, I couldn’t leave them if I wanted to.”

“I know, I just needed to hear you say it.  There is one other thing I need you to help Jax.  Don’t let him hide from the world, keep him going and don’t let him spend the rest of his life alone.”

“I will Brenda,” the silent tears began to flow, there was no stopping them now.  Erin closed her eyes as they pored down her face.  The dull ache in her heart grew and grew until it was almost too much to bear.  Memories Brenda flooded her mind, like the tears, there was no stopping them.  When Erin had finally opened her eyes Brenda was gone.  “Good-bye.”