The Legacy - The Legacy Saga

The Legacy - Part 6

  Twenty-six

Where is Ingo?"

Ben opens his mouth but doesn't say anything. He won't even look at me.

Panic growing, I grab the front of his coat. "Where is Ingo?" I repeat, my voice raising a pitch. I sense Adagio's quiet approach.

It is the policeman who finally speaks. "Mrs. Kelly, I'm sorry to have to inform you that your husband was in a terrible skiing accident a while ago. He didn't make it."

"What?" I whisper, staring at the two men. "I don't believe you! It's not true!"

"It is, Ma'am. I'm so sorry."

No! This can't be happening! It cannot be happening!

Adagio gently pulls my hands from Ben's coat, putting his arm around me. "How?" he asks in a broken voice.

"No one knows what caused it, but he lost control, snowballed, and crashed into a tree coming down a steep slope. He died instantly."

"No!"he whispers. "Oh, please no."

The officer holds Ingo's personal belongings out to me, but I don't move to take them. I can't. I can't move or even think. Time has stopped and I'm trapped in a single moment.

As my weight shifts, Adagio adjusts his arm around me. It is the only thing keeping me from falling. I watch him take the bag from the officer. "Thank you," he says.

"Mr. Kelly has been taken to Cottonwood Hospital. An autopsy will be done as soon as possible." He hands Ingo's SUV keys to Adagio. Apparently Ben drove it here. "Again I am truly sorry."

Ben finally raises his eyes to mine. "I'm so sorry," he sobs. "I'm so sorry." Then he and the officer leave.

Taking my hand, Adagio gently draws me back into the house and shuts the door. I think he says he is sorry, I'm not sure, but that is the last thing I hear before the world around me starts spinning and everything goes dark.

 * * * 

"Cisely!" Tears spill down Adagio's face as he quickly lifts her and carries her up to her room. Though his own heart is ripping in two, he needs to take care of her. With Jessica gone, there is no one else. Reaching her room, he places her on the bed and covers her with a light blanket.

Noticing a list of numbers on the dresser, he scans it for Ingo's parents. Finding the number, he takes a deep breath and quickly dials, praying he will get through.

"Hello," a male voice answers.

 "Hello. Is this the Kelly residence?"

"Yes, this is Patrick Kelly."

"This is Adagio St. John, Ingo and Cisely's friend."

"Yes, I remember you. Has something happened?"

"Yes. . . It is about Ingo."

Keeping his emotions in check, Adagio tells Patrick about Ingo's death, and then listens quietly as Ingo's father weeps softly. He attempts to offer his condolences, but the words sound trite even to his own ears. He hears Patrick's wife crying in the background and his heart goes out to them both.

Patrick tells Adagio they will be there the day after tomorrow. He says to tell Cisely they love her.

Ending the call, Adagio moves back to Cisely. He presses a hand to her cheek and tucks the blanket around her. Then he wearily sits in the chair across from the bed and silently cries.

He can't believe it. His best friend is gone. How can Ingo be gone? Heart aching, Adagio rocks back and forth, missing him more than mere words could express. Dropping his face in his hands, he thinks back on the conversation he'd had with Ingo last week.