I'm a Good Person (Book 4)

Chapter 5

"Dead," Helen exclaimed, "both of them?"

"What happened, Mrs. Hawthorne," Carter asked?

"They were involved in some kind of accident. Their driver missed a signal or the other driver missed a signal, I'm not entirely certain. But their car was rammed in the side and rolled over. Joseph died on impact... and my sister... passed in the hospital an hour later," Gladys explained, "it's unbelievable. I truly still cannot believe it."

"How awful," Carter replied, "John is going to be devastated."

"And poor Laura," Helen added.

Gladys nodded slightly, "but she will be well looked after."

"Will she go to you," Helen asked?

"That's what Catherine and I always discussed. I have no reason to think otherwise. I suppose we'll find out for certain once Joseph's will is read. I wouldn't put it past him to have left her in his father's care, but John is getting on in years and the last thing Laura needs is to jump around more than absolutely necessary. No, I'm sure Joseph sent her to us."

"Where is she, anyway? And Robert," Carter suddenly realized the children were nowhere to be seen.

"Laura nearly fainted when she found out. I think your grandson took her to calm down. Poor thing, she has got to be absolutely devastated," Gladys said.

Laura had not spoken a single word since her aunt Gladys had told her the news about her parents and apart from a momentary sensation of being faint, Laura hardly reacted at all. In the moment, she had felt as if she were dreaming. Nothing had seemed real. Gladys' voice had seemed distant, almost dreamlike. Laura could remember nothing about the conversation now as she tried to think back on it. It was almost as if she hadn't lived it, that it was something she had read or seen in the movies and couldn't quite recall. All she did know for certain was that her parents were dead.

It hardly seemed real to think of her mother and father as dead. She had just seen them not a few hours ago. Her father had said he was proud of her. Her mother had, for the first time ever, approved of something Laura had chosen to wear on her own. And even still, Laura had been cold to them and hardly reacted, been glad they were going in fact. She had never once, in her wildest dreams, imagined she would never see them again.

And yet, the more Laura thought on it, the more she realized and was alarmed by the fact that she really didn't seem to feel anything at all. She was numb. Her parents were dead and she felt completely disconnected. The word seemed to evoke none if the inherent feelings it should have, though she continued to say it over and over again in her head. She thought that might shake loose some emotion, some pain or sorrow, but all it did was render the word momentarily meaningless.

Only after her fourth or fifth time in this cycle of trying to feel, not feeling, then wondering what was wrong with her that made her so emotionally cold about her parents' deaths, things finally seemed to come back into focus for Laura. She realized she was in another room, the library, and that she was now sitting down. How much time had passed? She didn't know. Then she became aware that someone was sitting next to her, someone holding her hand.

"Rob?"

"You zoned out for a bit," he explained, "you practically collapsed."

"I did?"

"Mhm. Then you went quiet."

"How... long ago?"

"Only ten minutes or so," he said, "I'm really sorry about your parents, Laura. I can't even imagine..." she said nothing in reply, "I'm here for you. Anything you might need. You've only got to ask."