Secrets Can Kill

Prologue

I lifted the small doll in my hand and examined it's flawless features closely. Her long blonde hair looked nothing like the short black hair that I had.

"Kayce, come down here! Dinner is done and your father will be home any minute." My mother's soft voice traveled up the stairs and into my room. I put the doll, who's hair I had been vigorously brushing, down next to her oversized pink mansion and stood to my feet.

"Coming mom!" I called back to her. I picked up my bear and scurried down the stairs to greet my mom.

My dad had given the bear to me on my first birthday and we had been inseparable ever since. The bear made me happy, and gave me a sense of security that I clung to especially while my dad was at work. I smelled the food my mom was cooking as I entered the kitchen. It was her simple mac n cheese dish that was my favorite. I sat at the table, feeling my stomach anticipate the food.

"Where is daddy?" I asked eagerly. He was coming home tonight from a business trip. He had been away from us for three days. I was definitely a daddy's girl. Even though I loved my mom, he just took more of an interest to me. My mom never seemed to care as much when I brought home a new painting from school that I worked hard on all day. But my dad would take the painting and hang it on the refrigerator right away.

"I don't know Kayc' I guess he is just a little late. Let's start eating he will be home soon." She said handing me a bowl with noodles. I quickly ate them and watched my moms expression become more and more worried with every passing second.

"Mommy are you okay?" I asked looking at her. She smiled and nodded while looking at me.

"Yeah of course! I'm just not very hungry." She said. I shrugged and resumed eating. After I finished, my mom took my plate and looked out the window. I saw her expression drop. "Kayce go upstairs. I will tuck you in after I do the dishes." She directed without looking at me. I sighed and left the room. I heard a knock on the door as I made my way up the stairs and then stopped in my tracks. I snuck back around the corner and squeezed the plush arm of my bear as I saw two policemen stand in front of my mother. I saw the concern in her face as they spoke. Staying as quiet as I could, I listened to their words. Unable to make out everything they were saying because of how far away they were from me, I saw them mouth the words "I'm sorry" while taking off their hats and holding them near their chest. I felt my heart drop as I heard their next sentence.

"I am very sorry Mrs. Lewis, your husband has been in an accident on route 50. When paramedics arrived on the scene he was already gone. His body has been taken to the hospital." One of the men said. I bit my lip in shock. My dad was killed? "His car was crashed into a tree when he was found. I am very sorry." My mothers face flooded with tears. I ran up the stairs and felt my bear slip through my fingers.

At his funeral, something changed in my mother. Even as young as I was, I knew it. She was a different person. As they lowered the casket into the large dirt hole, I knew that we would be different now and there was no going back.

The grave keepers shoveled dirt on top of the polished wooden box. An impulse came over me and I looked down at my bear. Gently stroking it's soft fur, my heart hurt and I grew more sad everytime I touched it. I knew I had to let go. I threw the bear in the hole, watching him spin as he crashed against the coffin and a light layer of dirt that was on top of the wooden box. As I watched him get covered with dirt, along with my father. Not only did I lose him, I lost part of me too.