Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
.
The next morning Chris wakes up, he slowly sits up, trying not to wake his mother up. Then whispers.
.
Chris: Mom, I'm going to make some breakfast ...
.
After not hearing a reply from his mother, he tip-toes out the room and heads to the kitchen. Thinking of what to make, he decides on Belgium waffles and bacon. After finishing up his breakfast masterpiece, he loads everything on the TV tray table along with some orange juice.
.
Chris: Mom ... Mom ... breakfast in bed for my wonderful, beautiful, intelligent mother.
.
No reply. Chris lays the tray down at the end of the bed and thinks she must be tired.
.
Chris: wonderful mother, you don't have to ignore me, I'm just telling you the truth.
.
Still no reply, he tickles her feet.
No response, no movement.
.
Chris: Mom ...
.
Shaking her foot, still nothing, suddenly his heart drops, he rushes to her, putting his head against her chest and listen for a heartbeat. None is heard or felt.
Mrs. Paula van der Berg has lost her battle with cancer.
Chris drops to his knees and begins to hyperventilate.
.
Chris: MOM!!!!!
.
He cries on the floor for about thirty minutes.
.
Chris: [thinking out loud] she knew, she had to have known ...
.
Remembers how his mother used to sing that song to him, from when he was a toddler until he no longer needed to get tucked into bed a night.
The emotional changes flip in his mind from second to second. First, the devastating grief and sadness, then dumbfounded and sheer awe of what she did with her last moments with him. He then began to feel guilty, thinking he did shock her and let her down by telling her that he was bi-sexual. He quickly convinced himself that couldn't have been true, her last gifts as a mother was giving her son peace of mind and the assurance that nothing could ever change her love for him. He sat on the floor and started to smile. The first person he calls was Clay.
.
Clay: hey ...
Chris: [in a clear and calm voice] Good morning Clay, is your Mom there?
Clay: yeah, what's up?
Chris: my mother just passed. [still amazingly calm]
Clay: oh my God, I'm sooo sorry ... are you okay?
Chris: actually yeah, I feel kind of good ... sad, of course, but good.
Clay: what ... never mind, let me wake her up.
.
Clay wakes her mother up and tells him the news. She immediately grabs the phone.
.
Cindy: Chris, baby are you okay?
Chris: yes ma'am ...
Cindy: Okay, we're on our way.
Chris: thank you, Mrs. Carter, see you soon.
.
Clay, Carl and Mrs. Carter all hop in her official unmarked SUV, she hits the lights and siren and flies down the street and around the corner to the van der Berg household.
.
CALLING
Clay: we about to pull up.
Chris: okay, I already opened the door.
Clay: okay
.
Clay is the first to jump out before the car is fully stopped.
.
Carl: damn, nigga ...
Cindy: let him go, give him a minute ...
.
Clay flies to the door and pushes it open and yells.
.
Clay: CHRIS!!!
Chris: I'm right here, calm down ...
Clay: how can you be so calm right, your Mom just died.
Chris: I know ...
Clay: Are you sure...
Chris: yes and no ... we had a wonderful talk last night, I got a lot off my chest. She said something that really made me think and it basically prepared me for this. Clay, she was in pain, she was suffering, and if she was here right now, she'd be in pain. Right now her pain and suffering are gone. She's at peace.
Clay: [sniffling to fight back the tears, he nods to show that he understands] ...
Chris: she even sung the lullaby, she used to sing to me. She hadn't sung it to me years and the way she sang it was so calming. I mean I fell asleep on her lap, like a baby. [starting to cry]
.
Clay just reaches in a hugs Chris; no other words are said. Meanwhile, outside in the car, Mrs. Carter is speaking to her station in order to get a team out to the house to properly handle the situation. After making the call, she and Carl enter the house.
.
Cindy: leave the door open a little.
Carl: yes ma'am.
Cindy: come here baby [open arms waiting for Chris]
Chris: hello Mrs. Carter, thank you for getting here so quickly. [hugging Mrs. Carter tightly]
Carl: she used her police car, lights flashing, and siren blazing.
Chris: [laughing] ... wow!
Cindy: baby, ain't nothing was gonna keep me from getting here.
Chris: thank you so much.
.
Cindy hugs Chris again, Clay joins in. They stand there for a while, Carl begins to feel left out, he joins in.
The police arrive, getting statements from everyone, take photos, and everything else they needed to get. While police sergeant was talking with Chris, Clay told his mother and brother what Chris told him earlier. That caused Mrs. Carter to break down and hug her boys. She and both of them still haven't fully healed from their loss, but they knew they had to be there for Chris no matter how strong he was.
