Brave Grave

Chapter twenty-three

"What's wrong dear, you've barely touched your food." Sharon asks as her lips press against her warm mug of coffee.

"Nothing hun, I am fine. Just not too hungry, that's all."

There definitely was something wrong other than him just not being hungry. Richard knew something that Sharon didn't and it was eating him alive to not tell her. He hated keeping stuff from her, but if he told her anything she wouldn't be able to handle it.

Seeing her at the cemetery caught him off guard. Originally, he was there to wait on Seth and Delanie so he could help them with Fin's body. Of course, Sharon's unexpected appearance made it harder for him to help. He had to distract her so she wouldn't be anywhere near the cemetery when Seth and Delanie got there.

"I can get the check and we can go home." Sharon replies.

"Home?"

"To Trenton."

Richard heaves a sigh and takes his wifes hand in his.

"Sharon, I can't go back to Trenton right now. I have to stay here."

"It is time for you to come home Richard. You can't stay here forever. This is not your home anymore."

"Eventually I will go back home to Trenton, but right now there are some things I need to take care of first." Richard explains.

"What about me? You're supposed to be taking care of me, remember? I am your wife."

"Sharon, I have been taking care of you since the day I said I do. I will continue to take care of you as long as I am alive, but I need you to understand that I need to be here."

Sharon takes her hand away from Richard's and grabs her purse.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go. I love you." Sharon kisses the top of Richard's head and walks to the door.

"Sharon wait."

It was too late, she was already gone. Richard watched the headlights of Sharon's car fade through the window as she drove away. He knew she wouldn't understand, but he couldn't just leave. Not yet.

**

Arden and the boys walk inside of his house expecting to find his parents inside, but they were nowhere to be found.

"Mom? Dad?" Arden shouts looking in each room. "They're not here, neither is Jacob."

"They probably went to the contest or something." Lucas shrugs.

"Whoa, what happened here?" Marcus says spotting broken glass and red wine on the floor. Arden and Lucas rush over and gasp at the sight.

"There's food on the table untouched." Arden says knitting his brows together in confusion.

"That's weird."

"Something is off, mom and dad wouldn't just leave food on the table or a big ass mess on the floor."

Unexpectedly, there was a knock on the door causing them to jump out of their skin.

Arden opens the door finding Richard standing in front of him.

"What were you boys doing at my house?" He asks walking inside.

"Arden went inside and we couldn't find him so we went inside to go look for him and when we finally did find him he was clawing at the wall until his fingers bled and he disappeared after our flashlights went out." Marcus explains before Arden could open his mouth.

"We've got to get you to the cemetery now." Mr. Micheals says grabbing ahold of Arden's shoulder and pulling him out of the doorway.

"Why? I'm fine." Arden says.

"No you're not."