Last Seen Alive

Chapter Six

A sharp knock on the car window startled Michael awake. His neck was stiff from the awkward way he'd slept in his car, and he immediately regretted not going home after seeing his mother. Through blurry eyes, he saw Hilda still knocking impatiently on his window, adding to the pounding in his head. Eyes half open, he fumbled around until he rolled down the window.

"I should have known you'd pull a stunt like this," she said, shaking her head.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Michael said, stretching his arms as much as he could in the confines of the car.

"Fine. We'll pretend you didn't just spend the night sleeping in a car, parked behind your family home like some creeper."

"You kiss your grandkids with that mouth?"

"Don't get sassy with me, Michael. I can still discipline you, Chief-of-Police or not."

"Sorry Hilda." He looked over to the house. "How is she? I saw her light go on a couple of times during the night."

"It was a rough night but she's doing better," Hilda replied. "I'm surprised you didn't barge in demanding to see her."

"I'm trying to respect her wishes."

"By spying on her instead?"

"She's the one who refuses to let me stay close to her. What else am I supposed to do?" Michael said, frustrated.

Hilda looked at him with pity. "She's trying to protect you. It's not an easy thing to see someone you love go through something like this when there's nothing you can do to help them."

"She doesn't have much time left, does she?" he said, solemnly.

She didn't respond, but her silence spoke volumes. "Come on," she said, opening his door to pull him out. "If you have any hope of fooling your mother into thinking you slept in an actual bed last night, you better come with me."

"You're not telling on me?"

"Of course not silly, but you need a shower and a change of clothes before you see her."

"I don't have any clothes here, Hilda."

"I'm sure you can fit in one of your father's old--"

"Do not finish that sentence," he interjected menacingly.

Hilda rolled her eyes in spite of his hostile tone. "You either get over yourself and wear your father's shirt or I tell your mother the truth and upset her. Which will it be?"

Michael glared at her but she didn't back down, so he gave in and waited in the kitchen while she went to find him something to wear. To his horror, she came back with a uniform.

"I found one of the old uniforms he used to wear when he was Chief-of-Police. Figured you'd hate that less than any of his shirts."

His sour face said otherwise. She ignored it and pushed him towards the bathroom. Once he was done and dressed in the uniform, which actually fit perfectly, he went over to his mother's room and knocked.

Hilda opened the door and wolf-whistled before letting him in. "Well, doesn't someone look handsome this morning. You must have had a good night of sleep in your apartment."