Chapter Five:



Jack stepped into his living room, where his father was crying on the couch. Victoria was standing in the next room, trying to think of something to say when Jack returned.

“So is it true?”

“Yes, she died on impact. From the tire marks on the road, the other driver had definitely been swerving and the smell of booze was clear. To think, this happens right before your birthday…”

“It doesn’t matter when it happened, the pain is all the same. We should not dread or loathe the future, but be grateful for our past. Just because mom is gone now does not lessen how happy she made us before. It is good to miss someone and feel pain at their loss, it shows how much they meant to us and how much we cared about them. But never should we feel like our lives are empty without them, because we will always have the time we spent together in our memories, our love for them, and the knowledge that they never truly left us. Don’t worry about me, while I shall mourn from now and even afterwards, I should not dread the 21st. Goodnight, Dad.”

Jack walked out of the room and moved silently past Victoria, but as she reached out to him, he ignored her and began climbing up the stairs. She followed him to his room, closing the door behind her. Jack stood in the middle of the room, not saying anything or even moving. Victoria looked around, noting the details of his very Spartan bedroom. True to his words, there was no bed, only a met on the floor with a depression worn in and some pillows. Except for his desk and bureau, the only real furniture was his bookshelf, filled with CDs, cassette tapes, and even records. Jack turned to her, his smile returned but weakened with sadness.

“This is the first time I have experienced what people call loss. I must admit, I didn’t think it would be this potent. I wonder if even the most enlightened monk is saddened by the loss of a loved one.”

Rushing forward, Victoria wrapped her arms around Jack’s neck and held him tightly. “Jack, I am so sorry, I don’t even know what to say. I wish there was something I could say, something I could do, just something to make you feel better. I know you’re hurting, I know how it feels to lose family, but I don’t know what it’s like to lose a mom. I’m sorry Jack, I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you, Victoria. I’m lucky to have you.”

“What can I do for you to make you feel better? Do you want me to give you space? To stay with you? To comfort you? I’ll do anything you ask, I’ll do anything I can to lessen your pain.”

Instead of answering, Jack walked past her to his CD player and inserted a disk of instrumental music. As the soft fluttering notes of the flute moved through the room like a listing butterfly, Jack moved to the corner of the room where he meditated and sat down.

“Will you sit with me?”

“Of course,” she answered, sitting down on one of the pillows in front of him and holding his hands.

Jack closed his eyes and became still, mediating with Victoria just watching him, clutching his hands. Save for the two lovers’ breathing, the gentle music was the only sound in the room, but as the third song faded out, Victoria’s back began to get sore.

“Are you uncomfortable?” Jack asked without opening his eyes.

“Oh, no, I’m fine.”

“It’s all right, do whatever you like to make yourself comfortable. I don’t want you to be with me at your expense. I don’t want you to be sore to make me happy.”

Jack then opened his eyes in slight surprise as Victoria lied down in front of him with her head in his lap.

“Tell me if you get uncomfortable, I’ll move or do anything you want to make you happy,” she murmured.

“Thank you, Victoria. I’m blessed to have you in my life,” he replied with a small smile while he stroked her long scarlet hair.

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“Kelly, Tyler, I didn’t expect you to come,” Jack said, climbing out of his dad’s car and stepping onto the parking lot beside the local church.

Wearing a black dress, Victoria climbed out of the back seat. “I told Kelly about your mom and I guess she told Tyler. I’m sorry, Jack, I should have asked you before telling her.”

“No, I’m glad they came, just like I’m glad you came.”

“Jack, I’m so sorry about your mom. I can’t imagine how hard this is for you,” Kelly said. Like Victoria, she was wearing a black dress for the funeral.

“We should get inside, everyone is waiting for us,” Jack’s dad said, getting out of the car.

Stepping forward, Tyler held out his hand. “Mr. Owen, I’m sorry about your wife. If she’s anything like Jack, she must have been a very kind and smart woman.”

With a sad smile, Harold shook the young man’s hand and thanked him.

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In the main hall of the church, a line of friends and family slowly moved past the open casket of Jack’s mother. She had been placed in a black dress and any scratches or injuries from the car crash had been hidden with makeup by the coroner. In the background, Victoria, Ellie, and Tyler stood, wanting to stay out of the way while everyone mourned.

Under their watch, Jack came up to the casket and placed his hand on his mom’s cold shoulder. “Thank you for everything, especially for letting me have known you.”

The words spoken, he walked over to his friends.

“I know how you feel, Jack, I lost my sister five years ago and it completely wrecked my life. Only recently have I been able to come to terms with it and I still haven’t been able to forgive myself for her death, but meeting you has been a lot of help,” said Tyler.

“The pain of losing a loved one is the same for everyone. While the role that person might have played or the relationship they were in may be different, as long as people love someone, they will all mourn him or her the same way and with the same intensity. Thank you.”

“I may have not known your mom for very long, but each day I talked to her, I could see and appreciate the kind of person she was. She was a wonderful woman.” Victoria said softly.

“Thank you, that means a lot to me.”

“I don’t know what to say that will help, other than I am sorry for your loss. All I can really do is promise you that I will help you in any way that I can.”

“Thank you, I appreciate it.”

Taking a deep breath, Jack’s father approached them. “We should take our seats, the ceremony is about to start.”

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Jack’s father stood at the podium, with Laurie’s casket behind him. “Laurie was my wife, the mother of my son, and the love of my life. She was kind to everyone, a gentle soul, and the sweetest girl you could ever meet. I met her when we attended USM, and from the moment I saw her, I knew I loved her. She became my light, my dream, and my hope for the future. I considered every day that we were together a blessing, and the day we married to be the happiest day of my life. We built a home together, joined our two futures into one, and raised a son that quickly became the most amazing and wisest man I had ever met, even as a child.