Then entire time in the car, I clasped my hands together. My gut was telling me there was something terribly wrong, and I knew my father was trying to protect me from something. That or he really didn’t know.
After parking, my father took my hand and we walked into the police station together. Glancing around, I saw a large group of kids, high school age, all standing off to the side.
“Meagan.”
Grayson’s voice caused my head to snap in his direction. He quickly wrapped his arm around my waist and led me away from everyone. “Brad, want to follow me please?”
“Sure,” my father said with a cracked voice.
“Grayson, you’re really scaring me, please tell me what’s wrong.”
He didn’t look at me; he only kept his eyes trained straight ahead. We walked up to what looked like an investigation room. Grayson opened the door and led us inside.
He shut the door and looked between the both of us before his eyes landed on mine.
Was that . . . tears in his eyes?
Pressing my lips together and moving them back and forth, my heart began to pound in my chest. Something bad happened. Oh God. Melissa!
“Gray!” I shouted.
He jumped as he took another step closer to me and placed his hands on my upper arms.
“Um . . . Meagan . . . I don’t even know how to tell you this, baby. I wish to God I didn’t have to.”
My breathing hitched as I tried to figure out what he was about to tell me.
Closing his eyes, he slowly shook his head before looking back into my eyes. Heaviness grew in my chest as my chin trembled.
“Just tell me, Gray. Please.”
“Mitchell shot himself this morning in his bedroom.”
My hands covered my mouth as I sucked in a breath. “Oh my God. Is he okay? Is he going to be all right? Was it an accident?”
Grayson shook his head as he blinked back tears. He went to speak, but his voice cracked. My heart felt like it had ceased to beat as I stood there and waited for his answer. Everything seemed to stop and move in slow motion as I heard each breath I took.
“Meg, he died instantly.”
My brain tried to comprehend what Grayson had said. “W-what?” I choked out as my hands came up to his arms where I held on for dear life. This was impossible. It’s a mistake. It’s not Mitchell! “No. Grayson, no! You have to be wrong. I just saw him yesterday and he was fine! He told me he was happy. Everything was good!” My entire body shook as I replayed our meeting yesterday in my head. Squeezing my eyes shut, I shook my head. Forcing them open, I pleaded, “Please . . . Gray . . . no. He would have told me if things where that bad.” Hitting Grayson against the chest as hard as I could, I cried out, “He’s not gone! You’re wrong. You’re wrong!”
“God, baby, I wish I was wrong. I’m so sorry. I’m so very sorry.”
The soreness in my lungs burned as I tried to understand what was happening. “I . . . I don’t understand why.” My fingers pushed though my hair as I cradled my head and tried to make sense of all of this. My arms dropped and I looked at Grayson. “Mitchell.” Pushing Grayson away from me, I covered my mouth as my shoulders quaked. “No!” I screamed as I stumbled back against the door.
“Meagan,” Grayson called out as he reached for me.
Tears streamed down my face as I saw Mitchell’s smile flash across my mind. How did I miss this? How could I have let him down like this?
My body trembled as Grayson placed his hands on my face. I was barley able to speak as I whispered, “Please tell me you’re wrong. Please, Gray. Please.”
Grayson pulled me into his arms as he held me tightly. “I’m so sorry, Meg.”
My legs gave out as I screamed out Mitchell’s name and collapsed to the ground as Grayson went down with me. Pulling me onto his lap, Grayson held onto me tightly.
The room slowly faded away as I heard Grayson and my father calling out my name.
I failed him.
I. Failed. Him.
“Gray, why don’t you go get something to eat?”
My father’s voice sounded so far away as I fought to open my eyes.
“I’m not hungry, Brad, but thank you.”
Turning my head, I saw my father and Grayson both sitting in chairs. Grayson’s head was buried in his hands as my father stared out the window.
It was then I realized what had happened.
Mitchell.
Tears spilled from my eyes as I looked up at the ceiling and then around Grayson’s bedroom confused. “What happened?” I asked as Grayson jumped up and was by my side in an instant.
“You passed out. We brought you back to my place.”
My father stood on the other side of me and smiled sweetly as he took my hand in his. “Hey, pumpkin.”
“Dad,” I whispered with a smile.
Turning back to Grayson, I knew I had to ask the one thing I was praying had been a dream. “Mitchell?”
Grayson’s chin trembled as he looked at my father. My heart dropped, knowing it wasn’t a bad dream.
“Why?” I asked with a quaking voice. “Why?”
Sitting up some, I looked between my father and Grayson. “Is his mother okay? What about his brothers?”