They were going to suffer the same fate, but much worse, I said to myself.
---------------------------------------------
Mom wanted us to bury Dad's body behind the house.
His body was dark.
I hated seeing him that way. I still do every time I remember.
Debbie was ok and was asleep now. The shock of everything that had happened took a mighty toll on her.
Behind the house, Mom had managed to dig a grave all by herself. How strong was she anyways?
She was always amazing whenever we trained with Dad, but I never really thought much about it until now.
Come to think of it. Was our family really just ordinary, or did Mom and Dad make it seem so?
Mom covered his body with a white cloth.
Mom: Help me carry him.
I nodded.
After covering up the grave, we stood there watching.
I looked at Mom and noticed she was deep in thoughts with a frown on her face.
What was she thinking?
I looked away and stared at the grave.
I began to have flashbacks of our happy days. Dad's joy and eagerness to hug us whenever he came back from work.
He gave Mom a sweet kiss each time he came. I always enjoyed seeing how happy they were. The love in his eyes for all of us was so evident in everything he did. I always had a feeling Dad loved Mom more than she did.
I'm not saying she didn't, but Dad just had a unique way in his approach to things, which I found to be extraordinary. I wanted to be like him when I grew up. I was fourteen then. Debbie was just eight.
He was a strong man, no doubt, with some quite handsome features. He was tall, a bit muscular with six-pack abs, and beautifully toned skin. Oh, I loved my dad. His voice was deep but sultry. What I loved most about him was how he handled situations. He knew when to be hard and when to be soft. He defended us when we got into trouble but also knew how to rebuke us when we were wrong.
A dream man, one will say. He was the standard for me.
We loved him dearly. The outings we went on. The vacations we spent together, the games played. All the laughter we shared. Everything was gone now.
The family wouldn't be the same without him. The thought hurt me to my core. Why us? We did nothing to deserve this. My heart was shattered. Nothing could explain how I felt.
Me: We are alone now, aren't we?
I asked no one in particular
Me: Rest well, Dad. I'm going to miss you.
Mom: Let's go back inside.
Without waiting or my answer she tured to leave.
That tone....
I slapped the door behind me. Now I needed some answers.
Me: Who were those men, Mom?
She stopped in her tracks but was silent.
I asked again, this time at the top of my voice.
She turned to face me, and I saw the surprised look on her face. This was the first time I had spoken to her at the top of my voice and with so much sternness.
I was angry
Then I saw it again, that lack of emotion.
I didn't believe my eyes the first time, but I guess I wasn't wrong after all.
There was something amiss. This side of my mom wasn't known to me. It was cold. A big contrast to the warmth that exuded from her.
Yet I wasn't going to back down. I needed answers, and mom's demeanor right now wasn't helping.
Me: Answer me. Who were those men, and why did they want Dad dead?
Mom: That's not for you to know. Go to your room.
That was it. I was furious.
Me: You have got to be kidding me. Some unknown men com into I am going no where till you answer me.
"Tell me what the hell is going on, or are you just going to pretend like you know nothing, huh, mom?" I screamed. "I am sorry, Juno. I know we shouldn't have kept it from you, but you and Debbie are still kids. We couldn't bring ourselves to burden you. We did think of opening up, especially to you, Juno, since you were the oldest. Your father and I love you girls so much, and you know that. We decided to wait a while longer," she said. "Are you still going to wait, now that he is dead?" I asked. "I demand to know the truth, mom. Who would want to kill dad and for what reason? What wrong did he commit?" At this moment, I was fuming. I never knew I had this much anger within me. It was scary even to me, but I was too triggered to care. I needed answers. "Yes, I agree I am still young, but I'm not a baby, mom. I can handle it. For God's sake, just tell me already. What is the essence of keeping it away from me anymore? Dad is dead already. Are you going to wait till I die too, huh, mom? Is that what you want? Tell me, is that what you want?" At this moment, she was sobbing so hard it was deafening. "I...I will tell you, honey, just please calm down," she stuttered. "Come here, baby," she opened her arms for an embrace.
I couldn't take it anymore. This time the tears freely fell as I was in her arms. I wasn't planning on stopping anytime soon. She tapped my back as she cried with me. I have no idea how long we stood in that position. It seemed like forever. "Let it all out, baby, don't hold it in. Everything will be fine," she said
After what felt like an eternity, we finally broke the embrace. Mom wiped away her tears, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "Your father was once part of a secret organization," she began, her voice trembling with emotion. "They were involved in some dangerous activities. He left the group when he realized the extent of their crimes, but they never truly let him go. They wanted him dead because they feared he would expose them. Your father and I tried our best to protect our family, but we couldn't escape their grasp."
I listened intently, my mind racing with thoughts of revenge and justice for my father. As much as the truth hurt, it also ignited a spark within me – a determination to fight for my family and avenge my father's death.
"We will make them pay, mom," I whispered, my voice filled with newfound resolve. "Together, we will bring justice to those who took dad from us."
And so began our journey, a journey born from pain, loss, and a desire for retribution. Our lives would never be the same again, but we would face the darkness together, determined to honor the memory of the man who had taught us the true meaning of love and courage.