Chapter 62 - Shot Thru The Heart.... And your to Blame.....

Steph had completely stunned me with her question, Mara answered before I could,

"Sweetheart your mom got shot, but the cops called an ambulance and she was taken to hospital, I'm sorry.."

"is she alive then?" Stephs question was more of a statement.

I looked at Mara, who was looking more and more uncomfortable with Steph's direct question. this time I answered.

"Baby girl, I wish we knew more, but we don't, we can find out though ok??"

Steph looked out of the windows, she was silent for a few minutes, when she spoke again, she let her feelings pour out...

"Pop, I don't care if she's alive, you misunderstood, after all the times she mistreated us kids, and the way she has tortured you and Mara, I hope she is dead,"
"you don't mean that?"
"I do dad, really I do..., what kind of mother takes the father of her children hostage and threatens to kill him, and tells the child the next time you will see your dad is in the morgue? "

I did not have an answer to that one,

with tears choking in her throat she continued, " she does not deserve to live..."

I called Steph over, she needed my arms around her, hell; I needed to feel my arms around her.

she walked over and sat on the bed and sobbing she rested her head on my chest, just as Jake had earlier. 
I held her and stroked her head and back, trying to soothe the hurt away that had been poured on her young shoulders.
What had the kids done to deserve any of this.... there was only one answer, nothing..... Mara stood by Jessie looking at us; tears were in her eye's as she could see the hurt and pain Steph had and still was going through.
My ma and pa stood behind, listening and watching, the sandwich I had been eating dropped to the floor as silence filled the room.

Mara broke it by asking, "Steph, would you like me to find out how your mom is?"
Lifting her head from my chest, she looked at Mara and nodded her head. "Tell her, .... tell her...... I-I.I-I love her...." then her head went back to my chest as she continued to weep. Mara nodded her head, and left the room.

Jessie and Jake who had stood watching their sister, pour her heart out, now walked over and sat perched on the end of the bed trying to soothe their sister too.

In many ways it was cruel for Steph to be the eldest and regarded as the head of the kids, yeah I'm old fashioned but it should be a guy thing, and Jessie should have been our first born..... but nature has a way of telling you how its gonna be, and you just deal with what your given... but still it was cruel.... in this instance anyways.

My ma who had stood at the back now moved forward too. she spoke to Steph,

"Steph, hunni, come with Grandma, lets go talk and get a bite to eat, come...."
Steph raised her head, and through watery tearful eye's she spoke,

"but I don't want anything to eat, ma-ma, I just want to stay with dad.."

"You will, we will be right back, that sandwich your pa was eating looked dry, lets go get him something nice and fresh from the dining room, we can talk on the way, ok?"

Steph looked at me, I nodded my head to let her know it was fine. She planted a kiss on my cheek as she left with my ma.
With just the boys and my pop left in the room, silence fell on us once more.
Jessie spoke this time,

"So, after our call pop, what did happen?"

"I told you, your mom got shot and was taken to hospital.."

"Who shot mom?, and how?"

I felt real uneasy again and irked, where was Mara, her diplomatic skills reigned far higher than mine.

I gave a short sharp reply, far more than I intended.
" it does not matter who or how, it happened!." 

I caught Jessie's reaction, I knew I had gone to far, his face registered, shocked and hurt, as he turned his eye's away from me and hung his head, when he spoke again, it was to apologise for asking, making my guilt even worse... I hated not being able to tell them the truth...
Immediately, I apologised to Jessie, it was not his fault and I had to let him no that. they had suffered enough hurt.
"No don't apologise son, it's not your fault, really," for the second time that day I bent the truth, and still avoided the truth being told to my kids.
"It's just my throat is so sore, I can't talk much, I promise I'll explain all when I'm better though ok?"

Jessie nodded his head and forced a smile, just as my pop spoke...  He had been shuffling around at the back while Jessie was talking, tutting and raising his eye's up and down towards the ceiling, but nothing could have prepared me... no us for the next outburst that came from his lips....

"Oh for fuck sake son, tell them the truth, tell them Mara shot the fucking witch..." This time the elephant came to the party and was not going anywhere......