89 - AND THERE WAS SILENCE

Emily.

“Hello! Mrs. Emily Parker?”

“Yes!” I replied, puzzled.

“I’m Agent John. I regret to inform you of your husband’s passing. Please report to our office tomorrow to recognize his belongings.”

“Husband’s death? Please explain, because I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” I felt my heartbeat grow stronger. The lump in my throat went down to my stomach, where it seemed to turn into a painful lump. I knew who he was talking about. It was Kevin! But dead?

“Last night, there was an incident between his clan and another rival clan. They were shooting at each other and it seems one truck your husband brought to the rival caught fire from the shooting.”

“Shots? Trucks? How is Olivia? Agent Olivia...” I asked, startled.

“Emily, what’s wrong?” asked Mike, startled by my agitation.

“Ma’am, your husband brought contraband weapons to his rival. Apparently, things between them didn’t go as they planned and arguments ensued that led to the shooting. The agent you’re asking about, I can’t give you any details. I don’t work in the field. My duties are related to the body area. As far as I understand, only one agent sustained minor injuries. They’re all alive. Please remember you’re expected at the agency’s headquarters.”

“Will I have to recognize the body? I don’t think I’ll be able to do that.”

“You won’t. It’s charred, and you won’t be able to recognize it. We found a man’s wallet next to it that appears to be Kevin Parker’s.”

“I’ll be there. Thank you very much.”

“Emily! Emily, say something. What did they say to you on the phone? Why are you like this?” Mike kept asking me in a panic.

“Kevin is dead!” I told him, shocked by the news I had just learned.

“Dead?”

“An agent called me and told me I’d have to go to agency headquarters to recognize some items that were found with the body.”

“Are you sure it’s not a trap?”

“I don’t know. I say it’s real.”

“Let’s go talk to Andy.”

We both quickly left the room. I walked into the living room, breathless. I couldn’t tell if Mike or I were more nervous. It’s just that aside from the excitement the news caused me, a strange, strange feeling had crept deep into my heart. I couldn’t describe what I was feeling. It was something so strong I could feel my hands instantly freeze. It was like a strong claw was squeezing my heart as tight as it could go.

“Andy, have you talked to Olivia?”

“She hasn’t called me since yesterday morning. She said she was going to be really busy and wouldn’t have time to talk.”

“Is she okay? Is she okay? What do you know? Keep nothing from me, Dad, please.”

“Emily, calm down! What’s wrong? I’m not lying to you. What you know I don’t?”

“I know nothing. She got a call from an agent asking her to come down to the station to recognize some items that belonged to Kevin.”

“Belonged to him? You mean he’s dead?”

“He told me he died yesterday. Apparently, he’d brought in contraband weapons for his rival. Things between them didn’t go as they planned, and the arguments that led to the shooting ensued. That’s when one truck caught fire and Kevin was burned to death. One agent was reported to have suffered minor injuries. I just wanted to make sure Olivia wasn’t hurt.”

As I was telling the story, I saw my father tense up. Although he didn’t want to show it, I could read the anxiety on his face. It was clear he was thinking the same thing I was about Olivia. He quickly took the phone in his hand and dialed Olivia’s number. I could feel the tension in the room rising. The atmosphere was becoming oppressive and unbearable.

“Don’t answer it!” he told me worriedly. His face was tense. His uneasiness twisted me more than I already was. I could feel panic taking hold. “Something doesn’t feel right,” he continued in an irritated tone.

“I can call Frank. He might know something. I have his number. He’s a very serious guy. He helped me get here.”

“Yes! You’re right! I had forgotten about him. I’ll call him now.” He didn’t think twice. He called Frank with alacrity. We were all anxious. I could feel my heart pounding in my throat, stopping my breathing. “Frank! Hello! It’s Andy. Have you heard from Olivia? She’s not returning my calls. What do you know about her? I hope she’s okay?”

Suddenly, there was silence. A heavy, heavy silence. She was listening to what was being said on the phone, only it seemed to me that the answer was much too late, and the waiting was much too hard. In my mind ran all the dark ideas that could exist. The claw in my chest was getting stronger. I kept praying they wouldn’t tell me Olivia was badly hurt and no....

“Olivia is fine. She was shot in the leg and was now hospitalized. They’re keeping her under observation a little longer to make sure whatever it was didn’t affect the pregnancy.”

“Pregnancy? What pregnancy? Olivia’s pregnant?” I asked.

“Yes. She and Frank are in love and have started a relationship. Thank God for everything.”

“Did you know? Why didn’t you tell me?.... That’s wonderful! A baby!”

Dad was so excited and so proud of her. Everyone was happy for her. She deserved to be happy. She always fought for us and our safety. Now it was her turn for happiness.

“I’m going to have a grandchild, Emily! Do you understand!? A grandchild!”

I looked at Mike, who had been watching the whole conversation between Dad and me from behind us. He was silent. He always wanted to keep his distance when he and Dad were talking. His gaze was so warm, so soft. You could tell that the whole time Dad and I were talking, he was caressing me with his eyes.

“Mike, a baby! She’s going to have a baby!” I shouted excitedly. “We have to go to her. I’ll pack a little bag and we’ll go to the airport.”