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Vanessa’s voice was raw with desperation. “No! Please! Let me have Elijah! I’m his
mother!”
Rachel’s eyes blazed with fury. “You dare to call yourself his mother now? Elijah trusted you–trusted you! Even when he was beaten and bleeding, his first thought was to call you for help. And what did you do? You mocked him! You hung up on him! You don’t deserve to call yourself his mother!”
Rachel shoved Vanessa away, her voice trembling with anger. “As his family, I’m taking him. His remains will stay with the Hartmans, not you!”
“No! You can’t take him! I’m his next of kin!” Vanessa’s composure shattered utterly.
For the first time in my life, I saw my mother utterly undone–her meticulous demeanor
gone, replaced by a frantic, desperate woman. She clung to Rachel’s leg, sobbing
uncontrollably.
“Please! I have nothing left! Nothing! He’s all I have to hold onto! Don’t take him from me!”
Rachel hardened her resolve, her jaw tightening as tears filled her eyes. “This is your punishment, Vanessa. You killed him, and you’ll live with that for the rest of your life. I won’t
let you forget.”
Vanessa crumpled, clutching at Rachel’s leg, her cries echoing through the room.
I hovered above them, torn.
It was just a body, wasn’t it? What did it matter who kept my remains? But I knew, deep down, that this wasn’t about me. Rachel wanted justice, her form of retribution for my
death.
I sighed, powerless to intervene.
In the end, the five suspects were convicted. Three received the death penalty, while the other two were sentenced to life without parole.
During my funeral, my father’s badge number was reinstated and buried with me, a
let you torget.
Vanessa crumpled, clutching at Rachel’s leg, her cries echoing through the room.
I hovered above them, torn.
It was just a body, wasn’t it? What did it matter who kept my remains? But I knew, deep down, that this wasn’t about me. Rachel wanted justice, her form of retribution for my death.
I sighed, powerless to intervene.
In the end, the five suspects were convicted. Three received the death penalty, while the other two were sentenced to life without parole.
During my funeral, my father’s badge number was reinstated and buried with me, a posthumous honor symbolizing my family’s dedication to justice. I was also officially recognized as a narcotics officer, granting me a place among the fallen heroes in the Federal Heroes Memorial Cemetery.
The public supported this decision wholeheartedly. After learning the whole story, people praised my courage- my refusal to yield to the gang, even in the face of death.
“An honor well deserved,” one comment read
“A family of heroes. Rest in peace, young man.”
“Does anyone know how his mother’s doing? She must be devastated.”
“She must be, but it’s her fault. She hung up on him when he needed her most.”
“She’ll carry that guilt forever. What a tragedy.”
At the cemetery, Vanessa came to visit me every day. She brought snacks I used to love, things I hadn’t eaten in years because I was trying to stay in shape for the academy.
I sat on my gravestone, watching her set everything out.
She spoke softly, her voice breaking. “Elijah, Mom’s retired early. I’ll have so much time
now I’ll come to see vou every day okay? Be nood”
“She must be, but it’s her fault. She hung up on him when he needed her most.”
“She’ll carry that guilt forever. What a tragedy.”
At the cemetery, Vanessa came to visit me every day. She brought snacks I used to love, things I hadn’t eaten in years because I was trying to stay in shape for the academy.
I sat on my gravestone, watching her set everything out.
She spoke softly, her voice breaking. “Elijah, Mom’s retired early. I’ll have so much time
now. I’ll come to see you every day, okay? Be good.”
Her words broke my heart, but I couldn’t answer.
“Elijah, are you cold? Are you hungry? Why haven’t you come to visit me in my dreams?
Just let me know you’re okay; that’s all I ask.”
But I couldn’t. Restless spirits like mine couldn’t cross into dreams or the afterlife until
our time in the living world had passed.
“I’m sorry, Elijah,” she whispered, her tears falling freely. “I thought I was protecting you. didn’t want you to become a cop because I feared losing you. But I pushed you away
instead. I’m sorry, my son. I’m so sorry.”
Her cries filled the quiet cemetery.
I watched, helpless, as she poured her heart out to my gravestone. She sat there for hours, lost in her grief.
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I stayed with her, savoring the last moments we’d share. One day, I’d move on to reunite with Dad. Vanessa would still have her life to live, a future to find.
“Goodbye, Mom,” I whispered. “I don’t blame you. I never did. Please, don’t follow me too
soon. Live. For me.”
And with that, I turned away, ready to let go.
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