Bird Song (54 page)

“What’s that,” Graham asked behind me.

“His heart blew up,” I responded, my voice so low, I wasn’t sure if he heard me.

Stacy sucked in her breath while Graham’s whooshed out as they both took in the shock of the sudden confession and equally sudden death.

Robert wrapped his arms around me and it was the sudden stillness in my body that made me realize that I had been trembling almost violently.
 
I looked up at him and he shook his head, a warning not to ask the question that was threatening to come out in a loud scream.

“Hey, Grace.
 
You
gotta
go and talk to your dad about this.
 
We’ll go and deal with my things,” Graham said quickly, pulling Stacy along with him.
 
I nodded my head stiffly and turned to look at the police officers who stood dumbly beside us, simply waiting for me to invite them into the house.

As Graham and Stacy walked towards his house, Robert and I, followed by the officers, walked towards mine.

“Dad?” I called out upon opening the door, stopping only when I didn’t recognize my own voice.
 
“Janice?” I said aloud, hoping for a different result.
 
I cringed at the near whiny tone that came out of my mouth.

Janice appeared from the kitchen, her ever trusty dish towel busily soaking up whatever it was she had on her hands.
 
“Grace, Robert, I thought you were—oh, the police are here.”
 
She stared in shock at the two strange men who stood behind me and walked back into the kitchen.
 
I heard the back door open and her voice call out for Dad.

When she reappeared, he was by her side, and the two of them immediately came to me, Robert stepping aside to allow them to flank me as they prepared for what the officers had to tell them.
 
We sat on the couch, a united family unit as once more, the officers went over what happened.
 
I handed Dad the papers that contained Mr. Frey’s signed statement detailing the incidents that led up to the accident as well as afterwards as the officers spoke.

When they came to the incident report that described Mr. Frey’s “escape” and subsequent death, Dad let out a roar of complaint.
 
“How could you let him escape?
 
And then to just die before without even being punished for it?
 
My daughter has been through Hell because of this man, and he didn’t even spend a single night in jail?”

Janice placed her hand on his knee—an effort to calm him, I suppose—and took the papers from his hand.
 
“He went very quickly if this report is correct.
 
The stress of having to bear this secret must have been too much for him.”

Dad looked at Janice incredulously.
 
“Stress of not wanting to be caught!”

Janice ignored that last bit and then looked at Robert.
 
“It says that you were with Mr. Frey when he called the police.
 
Is that true?”

I looked at Robert, who nodded his head stiffly.
 
“I was the first person he confessed to.
 
I stayed with him while he dialed 911, and then remained with him until the police arrived.
 
I came and told Grace as soon as I could, but didn’t want her to tell anyone else because it wasn’t official yet.”

Dad’s face had turned a distinct shade of crimson as he glared at Robert while his voice once again roared with anger.
 
“You knew this whole time, knew and didn’t tell me.
 
And you-” he pointed an accusatory finger at me “-you knew and kept this to yourself.
 
How could you, Grace?”

I opened my mouth to reply.
 
Don’t.
 
I looked at Robert and saw the quick shake of his head, my mouth closing and my head hanging low with shame and guilt.

“Mr. Shelley, I told her not to tell anyone, not even you, because if Mr. Frey was lying, I didn’t want her telling you and then having to deal with feeling like she was disappointing you all over again—especially after what happened with Mr.
Branke
.”

Robert’s explanation seemed to calm Dad down as he continued.
 
“I told her to wait until the police showed up with a written statement.
 
I’m sorry if you feel betrayed, but this was what was best for Grace.
 
I only ever had her welfare in mind.”

Dad looked at Robert and then at me, his head tossing and turning like he was witnessing a silent tennis match.
 
Finally, he threw up his hands in defeat.
 
“Fine.”

Janice let loose a sigh of relief, and I followed suit.

The radio attached to one of the officer’s shoulder started blaring and the officer stood up to respond.
 
He walked towards the door and then turned back to look at his partner who had heard the entire exchange.

They both turned to look at me, a silent accusation in their eyes.

Robert grabbed my hand and a flurry of thoughts and images passed through my head.
 
I gasped, and Robert squeezed my hand tightly, a signal to say nothing.

“Um, we’ve got a report of a robbery taking place next door.
 
Isn’t that where your friends went?” one of the officers asked.
 
“And wasn’t the girl carrying a very large, very
empty
bag?”

The two officers looked at each other and they both rushed out towards Graham’s house, Robert and I on their heels.
 
As the four of us crossed over the front lawn to Graham’s front door, I could hear the argument going on inside and looked at Robert, whose eyes were narrow slits as he heard with incredible clarity the horrible things that were being said behind the door.

To my dismay, the police officers both placed their hands on their weapons, unsnapping the band that kept it secure, and called out to the voices.
 
“Open up!
 
This is the police!”

Robert, seeing my panic and fear for my friends inside, became angry.
 
A sudden chill came over us and the officers began to shiver as they stared at each other with puzzled looks on their faces.
 
Robert held my hand and I felt the warmth travel through him into me, keeping me from the icy blast that seemed to only target the officers.

The sound of breaking glass inside caused me to jump and the officer who had been holding the envelope squeezed the trigger of his weapon, the report of the gun louder than I had expected and causing a steady buzzing sound to fill my ears.
 
I screamed, and Robert’s growl of anger was the only warning as the officer soon found himself on the ground, his weapon mangled in his hand.
 
The other officer, having seen nothing but his partner fall, looked at him in shock.

“What are you doing?
 
You’re acting like a second week cadet!
 
Get up off your ass—we’re going to be doing paperwork for a month just to deal with your gun going off.
 
And how are we going to explain that?”
 
He pointed to the metal lump that had never left his partner’s hand.

Before he could answer, the door opened and Graham emerged with a very shaken Stacy.
 
They jumped back in shock at the sight of the two police officers—one with his hand on his gun, the other on the ground with something that might have been a gun at one point in his hand.

Graham looked at me and shook his head.
 
“Dad called the cops when he heard me getting my things.
 
He said that everything in the house was his, and then he tried to hit Stacy.”

I looked at Stacy, who appeared slightly winded but altogether fine.
 
“Did you…?”

She nodded.
 
“He’s old and drunk—no offense, Graham—which made it pretty easy.”

I looked at the police officer who still stared incredulously at his partner and then at Robert, who was quietly seething at the officer's clumsiness.
 
"This is my friend's house, Officer-” I eyed his nametag “-York.
 
He was just grabbing some clothes for a trip he's taking tomorrow down to Florida to see his mom.
 
It must’ve upset his father; he’s got a drinking problem.
 
There is no robbery; just an angry and drunken man who doesn't want his life to change."

A moan from inside followed by a loud belch caused Officer York to turn his head towards the door.
 
He peered inside and stood aback as the depth of the situation was finally revealed.

Strewn all across the floor were empty take-out containers of food and cans of beer, mixed with the occasional empty bottle of whisky or vodka.
 
The stench that flowed out was nauseating and I could see why Stacy had been so upset.
 
I covered my nose with my hand, a motion that was mimicked by everyone else with the exception of Robert.

“Is that your father young man?” Officer York pointed to the lump laying on a pile of crushed boxes bearing the labels of several alcohol brands.

Graham nodded solemnly and turned away, upset at over the circumstances that led to this most recent confrontation.
 
“Yes, sir—that’s my father.”

The other officer, who had by now regained his composure and was still busy trying to figure out what had happened to his gun, coughed and indicated with a flick of his head that we were attracting an audience.

I turned around and saw the neighbors from across the street, as well as those in the house on the other side of mine all standing in a huddled group, staring and speaking in low tones, their heads shaking with distaste.

“Graham, I think you should go into Grace’s house and wait for the officers there,” Robert said in an authoritative tone.

I watched silently as Graham nodded and walked towards Dad and Janice who were both standing in front of the door.
 
Janice opened her arms to Graham and embraced him while Dad shook his head and patted Graham on his back.
 
He looked up at me and I saw the disappointment written there.
 
Richard had been one of his closest friends, and now…

“Grace, you should probably get inside as well,” Robert insisted.
 
When I opened my mouth to refuse he pressed a finger against my lips.
 
“Please.
 
Your best friend needs you.”

I turned to look at Stacy who nodded her head in agreement.
 
“He won’t talk to me about this, you know that.
 
You’re the only person he trusts.”

“But who’s going to tell them about what’s really going on here?” I asked and motioned towards the two perplexed officers with my head.
 
“They don’t know-”

Robert once again held his finger to my lips.
 
“I’ll tell them.”
 
Robert pressed his forehead to mine briefly.
 
“I’ll be there as soon as I’m done here.”

He turned me around and gently pushed me towards my home.
 
I didn’t look back as I approached my front door, Dad standing there waiting for me.

“It’s a good thing he’s leaving tomorrow, kiddo.
 
I’m beginning to question whether it was a good idea to allow him to continue to stay here in Ohio,” Dad said as he welcomed me with a comforting hug.
 
“This is some day, huh?”

My muffled reply into his chest brought out a soft chuckle.
 
“I don’t know why these things keep happening to our family, but you’ve got yourself one heck of a guardian angel there in Robert.
 
Most guys—especially eighteen-year-old guys—would tuck tail and run if they had to deal with what you’ve had to in this past year, and I have to hand it to him—he’s stuck by you through the hit and run, Graham, me…there’s no getting around it, Grace.
 
Robert is good for you.”

I already knew that.
 
Sometimes it felt like I had been born knowing that.
 
“Don’t tell him that though, Dad.
 
He might seem like he’s got the patience of a saint, but he’s got an ego and that’s all I need, for him to start strutting like a peacock because he has your approval.”

Dad began to chuckle again, and I felt his body rock as he shook his head.
 
“Just because I believe he’s good for you, that doesn’t mean I approve of him.
 
He’s done some stupid things, too, like removing your casts and not telling us about Mr. Frey—why didn’t you at least tell me, Grace?
 
I wouldn’t have thought you were telling me anything but the truth, you know that.
 
You’ve never lied to me, so there are no trust issues between us.”

Though he waited for me to respond, I couldn’t.
 
Dad said that I had never lied to him, but he was wrong.
 
I had been lying to everyone I cared about for the past six months, lied to everyone that I loved, and it was starting to wear on me, but the rapid pace of events wasn’t giving me much opportunity to dwell on it.

Dad pulled me into the house and led me to the couch, where Graham was currently seated, a phone pressed to his ear, one hand covering his eyes in apparent exasperation.