Heavenstone 01 - The Heavenstone Secrets

I rose quickly from the sofa and headed to the stairway, rehearsing all that I would say to calm Mother down and then even apologize for having had to fool her like this. I would justify it by explaining, as Cassie had, that Daddy would have been too upset to enjoy his gala opening otherwise. I was sure she would understand.
    I moved as quickly as I could so she would not be frightened at the sound of footsteps. When I looked in on her, I saw she was lying and staring up at the ceiling just as she had been doing when I had first seen her this morning, and, just as I had suspected, she hadn’t eaten her sandwich. In fact, it was still wrapped.
    “Mother,” I called, and started toward the bed. She didn’t reply or turn to look at me. “Mother, I’m here. I didn’t go,” I began. “I see you haven’t eaten, either.”
    I unwrapped the sandwich and put it on the plate.

    “You have to eat something, Mother.”
    She didn’t turn to me. I paused. Something was different about her. I put the plate down and touched her arm. It felt cold. I shook her.
    “Mother!”
    She didn’t move.
    It struck me first in the stomach and then moved up my body like a sheet of ice, freezing me so that I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak, either. Gradually, by inches at a time, I lowered myself to lean toward her and put my lips to her cheek. It was like kissing a statue. My eyes went to the night table and the bottle of tranquilizers. It was over on its side. I picked it up and looked in it.
    It was empty.
    And Mother was gone. She had taken them all at once. It felt as if someone or something was beating on my bones. The reverberation shook my very brain.
    I looked at Mother’s tranquil face and her glassy eyes staring at nothing. Her mouth was slightly opened.
    The screams I heard sounded as if they were coming from outside the room, coming from someone else.
    When they were actually coming from me!

Sorrow
    I FUMBLED FOR the phone. My fingers seemed detached, but I managed to tap out Cassie’s cell-phone number. It rang and rang and rang until her answering service came on. I didn’t want to talk to some machine, so I tried to call again, and again it rang and rang, and again the answering service started. I sat there for what must have been close to a half-hour, calling continuously, crying, hanging up at the sound of the answering service, and calling again. Finally, she answered, and for a moment, all I could say was, “Cassie.”
    “What is it, Semantha? Daddy has just introduced the governor. We’re running a little late. Semantha?”
    “It’s … Mother …”
    “What about her? Hey, don’t move that, please. We want that there!” she shouted at someone. “What, Semantha? You didn’t go up too early and get her upset, did you?”
    “No, I waited, Cassie. Cassie …”
    “What, already? By the time you tell me why you’re calling, I’ll be on social security.”

    “She’s not moving; her eyes are open, but she won’t move, and she feels cold.”
    Cassie was silent.
    “Cassie, did you hear me?”
    “What are you saying, Semantha?”
    “I think … Mother’s dead. The pills are all gone. The bottle is empty. She took too many pills!”
    “Now, listen to me, Semantha. Don’t go in there. Go to your room and wait.”
    “Are you going to tell Daddy?”
    “No.”
    “What?”
    “I can’t tell Daddy that now. Are you crazy? He’s on the stand with the governor of Kentucky, a senator, and a mayor. I’ll tell him after it’s all over. Maybe you’re wrong. Maybe she’s just in a deep sleep.”
    “Cassie …”
    “Do what I said, Semantha. Don’t call anyone else. Just go to your room. Semantha! Are you listening to me?”
    “Yes. Oh, Cassie … Mother …”
    “Look, as soon as I can, I’ll call Dr. Moffet. Stay in your room. I’ll call you when I reach him. Okay?”
    “Okay.”
    She hung up. I sat holding the receiver for minutes, not moving, afraid that if I did, I would fold up on the floor as if all my bones had turned to jelly. I looked back at Mother, who still hadn’t moved a muscle. I couldn’t just stay there staring at her, so I ran from her room to mine, throwing myself onto the bed. I sobbed and sobbed until my ribs ached. Then I curled up in a fetal position and held myself tightly.

    Maybe Cassie was right, I hoped. I supposed I could be mistaken.
What she said made sense,
I told myself.
Mother’s just in some sort of a coma or deep sleep. Mother can’t be … gone.