Redwood Nine: Season 03 Ch. 11

Hank and Walter waited in the room for the nurse to come back in. Walter said he needed to get out of there as soon as he could and Hank understood why. The nurse popped her head in and said he was cleared to leave and just sign the release forms to go. They went to the desk and Walter quickly scribbled his name down and thanked them for taking care of him, then Hank pushed Walter down the hall to the elevator and the freedom of outside. Hank stopped his truck and Walter got out of the wheelchair and hopped in slowly.

"Take me home, Hank. I need to be where my head feels right about things."

"Have you there soon, old buddy, have you there soon."

Walter stared out the window and watched the world pass by without thought of it. For him, time ended that night and there was no more time he wanted to know about. To him, he felt like he died that night too. Hank looked at Walter and showed concern on his face, seeing the division of his friend happen before his eyes. Each minute seemed to be taking away another fraction of him. They arrived at the farm and Walter got out and looked around at his place. It seemed empty, lifeless to him. Tinkerbell came as close as she could and mooed out to Walter. He went over and stroked her head, the two sharing a moment of loss together. Hank stood by and watched him and waited for him to finish and come back, then walked him over to where Chase lay under the oak tree.

Hank finally got Walter inside and settled in his chair with a sandwich and a glass of milk. He said he'd be over in the morning to help with the herd and then get back to their game. Hank shook Walter's hand and felt the lifelessness in it. His friend wasn't dealing well the grief and loss and he worried about him pulling through it. He went back to his own place and tended to his own duties of the night and secured his property.

Walter put the sandwich and milk down and picked up two pictures that sat on the table. He looked at Jessie, sitting there in the prime of her life, remembering how he took the shot himself one day. He wanted her to smile and she wouldn't, so he told her she was the only woman who ever got him stiff and horny. Just as Jessie looked in surprise and a latent hint of knowing added in, Walter had taken the picture. He weakly smiled at the growing blush on her cheeks. He liked that Polaroid camera she bought and used it often to take surprise pictures of her. He stuck it in a frame to keep it clean and safe, even though it looked out of place in it. He kissed the glass gently, the image the only way to express his love that he felt. He looked at Christi, another smile coming at her chosen name Golden. She was truly a golden souled child, inside and out. She was standing just outside on the porch and had come out to say lunch was ready when he turned and snapped the picture. Her smile was so natural on her face, she was so truly happy in her life at that time. Thoughts of what she would be like when she grew up, were more of a reason to be sad and he carefully set them back down on the table. He took a bite of his sandwich and a drink of milk and got up and walked to his gun rack and took his other single barrel shotgun from the case. He opened the drawer and opened the box of shells for it. He loaded one shot in the chamber and closed it up. He only needed the one for what he wanted to do.

He walked outside and looked around at everything, smelling and listening to his world. He looked over at Hank's and saw him closing up his barn. He walked off the porch and went to the tree and knelt down at Chase's grave. He put the stock on the ground and rested his chin on the barrel. He happened to catch Hank looking at him, wondering what he was seeing and the dawning coming to his face. He closed his eyes and put his thumb on the trigger. He heard Hank calling his name frantically, as his mind held images of Jessie and Christie, his thumb slowly getting to the release point of the trigger.

Hank heard the blast and stopped dead in his tracks. He knew he didn't need to go any further. Walter was thrown back from the blast and the amount of blood and brains that sprayed out behind him, was more than enough to call it a death. He turned and went back in to call the sheriff and let him handle the remains. All Hank could do was bid his friend goodbye, as he looked at the unfinished game of chess on the small table they sat at. He reached over and laid Walter's white king over and listened to the far off sirens, screeching out in the peaceful country night.

Dinner was had in the hotel restaurant and parents sat with the boyfriends of their daughters, getting to know them and feeling like a part of her living on. The room seemed to grow quiet for no apparent reason, then eyes were cast to the entrance and a couple was being shown to their direction. They were fashionably dressed and walked with an air that didn't come from anything more than appearances. They waited to see which parents they were and who they had lost. JT and some of the other guys knew from the description Walter and Golden had given of them, that it was Golden's parents. They still seemed as cold as the description of them. Neither smiled, nor showed sadness.

"We heard from those people at Dubrowski's, that you were planning something to bury our daughter, Christianna. Don't bother, she'll be coming with us back to Los Angeles and buried there. I knew it was a stupid idea for her to live there like that. I suggest you take whatever things belong to you and leave. The place will be sold like it should have been, years ago."

Her face barely broke composure the whole time she spoke, but the cold hearted indifference of every word was felt. They turned and the husband, Fredrick James Barnett II just stood quietly by her and escorted her out. Kelsey MacDonald hated being a country girl and liked the glamourous life of L.A. She changed Kelsey to Katrina and married someone with money. She was happy playing her part and this was just another thing to gain sympathy and social status. She could do a grieving mother if she needed to. Freddy was only to happy to have a beautiful woman for a wife, despite the accidental birth of her daughter, with a man of lesser character than him being the seed. It served him well that Golden was out here and not have any responsibility for her. Money was just something to spend to Freddie, but he didn't want to have to spend too much on this occasion. He had his eye on a Jaguar XKE roadster and the farm would cover it nicely.

They looked at her in stunned awe. Even Gianni and Jimmy were speechless at the lack of humanity they showed to anyone. The couple left as they came and disappeared down the hall, leaving an aroma of disgust, along with their perfume and cologne behind. No one knew what to say about it, the parents in their right to handle Golden's affairs, but that callous nature in which it was being done, was in such contradiction to who Golden was.

The rest of their time spent over dinner, was cast with a sadness that some couldn't sit easy with and a protest of sorts came about to challenge Golden's parents. They felt the girls needed to be together for the last time and they were going to make sure it happened. The viewing was at eight, so the dinner broke up and people went about getting ready for the service.

Miriam Kozlowski looked at all the coffins and their prostrate occupants, then called for the staff to come and wheel them into their viewing rooms. She smiled at each one, saying goodbye as she closed the lids on them, humming her tune softly, then went and washed her hands thoroughly and went to get a cup of coffee and a sandwich to eat in the staff kitchen. It had been a busy day for her and she needed a rest and some food. She pulled a tiny cross from under her sweater and kissed it, then tucked it back under again. Anna and her might attend the same church, but no signs of religious attire were to be seen. Money was money and every faith had members to die at one time or another. Their money was just as good as anyone else's. There would be time later in the chapel to show it properly and light a candle for each soul she prepared. She'd lit many candles over the years, but this year seemed to be brighter as she looked at the cluster of rows. So many dying in the war, but too many were dying at home as well. Her father was right, death is a good business to be in. It will never end. At some point, everyone had to say their goodbyes.