The Torment of Stan

Emily didn't hesitate. "I forgive you, honey."

Her words brought a genuine smile to Dustan's face as he gazed at her with his heart in his eyes. "I'm ready to come home now."

Facing forward, Dustan closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and jumped.

*****

Thirteen emergency vehicles arrived onto the scene. Three ambulances, two fire trucks, five squad cars, two emergency response vans, and the coroner.

Dustan Michael Mactore was pronounced dead at seven thirty two in the evening upon a quick examination, and was promptly delivered into the back of the coroner's vehicle.

Officer Edwards was making every attempt to fill out the report as his partner slumped beside him in their squad car.

"It was like he couldn't even hear me," he whispered. "I couldn't reach him."

Pausing in his writing, Edwards lifted his head, and frowned slightly as he gazed at Welks with sympathy. "Don't beat yourself up over it. There was nothing you really could do. When someone makes a decision like that, you're lucky if you can sway them into changing their mind."

Sighing deeply, Welks pressed his index finger to his chin as he looked out the window. "I know. Something about the whole thing just hit me wrong. I'm not sure why."

Edwards lifted his head again. "You're a family man. That's perfectly natural. Mactore had it all. Then it was brutally taken from him in the blink of an eye. Watching him throw himself from a building would deeply impact anyone."

Welks nodded as he continued to gaze out the window. "It still doesn't feel right."

*****

"Daddy, are you sleeping?"

Sasha's small, four year old feet brought him to where his father was lying still on the pavement. Bending over, he tilted his head to look down at his father's face, and smiled when he could see that his eyes were closed.

A soft giggle escaped him as he dropped to his knees beside him, and peered closer to his face.

His voice left him in a hushed whisper when he spoke again. "Mommy told me to come wake you up because it's not time to sleep right now."

Dustan slowly blinked as his eyes opened. Everything seemed fuzzy, and bright. It made him quickly close his eyes once again before opening them wider. When his vision adjusted, he glanced up into the smiling face of his son.

For a moment he could only stare as his mind registered what it was that he was looking at. When the image didn't dissipate, and disappear, he sat up slowly as his mouth parted in awe.

Gripping his child by the shoulders, he dragged him into his arms, and squeezed him tightly in his arms. He rocked as he held him, and in that moment all of his pent up agony was released in the sound of a single strangled sob.

"Daddy isn't sleeping anymore," he said tightly.

Sasha giggled, and squirmed in his embrace. "Come on. Get up, Daddy. Mommy is waiting for you to come see her."

Slipping from his arms, Sasha got to his feet, and reached down to take his father's large hand in his own as he pulled and prodded to get him to his feet.

Once Dustan was up, he began pulling him down the sidewalk. After they had walked a few feet, Saha paused to look up at him. When Dustan gazed down at him in question, Sasha smiled.

"I'm glad you're home, Daddy. I missed you."