Our Hearts Are Kept in Wicker Baskets and Porcelain Jars, chapter 1
"Billie! Are you here?" Adrienne called out to her husband, "Bill?" She came to the conclusion that he was probably out getting drunk with his friends- as always.
That day had been tiring, as Joey had injured someone at school. In Adrienne's opinion, self defense... but the school seemed to think otherwise. He was to finish the day, and then he was stuck at home for 2 weeks. Although the usual punishment was expulsion, the principal was quite fond of Jakob, and he received the lightest punishment.
Adrienne threw her keys on the counter, and lazily proceeded up the stairs to the room she and Billie shared. The door was locked. She groaned, and reached for the key placed on the top of the doorframe. Adrienne pushed open the door and entered the room. She walked over to the closet to change into more comfortable clothes. Earlier that morning, she decided that Jakob's principal probably wouldn't appreciate it if she attended the meeting clad in a Billie's wife beater and gray sweat pants.
The closet light was off, and once Adrienne flicked it on, fear filled her eyes instantly. There lay Joey, an empty bottle of Zoloft in one hand, and a folded up piece of paper in the other.
Mom,
I just wanted to let you know that I love you, and Dad too. Even though 15 years isn't a very long time to live, it was enough for me. Tell Jakey that I love him too... and, when she's born, tell my sister that I wanted to meet her and I love her, but I had to move on. I just didn't have a reason or motivation to live anymore...
I love you guys,
Joey
"What... ?" Adrienne dropped the paper to the ground, and slowly made her way over to Joey's still body. She grabbed his cold, hard wrist, and, with little hope, checked his pulse. There was nothing. Her baby was gone.
Adrienne felt tears welling up in her eyes. She sniffed and headed out of the closet, and over to the phone located on the end table in the hall. She dialed the number, and after a couple of rings, a familiar voice sounded on the other end.
"Hey Adie, what's up?" Billie asked unknowingly.
"Bill.. Billie... Come home.. Right now... " Adrienne was having trouble speaking.
"Babe, what's wrong?"
"J-Just come.. Now... " Adrienne carefully set the phone down on the receiver and fell against the wall. She slid down it, beginning to cry harder than before.
About 10 minutes later, she heard the front door open, and footsteps in the foyer.
"Adie!?" Billie called out worriedly. He heard a muffled sound coming from the upstairs hallway. He bounded up the stairs. Something was seriously wrong with his wife.
The lights were off, but Billie noticed a shadow in the corner near the entrance to their bedroom. It began to move as Adrienne rose up from her position on the wall.
"Billie... Joey.. He's.. He... " Adrienne burst into tears again.
"Shh.. what's wrong... tell me, what happened to Joey?" Billie asked, pulling his wife in for a hug.
"He.. suicide... " Adrienne pulled from the hug, "He killed himself, Bill."
Billie's eyes widened, and he backed away, "What? Show me."
Adrienne nodded and motioned for Billie to follow her. She went into her closet, and Billie gasped. He looked down and saw the note on the floor. He picked it up and read it.
"Uhm... Adie... what does he mean 'tell my sister that I wanted to meet her and I love her'?" Billie asked. He was a bit stronger than Adie, having experienced death numerous times, but although he didn't show it, he was crushed on the inside.
"Oh, uh.. About that... I was actually going to tell you today... I-I'm pregnant."
That day had been tiring, as Joey had injured someone at school. In Adrienne's opinion, self defense... but the school seemed to think otherwise. He was to finish the day, and then he was stuck at home for 2 weeks. Although the usual punishment was expulsion, the principal was quite fond of Jakob, and he received the lightest punishment.
Adrienne threw her keys on the counter, and lazily proceeded up the stairs to the room she and Billie shared. The door was locked. She groaned, and reached for the key placed on the top of the doorframe. Adrienne pushed open the door and entered the room. She walked over to the closet to change into more comfortable clothes. Earlier that morning, she decided that Jakob's principal probably wouldn't appreciate it if she attended the meeting clad in a Billie's wife beater and gray sweat pants.
The closet light was off, and once Adrienne flicked it on, fear filled her eyes instantly. There lay Joey, an empty bottle of Zoloft in one hand, and a folded up piece of paper in the other.
Mom,
I just wanted to let you know that I love you, and Dad too. Even though 15 years isn't a very long time to live, it was enough for me. Tell Jakey that I love him too... and, when she's born, tell my sister that I wanted to meet her and I love her, but I had to move on. I just didn't have a reason or motivation to live anymore...
I love you guys,
Joey
"What... ?" Adrienne dropped the paper to the ground, and slowly made her way over to Joey's still body. She grabbed his cold, hard wrist, and, with little hope, checked his pulse. There was nothing. Her baby was gone.
Adrienne felt tears welling up in her eyes. She sniffed and headed out of the closet, and over to the phone located on the end table in the hall. She dialed the number, and after a couple of rings, a familiar voice sounded on the other end.
"Hey Adie, what's up?" Billie asked unknowingly.
"Bill.. Billie... Come home.. Right now... " Adrienne was having trouble speaking.
"Babe, what's wrong?"
"J-Just come.. Now... " Adrienne carefully set the phone down on the receiver and fell against the wall. She slid down it, beginning to cry harder than before.
About 10 minutes later, she heard the front door open, and footsteps in the foyer.
"Adie!?" Billie called out worriedly. He heard a muffled sound coming from the upstairs hallway. He bounded up the stairs. Something was seriously wrong with his wife.
The lights were off, but Billie noticed a shadow in the corner near the entrance to their bedroom. It began to move as Adrienne rose up from her position on the wall.
"Billie... Joey.. He's.. He... " Adrienne burst into tears again.
"Shh.. what's wrong... tell me, what happened to Joey?" Billie asked, pulling his wife in for a hug.
"He.. suicide... " Adrienne pulled from the hug, "He killed himself, Bill."
Billie's eyes widened, and he backed away, "What? Show me."
Adrienne nodded and motioned for Billie to follow her. She went into her closet, and Billie gasped. He looked down and saw the note on the floor. He picked it up and read it.
"Uhm... Adie... what does he mean 'tell my sister that I wanted to meet her and I love her'?" Billie asked. He was a bit stronger than Adie, having experienced death numerous times, but although he didn't show it, he was crushed on the inside.
"Oh, uh.. About that... I was actually going to tell you today... I-I'm pregnant."
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