Twilight Earth (2 page)

"You know, you're more of a homework-nazi than dad ever was. Just like the last time you asked; we are both still way ahead in all of our classes," Kaitlin answered. "In fact, we're ready for finals, but have to wait until next month for that."

Ben frowned. "That might not be a good thing. I'll ask Deirdre to speak to the Principal to see if you can test out early. If you have all the assignments finished you should test on it before you forget it."

"I'd appreciate it, Ben. Marcy won't forget it, but I might," Kaitlin replied.

"The curse of an eidetic memory," Marcy shrugged. "I can still remember the books my Mom read to me as a little girl." 

"Ben, what's wrong? You don't seem as happy as you are normally?" Kaitlin asked.

Ben shook his head. "Don't worry about it, sweet-pea. Call it adjustment difficulties."

"Dad's sick again, isn't he?" Kaitlin asked. When Ben just nodded. She tried to cheer him up. "Don't worry, he'll come out of it. He always does."

"Kait, you know that won't always be the case, right? He's dying and there isn't a treatment for it," Ben explained. "One of these days he won't be able to come out of it."

"Maybe, but that's a long ways off. Dad's a fighter, look how long he's been able to fight it so far?" Kait said as she looked in the mirror to brush her hair. Marcy was looking at him curiously, but Ben looked at Kaitlin meaningfully and shook his head at Marcy. She seemed to deflate a little but covered it quickly for Kaitlin's sake.

"Anyway, you guys need anything for tonight?" Ben asked. "I need to start getting ready for my own date."

"Oh? Where are you taking Jorga tonight?" Kait asked.

"Actually, Jorga and I are taking Deirdre with us tonight. Probably dinner and a movie or something else fun," Ben replied.

"Really?" Kaitlin said. "Deirdre would like that. I think she's been getting a little lonely lately."

"Yeah," Ben said. "I got that feeling too, besides, Dad asked us to take her along tonight." Ben sighed. "Anyway, you two have fun tonight."

"You too!" Kaitlin said.

Ben smiled and headed for his room to get ready to go out.

––––––––

After getting ready for the date, Ben decided he wanted to talk to Tom again before they left for the night. He found the man in his den, working on his computer.

"Hey Ben, give me just a moment. I want to get this finished. Okay?" Tom said when Ben entered.

Ben nodded and got a soda from the small wet-bar Tom had built then took a seat to wait. After about five minutes, Tom reached up and turned his monitor off. "There, that should take care of the last of it. Now, what can I do for you, Ben?"

"Dad, are you going to take all your pain killers tonight?" Ben asked bluntly. "Please, no more hinting or pussy-footing around. I would like some straight answers."

Tom nodded. He was blinking a lot and his motions were slowed and exaggerated as if he were drunk. Ben knew that it was the very powerful painkillers he had to take in order to live with the tumor. "I was beginning to wonder how long you'd put up with the bullshit. I never could stand it very much either." He paused. "Yes Ben, I'm planning on ending my life tonight. That's what I've been working on, making sure everything is set up so you won't have to worry about anything during the transition.

"Like I tried to tell you earlier, I just can't stand the pain anymore, I'm blind more often than I can see, and I'm having trouble walking. I will not go to a hospice and I really don't want you kids to see me like that," he finished.

"You've never been a quitter, Dad. It's hard for me to accept you doing this," Ben said.

"Ben, I know it looks like I'm quitting, or giving up, and in a way I suppose I am. In my defense, I would like to say that I just couldn’t find the strength to fight anymore. You, Kaitlin and Deirdre have been that strength in the past, but it is time for me to let go. You're a grown man, about to start your own life with Jorga. Kaitlin is not only one of the smartest people I know, she's also very mature. Deirdre is also taken care of, so I know I can let go and you'll be just fine. Ben, there's a ton of stuff I've never told you about and after I'm gone, you'll get hit with it. I'd tell you all about it, but I honestly don't remember a lot of it anymore. That's another reason I want to put an end to this pain. I'm losing my mind; I can feel it. I've had Bob double checking me on everything and he's been catching more and more stuff I've screwed up." He sighed and continued.

"Money will never be a problem for you or the girls. I've seen to that. I've also set up scholarships for all of you that can be transferred to any University you choose for anything you may wish to learn to any level. That includes Marcy and Jorga. By the way, I've asked Deirdre to investigate the possibility for Kait and Marcy to test out of high school so they can get to their real educations." Tom blinked a couple more times and put his head in his hands. "Damn, blind again, I'm going to have to ask you to help me back to my room, Ben."

Ben nodded and stood. "Marcy and Kait have already left for the mall. They should be gone the rest of the day."

As Ben helped Tom stand up, Tom asked. "When are you and Deirdre leaving?"

"In a little bit. We're picking Jorga up around four at her place," Ben replied.

"You should ask Jorga to move in here, Ben. You'll need each other more often now. Besides, it would be better to have all of you in one place," Tom said.

"I'll talk to her about it Dad," Ben said.

"Be sure to do it tonight," Tom said, it seemed to Ben he was getting weaker.

"The drugs are really doing a number on you tonight, aren't they?" Ben asked.

Tom nodded. "It's not just the drugs Ben. This grenade in my head is pressing on a lot of stuff and that isn't helping either." His speech was getting very slurred.

Ben got him to his room, got him in bed and made sure he was comfortable.

"Make... sure... I can get... to... pills...... please," Tom said, obviously in pain. His nose was starting to bleed as well.

"I will, Dad. Hang on, your nose is bleeding, I need to get a washcloth," Ben said and ran to his bathroom.

When he got back, Tom was motionless and had stopped breathing. Ben checked for a pulse and found none. Tom Bedouin, Ben's father and best friend, was gone.

––––––––

B
edouin Residence

Fulton's Prairie, Missouri

United States

––––––––

B
en took a moment to let himself cry. He took out his cell phone and called his girlfriend.

"Hey Ben, has something changed?" Jorga asked as she answered the phone.

"Dad just passed away, Jorgie. I'm sorry, but I think I need to cancel our date tonight. Do you think you and your Dad could come over? I'm supposed to call him as well as Doctor Lyam," Ben replied sadly. Jorga's Dad was a Deputy Sheriff for their county, and Dr. Jon Lyam was not only a family friend, but also the family doctor.

"I'm so sorry, hon. Yeah, I'll get Daddy and come over as soon as we can. How are Deirdre and Kaitlin holding up?" Jorga asked.

"I haven't told them yet. Kait and Marcy already left for the mall and Deirdre is still getting ready for our date. I was talking to him when he got a nosebleed, when I got back with a washcloth he was gone," Ben replied. It was clear to Jorga that Ben was only barely holding it together.

"Okay Ben. Go tell Deirdre before you call Doctor Lyam. I'll call Marcy and Kaitlin and have them come home. Help is on the way baby, just hold it together for a while longer," Jorga said.

"Okay, I'll do that. Thank you Jorga. I'll see you in a few minutes," he replied and hung up the phone. It was a sign of how upset he was that he hadn't told her he loved her. He got up woodenly and went to Deirdre's room.

She answered the door in a robe, but it was clear she had been getting ready to go out. "Ben? What's wrong?"

He hugged her and started crying. "Dad's gone. He just died."

"How? He wasn't going to take the pills until later!" Deirdre asked as tears began forming in her eyes.

"His nose started bleeding and that was it. He didn't take any pills," Ben said between sobs. He fought hard and managed to pull himself back together. "I've already called Jorga and canceled our date tonight. I asked her to come over and bring her Dad. I still need to call Doctor Lyam," Ben said, as he pulled away from the woman slightly. She was still hanging onto him and put her forehead against his chest.

"What about Kaitlin and Marcy?" Deirdre asked.

"Jorga said she'd call Marcy and have them come home. I think we're going to have a house full of people pretty quickly," Ben replied.

Deirdre nodded and leaned back. "I'll get some clothes on and come out to help. After you call the doctor, could you put on a pot of coffee?"

"Yeah, I will," Ben replied and left the room.

After calling Doctor Lyam, who expressed his condolences and replied he would be over in a few minutes, Ben made a fresh pot of coffee and set out plenty of mugs. Just as he was finishing, Jorga arrived.

"Dad said he would be over here as soon as he could. He'll bring an ambulance and the needed paperwork. Did you call Doctor Lyam?" The young woman asked.

Ben nodded like he was on autopilot. Jorga realized he probably was and moved to hold him in her arms. Tom Bedouin had been a very well respected and influential man in their small city. Jorga knew he had a lot of business contacts since he owned a very successful investment firm. He had also been very active in the community and had been a major motivator on any project that helped to improve the lives of the people. She was also one of the few people that knew that he had been the money behind a reclamation project that had taken two old, abandoned grain storage facilities, as well as an old brewery and turned them into the town's newest, and largest park. She knew that the entire town would feel his loss.

"Okay, is Deirdre still in her room?" she asked letting him go for the moment.

Again, Ben only nodded. "She's taking it pretty hard, I..." he paused to keep from crying again. ”I guess I am too."

Jorga nodded. "I would be surprised if you weren't, love. Why don't you go put some sweats or something on? I'll go check on Deirdre. I'll order dinner even though I'm sure none of you will feel much like eating."

"Okay, thank you Jorga," Ben replied and walked to his room. He was definitely on autopilot.

––––––––

When Ben returned to the living room, he was wearing jeans and a tee shirt. Jorga and Deirdre were also in the living room, and Deirdre was dressed in sweats and a tank top. Jorga was wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top. Ben briefly wondered how she had changed clothes, but before he asked, the doorbell rang.

Ben answered the door to Jorga's father and the two paramedics behind him. "Deputy Lowe, thanks for coming," Ben said and stepped aside.

"I'm really sorry to hear about your father, Ben," Jorga's father, Bill Lowe, replied. "Have you called Doc Lyam yet?"

Ben nodded. "Yeah, shortly after I called Jorga. He said he'd be over in a few minutes, so he should be here any time. While you wait, would any of you like a cup of coffee?"

One of the ladies had carried the pot and cups out to the living room before Ben came back from his room.

"Thank you Ben, I will, but I do need to see the body first," Bill replied, sadly.

"Of course, follow me," Ben replied and looked at Jorga, who was holding a crying Deirdre. "Could you get these gentlemen some coffee, please?"

She nodded at him as Ben led her father back to Tom's room. "Your father was a good man, Ben. One of the few truly good men left. He'll be sorely missed."

"Thank you Sir, I know he had a lot of friends around town. Which reminds me that I need to call Bob Gilly and let him know as well. Dad made sure I knew what to do when he passed," Ben said sadly.

Bill nodded. "That's probably a good idea. Bob will be a good person to handle all the legal stuff that comes with this." Bill once again checked for a pulse and verified that Tom was indeed deceased. Ben saw him glance at the pills on the nightstand and frown.

"I know what you’re thinking, Sir. No, he didn't get the chance to take them. I will tell you that he had planned on it; the pain had gotten so bad and he didn't want to go into hospice, but he... died before he could follow through with it." Ben explained.

Bill nodded. "I understand. I think we can leave that part out of the official report. Once Doc Lyam gets here and does his thing, I'll have the EMT's transport him to the morgue."

"He had an inoperable brain tumor, Bill," Doctor Jon Lyam said from the door behind Ben. "I thought he might have been planning something, but couldn't have been sure." He looked at Ben. "Were you with him at the end, Ben?"

Ben nodded. "We were talking in his den when he said he'd lost his sight again. He asked me to help him in here. I did and got him in bed. He tried to ask me to make sure he could get to his pills when his nose started bleeding. I went to get a washcloth and when I got back, he was gone."

Doc Lyam nodded. "That's not surprising considering his circumstances. He most likely died of an aneurysm, but I'll have to do a postmortem to be certain. I really don't feel that's necessary in this case though."

Bill nodded. "Okay, I have the paperwork downstairs Doc. Do you want him sent to the morgue or County General?"

"County General please, I know he had arrangements made with a funeral home, and they are to pick him up from there," Jon replied.

"Okay, let's go back to the living room and we can let the EMTs do their work," Bill replied.

When the three men returned to the living room, Bill took the paramedics aside and spoke to them briefly. They nodded and left to get their equipment. Bill and Jon sat down with the family, which now included a heavily crying Kaitlin being held by an also crying Marcy.

"This'll only take us a few moments, Ben. Why don't you call Mr. Gilly to let him know of Tom's passing," Bill suggested sadly.

Ben nodded and went to Tom's den to get the number. While he was in there, he called Bob Gilly, Tom's best friend and personal attorney.