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  The Tale of Waking Marissa

  Jessica L. Gaffney

  ESH Media Inc.

  Florida

  Copyright © 2014 by Jessica L.Gaffney.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, [email protected] addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator.”

  Esh Media Inc.

  2328 Diamond Court

  Stuart Fl 34997

  www.EshMedia.com

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  Ordering Information:

  Quantity sales. Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the Sales Department at Esh Media Inc. 772-708-0502.

  Ebook formatting by Maureen Cutajar

  www.gopublished.com

  Collapse: The Tale of Waking Marissa. – 1st ed.

  ISBN 978-0-9840424-9-4

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to the teachers, youth workers and youth pastors, and adults who listen to teenagers. Your ears hear the heart of the matter, and I thank the friends who stood by me during my dark years.

  Table of Contents

  1 How it Began

  2 The Funeral

  3 Disappointment

  4 The Thing About Ice

  5 Time to Thaw

  6 Nice but not likely

  7 Awkward

  8 Importance of Paper

  9 Closer

  10 Perspective

  11 Up Hill

  12 The Enemy Returns

  13 Good Intentions

  14 Bring on the Snow

  15 Trust

  16 Confession

  17 Broken Ego

  18 Tantrums

  19 Solace

  20 A New Beginning

  Creativity

  is the signature

  of the Divine, impressed

  upon the soul

  ~Jessica L. Gaffney

  1 How it Began

  Sean was there the morning the police car eased its way up Marissa’s driveway. He’d secretly been in love with the young girl next door and naturally was too terrified to do anything about it. Three years her senior, Sean’s friends told him to stay away from the freshman but he was drawn to the reclusive girl. She had always been vivacious and driven but now she was transforming into a woman. Just the sight of her made his heart leap and he was sure the feeling was mutual.

  Last week he watched as she and a friend swam out to the dock in the lake behind his house. He suddenly had the urge to ditch his gym workout and joined the giggling girls as they sunbathed. It wasn’t long before the two of them ended up in the water. Sean did his best to keep his hands to himself but when she brushed up against his arm, he let her know that he liked the touch by lingering a little.

  Sean was the town’s star athlete; it was rumored he’d play baseball for an Ivy League school after he graduated. But that was next year. Sean was more than the captain of this New Jersey suburb team— he was their star pitcher with an arm unlike anything the county had ever seen. Sean owed his success to Marissa’s dad, Mr. Gladstone, or Mr. ‘G’, as he called him.

  The boy was strapping and fun, everything a girl would want, or so he was told. He had his pick of colleges, girls and parties too— but that was all about to change. Summer was just beginning that steamy June morning when he crossed the road and started up the riding mower. He usually waited until late morning before he turned the mower toward the back of the Gladstone property. He’d wait as long as he could before riding it gingerly beneath Marissa’s window. His pace was typically steady as he kept his eye on her curtains.

  Sean was not eager to complete the job nor did he lag behind; he was simply making his sweat and labor worth his time. He wanted to see the young beauty resting inside. He assumed the roar of the mower wrestled Marissa from her sleep. It had worked in previous weeks when she appeared in the window, the traces of sleep still cast upon her face. Oh how he loved those sleepy mahogany eyes and that soft buttery skin.

  Marissa had waved last week, prancing out on the deck with a pitcher of iced tea. She’d stepped outside in her loose pajamas, inviting him up on the deck. He had sipped slowly, trying to conjure up a conversation that impressed her.

  From what he’d imagined, things were going quite well between them. Today he’d steer the mower in long straight lines, giving her plenty of time to wake up and get dressed. The promise of devotion filled his head as he thought about her long tendrils and innocent smile. They’d usually waste half an hour just laughing and having fun. Then her mother would call her in to help with her twin sisters.

  Sean had offered to drive Marissa to school that fall. He knew her mom needed the help now that the twins were there. His family had visited her in the hospital when they were born. In no time the plan was made and Sean would be responsible for picking her up every morning. He had tried to hide his smile but Marissa seemed to jump over the moon when her parents agreed.

  Charming and responsible, he’d answered their questions about his influence on their daughter and some of the behaviors they’d seen. Sean vowed to be a big brother to his neighbor, but that was not entirely true. Though his friends had warned him repeatedly, there was something about her petite frame and somber way that held his interest.

  Marissa was nothing like the plastic queens Sean had dated. She was a smart, lively girl who often tossed the baseball back and forth with her father. In addition to her flat waist, fit legs and adorable arms, her eyes had always tantalized the boy.

  Lately it seemed like everywhere he went, Marissa Gladstone was there. And, by God, he was not about to let the summer pass without seeing if something was about to start up between them.

  Sean sat down on the mower and turned the key. The rumble of the machine matched his jittery nerves as he crossed the street. Today he planned on asking her out. Her father was coming home that night from his usual haul up the coast and he was always in a good mood after being on the road all week.

  He knew Mr. Gladstone would hug and kiss his family and part of him desired that. His own father was much more reserved and angry. He expected Mr. G. to warn him, and that was understandable. He respected it. There was nothing like meeting a dad who loved his daughter. In fact if there were more of them, Sean would have less attention thrown his way by these faceless, aggressive girls.

  So Sean made a plan for the evening. This was it— this was the day. Sean sat up straight and turned the mower into the grass. He made the long descent across her two-acre property and popped in his ear buds. This was going to be the perfect day.

  The mower sliced through row upon row of ankle-deep grass. Summer was just beginning, but the heat had already set in. Sean wiped his brow, unsure how long he’d been working. When he looked up, he saw the patrol car turn into the driveway. The police were never in his neighborhood. Nothing illegal ever happened on their street. He turned the mower back toward the house to see what was happening. He knew Mr. G was friends with one of the officers but that car was the K-9 unit. He
yanked out his ear piece and watched two officers exit the car. Together they strode toward the house in perfect unison. Something inside Sean churned. When the men approached the front door, they squared their feet and removed their hats. The shorter male reached for the doorbell and stepped back beside his partner.

  Sean stalled the engine, hoping to hear what was happening as Mrs. G slowly opened the door. The twins were both with her, one in her arm and the other at her feet. She moved the stroller they kept inside the landing, fighting with the open carrier and then staggering back.

  Sean leapt off the mower. He bolted for the house; his heart tripling its pace. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  The officers turned as the boy sped toward the door. “Is this your home, son?”

  Sean shook his head. “No, I, I… live across the street. But I take care of the yard.”

  Mrs. Gladstone sank to the floor.

  “I’m sorry son, this is a family matter.” The officers turned their backs and stepped inside.

  Sean tried to follow, but the screen door shut in front of him. His feet felt like lead. What was happening?

  The officers stepped inside and knelt beside the frantic woman. The children in her arms began to cry from all the commotion. “Best as we can tell,” he overheard, “his rig broke down outside the New York line.”

  “When,” she gasped. “What time?”

  “I’m not sure. The hospital has more details. It’s all we know.”

  The woman tried to stand up but her legs were trembling. “You’ll need to identify the body.”

  Her head tipped back as muffled sobs filled the air.

  “The body? Whose body?” The news cut him like a dull blade. Mr. G couldn’t be dead. How was this possible? He’d just talked to him.

  Mrs. G reached out for the boy. Her hands clasped around his sweaty arm like hand cuffs. “Sean, I need you to wake Marissa.”

  His heart raced faster. “No, I can’t.” His legs wobbled as he looked up the steep flight of stairs. “What do I say? What do you…”

  Mrs. Gladstone cried desperately. “Just get my daughter, Sean. Wake her up.”

  He clutched the guard rail to steady himself. Sean had never felt so afraid. What if Marissa was already awake? What if she heard everything and was already hysterical? What would he say then? What would he do?

  Sean looked back as the officers crouched beside the woman. They offered to help her stand up but she was too grief-stricken to move. Sean stared at the twins, both turning a shade of crimson. Their cries were deafening and he was sure Marissa had noticed.

  As the officers tended to Mrs. G, Sean’s knees continued to knock as he hoisted himself up to the top of the stairs. When he reached the main floor he gulped. The mood was eerie. He turned to the left where the expanse of hallway stretched out before him. Her room was at the very end, the door shut.

  His hands were slippery with sweat as he closed his eyes. He braced his steps along the wall, trying to think of something to say— anything that would soften the blow. But he had no words.

  He wiped his palms on his shorts and blinked hard. The film in his eyes clouded his perception. His legs were like trees. He passed the nursery, then the bathroom. Three more steps and he’d be there. He could feel his heart in his throat as he reached for her door. His lips began to quiver. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t break Marissa’s heart.

  His tongue was thick and dry and he squeezed his eyes shut. Sean blocked out the screaming twins and the sobs of Marissa’s mother. He had to be strong. He had to tell her.

  His fingers trembled as he reached for the knob. Another shallow breath and he opened her door.

  When his eyes opened, her bedroom was still. The shades were drawn and the hum of her fan filled the room, fluttering the sheets over her sleepy form. Sean studied her peaceful face.

  He stepped closer, hoping the gravel in his mouth would dissolve. He leaned down to wake her.

  “Marissa.”

  The girl rolled over, stretching as though enjoying a dream. She clenched her designer sheets and drifted off again. “Rissa, wake up.”

  Her eyes flickered and the aroma of her sweet perfume tickled his nose. Sean leaned closer. “Rissa.”

  When he spoke the third time she jolted up. The cries of her mother echoed up the hallway. She looked at him with sleepy eyes, unsure what was happening.

  Sean croaked. “Rissa.” The handsome athlete struggled to smile. He gripped her white bureau and looked around her room. “Riss, you need to get up.”

  “Why are you here? What’s happening?”

  Sean inched closer, his eyes scanning the walls.

  “Sean, where’s my mom?”

  When he wouldn’t answer she ripped back the sheets and stumbled out of bed. “What is it? What happened?”

  Her eyes searched his for anything that would tell her it was alright. “Is it the girls? Are they okay?”

  “It’s not the girls, Riss.”

  Sean’s hand started to shake. Marissa tilted her head quizzically. “Then what is it? What’s wrong?”

  Her mother’s voice echoed up the hallway. Marissa charged toward the door but slammed into Sean’s thick body. “Mom! Mom, I’m coming.”

  His arms closed around her like a vault. She wrestled in his hold. “Let me go, Sean. Please, let me go.”

  He swept her back toward the bed, tears forming in his eyes as he struggled to tell her. He pressed his head against her and began to stroke her hair. “Sssshh. You need to calm down. Calm down, Riss. Ssshhh. That’s it.”

  She pushed against him, rearing like a wild stallion. “Rissa, no! You have to be strong now.”

  She pounded her small hands into his chest. His arms slipped low around her waist as her thin frame draped over him. Her mother’s shrieks grew louder. Marissa’s tears pelted the wood floor like afternoon rain. “Let me go. Please, let me go!”

  Sean’s throat closed as he tried to inhale. He pulled tighter, hoping his embrace would ease her pain. “There’s been an accident, Marissa.”

  He pressed his head to hers, her body shaking beside his. Her maple eyes held his, begging for some sort of relief. He swallowed again, hoping for more strength, but God was not there to help him. He whispered into her loose locks. “Your Dad…he didn’t make it.”

  Hs words ignited her fears. She latched onto him as a lifeline. He cradled her head and patted her hair. “I am so sorry, Riss.”

  Her eyes closed as her body blended into his. The storm of grief had hit the family without warning. Sean squeezed her hand and led her out of the room and up the dark hallway as the house was settling into despair.

  Mrs. Gladstone wept on the couch as Marissa shuffled to the living room.

  She knelt before her mother, whose low groans seemed to ricochet off the walls. She gently slid the curtain of hair away from her mother’s face. “Mom what happened?”

  2 The Funeral

  When the funeral was over, nothing returned to normal. June turned into July and Sean’s friends wanted to know where he was. All he could say was that Marissa needed him. But when Marissa started to withdraw, Sean went out of his mind. She stayed in her room for days, and if he knocked on the door. No one answered.

  He had known Marissa for most of his life. True, he hadn’t spent much time with her until last spring, when he first noticed she had turned into an attractive young woman. After that, Sean was willing to do anything just to spend more time with her. He’d told his parents he wanted to help around their house as a way to repay the family for all the time Mr. Gladstone had spent with him on the pitcher’s mound. He’d convinced Mrs. Gladstone to let him help with groceries and he’d driven Marissa to appointments, trying to fill her Dad’s shoes as best he could.

  Sean became a recluse. He wanted to better himself, to earn Marissa’s trust and to take her out and do the things she had done with her father. He wanted to make her laugh or at least smile. He didn’t know how he would do that, but he knew he
had to try.

  Her mother sent her to Connecticut for a few weeks, hoping it would cheer her up, but it made no change. Sean counted the hours while she was gone. He tried to drink away his worry but nothing helped. The endless summer parties and string of idolizing girls did nothing but sour his mood. He wanted Marissa to come home.

  Eventually the night came when she needed a ride from the train station and he drove to pick her up. He took her hand in the car that night and she held onto his. They barely spoke but he knew the connection was still there. He felt a wave of hope, but the morning after her return, fate played a different hand.

  Sean was up early, waiting to make his move. He hoped to be at the Gladstone’s before breakfast. He wanted to talk to Marissa’s mother first. He had barely stepped outside when he heard a door slam across the street. He looked up to see Marissa racing across the damp lawn.

  “Marissa?” Sean ran after the frantic girl. She dodged between the Moffit’s house and their neighbors’, running full steam toward the lake. He rounded the corner of his house and slid on the wet grass. Scampering to his feet and searching the bank of the lake, all Sean heard was the splash of water as a lone figure soared from the dock a hundred yards away.

  He knew Marissa couldn’t make it. She was not a strong swimmer and her clothes would weigh her down. Sean trampled over the lawn chairs and weaved around the trees as he ran for the beach. “Rissa!”

  He dove in and raked his arms through the water. Her muffled cries drowned in the lake as her head slipped beneath the surface.

  If he could catch her, they could make it to the dock. Marissa started heaving as the water rushed into her mouth. “Rissa! Hold on.”

  Then she disappeared. Sean gasped for air then plunged under the surface. He stroked as fast as he could until he reached her exhausted body. He wrapped his arm around her and back pedaled to the dock. He swirled her body in front of his and kept her head above the water.

  He latched onto the ladder and pressed his face to hers. Her body floated lifelessly as he kissed the back of her head. “Please be okay.”