Dada: Chapter 22a

   I wait.  I know I won't get a response, but I wait.
   "I don't know about everything that went on in Charlotte, but following the investigator was easy.  He followed the lead about my mom back to eastern Kentucky.  He wisely stayed away from my mom, but he found one of my old classmates.  There's still quite a few who didn't leave, for one reason or another.  That led him to Lexington, and eventually to me via a stop at a family court judge.  He didn't know he didn't have any coverage until he got to Lexington, but by that time, things had taken a turn for the worse.
    "He finally checked his messages, after three days offline, and found out what happened in Pennsylvania.  I won't go into the details, but the investigator left immediately to see what he should do next.  He had been told not to stay and finish his job, but to return to New York, against his wishes.  Whatever, his part was done, and now there was a new plan, all because of the accident."
     I keep thinking about the tragedy.  Early Saturday morning.  A semi trailer had a blow-out on one of its rear tires.  The truck driver barely even knew it happened, because of all the redundancies, and he managed to stop fairly quickly with little incident.  The tire chunks hit the wife's car.  The biggest one crashed through the windshield and hit her straight on.  Whipped her neck straight back and broke it instantly.  The car was already breaking as it spun out of control.  Candi was in the back seat, without her seatbelt on.  She got thrown into the windshield, right where a smaller chunk had cracked it.  Her added weight was enough to shatter it completely, around her neck.  The pieces fell onto her neck and almost completely decapitated her.  Neither injury had been survivable, but death might not have been instant.
    "What you might have been feeling that morning when Sam came in;  what you were feeling for Sam when he told you what he knew, both about the accident and about the final phone call.  The attorney who was with him informed you about the worst part.  Candi and your wife have both been embalmed immediately after the county coroner looked them over.  Apparently, he also worked for the county's primary funeral home and thought he could make some extra money.  There would be no way to test her, or even get any marrow from her."
    The attorneys have already started filing cases against the truck driver, the shipping company, and the coroner.  Very efficient bunch, when they aren't being convinced to look the other way by one of your wives.
     "You weren't going to have Sam tested no matter what.  You couldn't lose him, too.  You started the contingency plans to have him looked after as well as the funeral, when the news from Lexington came in.  I had been found, but there didn't seem to be enough time.  You didn't think I would help.  You couldn't rest your hopes on me being a match.  But, there was a way to make sure Sam would be taken care of.  Even in your weakened state, physically and emotionally, you came up with a plan with your attorneys.
      "Sam would be sent to me, with a social worker.  Because you were still technically capable, the authorities were told that the exchange would be temporary.  Nothing too deep to look into.  You lucked out when you found one with a pregnant wife near her due date.  Just a subtle suggestion for her to call, and he was back to New York before he could alert the Kentucky authorities about you.  She hasn't given birth yet, 'false alarm.'  You even made sure that Sam wasn't able to change clothes after the funeral, making sure he would be in a disheveled state when I first saw him.  Too bad he also couldn't get his phone so that he would be kept informed about what was happening on this end.
    "Sam so much wanted to tell me everything, but he kept his word to you.  You felt that I would be more likely to take care for him, if it looked like he needed all the help he cold get.  He just wanted for us to get here as soon as possible, so I would get to see you.  He knew what cold happen, but you had forbade it.  You felt that you didn't deserve to live, not after abandoning me for so long.  Not after losing your wife and daughter.  Sam would have me to look after him, but only if I didn't find out until it was too late.
   "Sam was crushed when he found out we would be driving back.  Apparently, your team's research brought up the fact that I am unable to fly.  It was part of the plan that I wouldn't make it back in time to see the officials.  I wouldn't get answers to my questions.  You even made sure that only a minor realtor was there to open up the house, someone with no knowledge of the accident, but who knew much about the house.  You thought the hint of money and history would convince me to stay, more so than any emotional ties."
    So manipulative, but he was relying on lawyers and years, decades of self-loathing and doubt.  What else could he have done but try and give Sam the best chance?  I've never had kids, at least not yet, so I can't be sure I can relate to such feelings, but I don't see why he had to deceive so much.
   "You had even told Sam to get into the house first to make sure everything had been taken care of that needed to be done.  You had your downstairs bedroom with the family photos locked up, so I wouldn't find out about you medical condition.  The only photograph that wasn't hid was one of Candi's high school graduation pics.  It was too big to move from the backstairs landing, but each end was to be blocked off.  A cabinet did for the top end, but the key to the lower end was missing.  That allowed me to snoop.  A cleaning crew was supposed to have done all this work, but Sam had too instead.  The crew didn't come in until after we had left for the evening.  They were the source of the lemon scent I kept smelling afterwards.
    "They were supposed to have cleaned up the bedrooms and got the sheets out for me.  If I had only looked into the guest room again, I would have found the sheets, and I wouldn't have snooped upstairs.  Candi's room was supposed to be locked as well, but the person assigned to the room forgot.  I would have realized something was up either way, but I was already feeling off.  You don't know how lucky you are that done of you neighbors and 'fans' corrected me about the accident.  One wrong slip, and I would be have found out the truth even sooner than this."
   I don't mention the film I saw.  That would definitely not be pertinent here.  "Oh, I saw you film.  You were naked."  Yeah, that would not be appropriate.  Not here and now.
    "Sam was so anxious.  He was afraid to talk in case he would have to tell me the truth.  He faked his voice cracking so much that he might have permanently damaged his vocal cords, if he hadn't stopped.  Already so deep, he's practically a man now."
     I don't bring up how I caught him naked as well.  And why he was naked.  And what he was looking at.  Who, and who's what.
     "As is, he finally told me everything.  Fortunately for the all three of us, he wasn't too late."