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Authors: Megan Nugen Isbell
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and tone.
“Not till you tell me what’s going on?” Jesse didn’t yell, but his tone was stern.
I watched the body language of the two police officers and the woman. They all looked incredibly uncomfortable.
“I’m afraid we have some bad news, Jesse,” Officer Delgado began and I felt his hand squeeze mine so hard, I was afraid it would crush. “Your father and uncle have been in a car accident…”
“What?” Jesse interrupted softly.
“Your father and your uncle, Glenn Baylor, were in a car accident early this evening on Route 19. Your uncle is alright, but I’m sorry to inform you your father died in the accident.”
I felt my stomach turn and my body froze. The words echoed in my ears and my eyes burned. I couldn’t have heard the officers correctly, but I knew I had when Jesse stumbled back into me before bracing himself in the doorway with his hand. He turned his head to look at me. His eyes locked with mine and his mouth moved slightly as if he was trying to say something. It was as if his voice was paralyzed and he reached for me. When the woman stepped forward and started talking, he had a firm grip on my hand and I didn’t think he had any intention of letting go.
“I’m so sorry for your loss, Jesse,” the woman began. Her voice was kind, but I knew this was her job. She was trained to tell people their family members were dead. It was all a script. “My name is Mary Martel. I’m a social worker with the police department. I’m here to help you deal with this difficult situation. May I come in?”
Jesse looked to me for guidance again, but I didn’t know what to do so I just nodded. Jesse looked back at Ms. Martel and nodded. They followed us into the living room. Jesse and I sat down on the loveseat and they sat on the couch. The silence was deafening and Jesse sat comatosely next to me. I looked at him discreetly and I was surprised to see he wasn’t crying.
“Right now, your father is at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, but you need to arrange for his body to be transported to the local funeral home here in Carver,” Ms. Martel started talking and then paused as she handed Jesse some pamphlets. His eyes darted down at the papers and then back up to Ms. Martel. “I know this is hard, Jesse.”
I could sense Jesse starting to tremble next to me. Reaching over, I took his hand in mine and began stroking the top of it with my thumb while I rubbed his back with my free hand, trying to calm him or at least remind him that I was there.
“The pamphlets are in case you need any help after the funeral has taken place. Many times family members are in such shock, they are able to function throughout the preparation and funeral, but when everything is over, they need help with their grief. I know it’s a lot to think about right now, but please, hold on to them and contact someone should you need anything.”
The room grew increasingly silent and I could feel Jesse tensing up again. I continued stroking his back, but I didn’t think it was working.
“Thank you,” he mumbled softly.
“Do you have any family to help you?” Ms. Martel asked as she looked over to Jesse, who continued to stare back at her with an icy glare. “What about your mother? Grandparents?”
“I haven’t seen my mother since I was two and my grandparents are dead. My Uncle Glenn is all I have.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Ms. Martel replied.
“What about Glenn?” I finally chimed in. Jesse needed some good news and I prayed his uncle would be alright.
“Glenn is going to be okay,” Officer Delgado answered. “He’s at Wesley as well.”
“Can we take you up to the hospital?” Ms. Martel asked and Jesse shook his head.
“No,” he answered softly.
“Is there anyone you’d like us to contact for you?” she continued.
“No,” he answered flatly again.
The room grew quiet again and then Jesse looked at me for a
“Not till you tell me what’s going on?” Jesse didn’t yell, but his tone was stern.
I watched the body language of the two police officers and the woman. They all looked incredibly uncomfortable.
“I’m afraid we have some bad news, Jesse,” Officer Delgado began and I felt his hand squeeze mine so hard, I was afraid it would crush. “Your father and uncle have been in a car accident…”
“What?” Jesse interrupted softly.
“Your father and your uncle, Glenn Baylor, were in a car accident early this evening on Route 19. Your uncle is alright, but I’m sorry to inform you your father died in the accident.”
I felt my stomach turn and my body froze. The words echoed in my ears and my eyes burned. I couldn’t have heard the officers correctly, but I knew I had when Jesse stumbled back into me before bracing himself in the doorway with his hand. He turned his head to look at me. His eyes locked with mine and his mouth moved slightly as if he was trying to say something. It was as if his voice was paralyzed and he reached for me. When the woman stepped forward and started talking, he had a firm grip on my hand and I didn’t think he had any intention of letting go.
“I’m so sorry for your loss, Jesse,” the woman began. Her voice was kind, but I knew this was her job. She was trained to tell people their family members were dead. It was all a script. “My name is Mary Martel. I’m a social worker with the police department. I’m here to help you deal with this difficult situation. May I come in?”
Jesse looked to me for guidance again, but I didn’t know what to do so I just nodded. Jesse looked back at Ms. Martel and nodded. They followed us into the living room. Jesse and I sat down on the loveseat and they sat on the couch. The silence was deafening and Jesse sat comatosely next to me. I looked at him discreetly and I was surprised to see he wasn’t crying.
“Right now, your father is at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, but you need to arrange for his body to be transported to the local funeral home here in Carver,” Ms. Martel started talking and then paused as she handed Jesse some pamphlets. His eyes darted down at the papers and then back up to Ms. Martel. “I know this is hard, Jesse.”
I could sense Jesse starting to tremble next to me. Reaching over, I took his hand in mine and began stroking the top of it with my thumb while I rubbed his back with my free hand, trying to calm him or at least remind him that I was there.
“The pamphlets are in case you need any help after the funeral has taken place. Many times family members are in such shock, they are able to function throughout the preparation and funeral, but when everything is over, they need help with their grief. I know it’s a lot to think about right now, but please, hold on to them and contact someone should you need anything.”
The room grew increasingly silent and I could feel Jesse tensing up again. I continued stroking his back, but I didn’t think it was working.
“Thank you,” he mumbled softly.
“Do you have any family to help you?” Ms. Martel asked as she looked over to Jesse, who continued to stare back at her with an icy glare. “What about your mother? Grandparents?”
“I haven’t seen my mother since I was two and my grandparents are dead. My Uncle Glenn is all I have.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Ms. Martel replied.
“What about Glenn?” I finally chimed in. Jesse needed some good news and I prayed his uncle would be alright.
“Glenn is going to be okay,” Officer Delgado answered. “He’s at Wesley as well.”
“Can we take you up to the hospital?” Ms. Martel asked and Jesse shook his head.
“No,” he answered softly.
“Is there anyone you’d like us to contact for you?” she continued.
“No,” he answered flatly again.
The room grew quiet again and then Jesse looked at me for a
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