Jacob’s Heart

A story by Allie Elle

It’s about time I got to the heart of the matter to explain about Jacob and his father and some of the reasons why the man is such a pain in the backside. For this I am going to use an old technique and a bit of a mouldy one (giggles)

Part 3

When Jacob woke the following morning he looked around the strange bedroom and remembered the day before. He was still suffering from the blow to his head and he groaned as he also remembered what he had said to the adults.

He looked through the bedroom window and as he saw the sunlight streaming through it, he wondered how the day could seem so bright when his life was going to fall apart. Sitting up in the bed he took stock of what he and his mom would do now. He knew that his father would view what had happened as an attack on his manhood and position. That would as far as Jacob knew. It would be a hard thing to swallow, and little did they know it was actually a different route that Richard was taking.

Richard walked around the empty house and gently touched places his wife and son had occupied. He stood looking at the pictures on the wall, pictures that to others ere those of a happy family.

His boss had called just after Marcie and her sister had taken Jacob and he had lost his job. His heart was filled with sadness as he looked at how empty the house was. Slowly he fell to his knees and started to cry, large tears falling down his face. His head fell to his hands and the tear turned to the sounds of a tortured soul mourning the loss of his life.

With slow steps, still crying he walked into the kitchen and took a knife from the block. Just as he was going to do some damage, there was a cough behind him, and a small hand touched his shoulder. He turned and his face dropped in shock. He could swear that his sister was standing there, looking the same as the day she’d died. Her face framed by the long blonde hair and that slight uptwisted smile that laughed at the world. The eyes were definitely hers, but also filled with a wisdom and sorrow. But there was also the joy that had always been there.

“Richie, Richie why?” the ghost said.

“Janice, is it really you?” His voice broke as he looked at the spirit.

“Of course, brother. I never really left. Do you think my favourite little brother wouldn’t have his big sister looking after him?”

“But you can’t be real, it must be a dream!”
The spirit reached out and laid a hand on his cheek. He could feel the touch, but there was a chill to it. Richard could not believe that it could be real. The sorrow he had felt at the time of her death was much as he was feeling now.

Maybe his grief at his life falling apart was responsible for the ghost of his sister being there, but the touch certainly felt real. Slowly he looked into the eyes that seemed to hold a deep truth in them, and felt the compassion there.

“Richie, if we are remembered, we are never truly dead. Little brother, think back!”

At her words, Richard found his mind scanning back through his memories until he came to the one strong memory. The feelings and sensations of that time filled his personality and he found himself back in the past. He looked around and saw himself looking at a small boy, kneeling at the side of a grave, tears streaming down his face as he cried as if his heart would break.

Richie Simmons looked at the hole where they had put the box that contained his sister and then covered it up with earth. The six year old boy was totally lost. The one person who had been the centre of his life was asleep, and he couldn’t wake her. He had tried when the men had hurt her, and hurt him as well. There had been lots of red stuff from his sister, and daddy had just laughed as the men had given him the special water again.

Richie was scared when daddy had his hands on the special water. Daddy became horrible and nasty. The men that gave daddy the water would do things with sissy, and him that made him cry. Mummy had left some time ago with Uncle Robert, and never came to see them. Daddy had kept him and sissy from school and kindergarten, and had sold all their toys and things. When that had run out and daddy needed more of the special water, he had started having the men around.

The men always said that they loved Richie and sissy, and did what they did because they loved them. Last week sissy had tried to fight back when one of the men had tried to give Richie some of the special water. That was when they had hurt sissy, and the red stuff had come out of her, and daddy would not call the doctors and the men had not come back. Mrs Tibit from over the road had called the policemen and they had come and taken daddy away, and sissy too, although she wouldn’t wake up no matter how much Richie cried.

Richard’s mind pulled back to the present and he looked at the phantom of his sister and he gave voice to a heart filled cry and began to beat his head on the wall.

The phantom’s hand reached out and touched his shoulder again. The voice was soft and caring. “Richie, you became what you hated the most. Your child and wife needed love, not a hell.”

“Janice, I am so sorry. I thought I was showing them love. How could I have become like him? Not just to them, but to everyone. HELP ME FIX IT, SISSY!!! Please!”

“Richie, in your son is my soul. It was my gift to you, but she needs to become who she really is. Repair the hurt to become a parent.”

With that last comment, before Richard could ask more, the phantom faded and he was left looking at a picture of Jacob at age four when Marcie had dressed him up in a Disney princess costume. He remembered how happy Jacob and Marcie and he had been. It was shortly after that the pressure of work had caused him to turn into his father.
“Damn he really does make a pretty girl!” With that, Richard Simmons decided, and swore to himself he would do what he could to repair his marriage and to support his child in becoming who she really was.

“And heck, girls play softball too.” He laughed, the first time he had laughed in a good while.

part 4 - Richard starts building the bridges and the truth will out

post script to part 3

I know have only just brushed past what was happening with Richard but I was not going to go into details. Just wanted to give an outline to the possibility of why the circle can continue

hugs allie elle