The Shooting

by Chris Taylor

  “What time is your surgery tomorrow?”

  “I have to be at the hospital by six. I’m on the morning list. I don’t know exactly what time.”

  “They’ll keep you in overnight?”

  “Yes, at least, the doctor said they would. If all goes well, I’ll be discharged the day after.”

  “I’ll get Dad to drive you to the hospital. Don’t worry about the kids. I’m sure we can manage.”

  “Thanks, Mom. I-I haven’t told the kids about the operation. I didn’t think they needed to hear any more bad news right now.”

  “I think you’ve made the right decision, son. They can find out when everything is over and done with. When they ask about you in the morning, I’ll tell them you’re at the hospital.”

  Tom hugged his mom again and then set her gently aside. “I really appreciate you and Dad being here. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

  Marguerite stood on tiptoe and grazed his cheek with her lips. “You’re very welcome, son. We both love you very much.”

  “I love you, too. I just want Lily to open her eyes and smile at me, Mom. Is that too much to ask?”

  Tears sparkled in his mother’s eyes and a lump lodged in Tom’s throat. He missed his wife like he’d miss a limb. Losing her would be like losing a piece of himself. The very thought of it was unbearable. He missed her smile, he missed her laughter, he missed her soft body pressed up against him, holding him close, protecting him, loving him all through the night.

  Sleeping in their bed alone had been hard enough, the emptiness shrouding him as he tried to fall asleep. He’d only done it for three nights so far, but already it felt like an eternity. He’d slept beside her for the best part of sixteen years. To suddenly be in their bed without her was the loneliest thing in the world.

  “She’s going to be all right, Tom. I know she is,” his mom whispered.

  He nodded, thankful for her attempt to reassure him, despite the fact that they both knew she wasn’t in a position to make such a declaration. It was enough that she cared enough to want to.

  “I-I think I might call it a night, Mom. I have to be up early in the morning.”

  Marguerite stood up on tiptoes and kissed him gently on the cheek. “Good night, son. I’ll set an alarm for your dad and make sure he wakes up in time. When do you want to leave?”

  “About five-thirty, I think. That will give us plenty of time to get there. At that time of morning, traffic should be light.”

  She nodded. “I hope you get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  * * *

  Despite the fact Tom tossed and turned for most of the night in between dreams of him and Lily, he woke before his alarm. The house was still and quiet. Not even the sun had made an appearance. He glanced at his watch and saw he’d beaten the alarm by fifteen minutes. With a soft sigh, he struggled out of bed and headed to the shower.

  Not eating anything, meant he didn’t have to leave time for breakfast and he was just about to head down the hall in search of his dad when there was a soft knock on the front door. Frowning, he changed direction and descended the stairs. He walked into the entryway and opened the door. Brandon stood unsmiling on the other side.

  “Bran! What the hell are you doing here this early? It’s still dark out.”

  “Mom called me last night. Why the hell didn’t you tell me about the cancer?”

  Tom swallowed a groan. He so didn’t feel like getting into this right now. “What do you want me to say, Bran? I’m sorry, all right? I should have told you, but I didn’t. I don’t have time for this. I’m on my way to the hospital.”

  “I know. Why do you think I’m here?” Brandon held up a set of car keys.

  Tom frowned. “What? You’re my ride? Is that what you’re trying to say?”

  Brandon shrugged. “Your ride, your buddy. Who else’s going to laugh at your sad jokes and keep you occupied while you’re waiting to go in? You could be sitting around for hours before your number comes up.”

  Tom blew out his breath on a sigh and his irritation melted away. He was only antsy from the thought of the upcoming surgery. He just wanted it over and done with. It had nothing to do with his brother.

  In fact, he was secretly pleased to see him. Without Lily around to reassure him, he was at a loss. For all of their married life, they’d made important decisions together and had always had each other’s backs. It felt completely wrong going through something like major surgery without her even knowing about it.

  He shot Brandon a look of gratitude. “Thanks, Bran. I’m sorry for biting your head off. I guess I’m a little uptight. I appreciate your offer and I’m glad to have you along.”

  Brandon merely nodded and gave him a friendly slap on the back. “That’s what brothers are for, right? I haven’t forgotten how you were there for me when Alex was in the ICU. We’re family. We stick together. That’s just the way it is.”

  Emotion welled up in Tom’s eyes and tightened his chest. He blinked away the tears and cleared his throat. “Yeah, well, anyway. Like I said, I appreciate it.”

  * * *

  It seemed like Tom waited a lifetime and it was more than four hours before the porter and a nurse came to take him down to the operating rooms. Brandon shook his hand and then leaned over and gave him an awkward hug and promised to be there when he woke.

  Despite the early hour, upon his arrival at the hospital, Tom had visited the ICU to check on Lily before heading to where he needed to be. He was told by the staff that she’d had a restful night. They were pleased with her progress. Everything looked good. Her vitals were strong and stable.

  If only she’d wake up.

  Tom kissed her soft cheek and left, hoping they’d both come out of their respective ordeals okay. Now, he was headed down to the operating theaters, situated in the bowels of the hospital. The temperature dropped a few degrees and he couldn’t help but shiver. He was dressed only in a light hospital gown and was covered with a sheet.

  “It’s cold down here,” he commented to the nurse who walked by his side. The porter merely smiled and continued to push the gurney.

  “We keep it cold on purpose,” the nurse explained with a friendly smile. “Our equipment runs better in the cool air and it also helps to keep the germs at bay. Traditionally, it’s the reason why most operating theaters were built below the ground. It’s cooler and we don’t need any windows. It’s the optimum place to be.”

  Tom nodded. Her explanation made sense and he was grateful her chatter had taken his mind off what was to come, if even for a little while.

  “I can ask for a blanket when we get there, if you like?” the nurse offered.

  “No, it’s fine. I can manage.”

  The porter wheeled the gurney out of the elevator and down a short corridor. A moment later, double glass doors slid open and they entered the reception area. Tom looked around him, but saw little other than a couple of other staff with soft blue caps on their heads, similar to the one he wore. The nurse had put it on his head before they’d left the ward. After seeing them on the staff, he could only imagine what it looked like on him. He thought of his kids and stifled a grin, wishing they could see him. They’d laugh and tease him and it would feel good because it would feel normal. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt normal.

  Another nurse dressed in blue scrubs approached them and the nurse from the ward spoke to the newcomer.

  “This is Tom Munro. He’s here for a lumpectomy. His consent’s been signed, he’s had his pre-med and he’s all ready to go.”

  “Great,” the other nurse replied and then moved closer to Tom. “Hi, Tom. I’m Gemma. I’m one of the nurses and I’ll be looking after you until you go through to the operating room. I just need to ask you a few questions and then we’ll be right to go.”

  “Is Doctor Slee here?” he asked, looking around.

  “Yes, she certainly is. She’s scrubbed and ready to go. You’ll see her before the anaes
thetist puts you under.”

  Fresh nerves churned in Tom’s gut, but he drew in a deep breath and did his best to relax. “Okay, good. I just want to get it over and done with.”

  Gemma smiled in understanding. “It will all be over before you know it and you’ll be back up in the ward. Do you have family waiting?”

  “Yes, my brother, Brandon.”

  “Do we have his contact number?”

  “Yes. I gave it to the nurse on the ward.”

  “Great. We’ll call him and let him know as soon as it’s over. You’ll spend an hour or so in recovery and then we’ll take you back to the ward. How does that sound?”

  “Fine.”

  “Good.” She leaned forward and squeezed his arm in reassurance. “You’ll be fine. Trust me. I’m a nurse.”

  He forced a smile and silently prayed that she was right.

  * * *

  Lily swam through the deliciously cool water and enjoyed the way it caressed her skin. She’d been swimming for hours, but she didn’t feel tired. Even the pain in her belly had subsided. It was like the heaviness that had been weighing her down for so long had suddenly lifted and she felt lighter than a cloud. She rolled and dived and frolicked and laughed at the sheer fun of it. The only thing that was missing was Tom.

  Tom. It felt like forever since she’d seen him, touched him, kissed him. She longed to share this paradise with him. They’d been together more than sixteen years. They’d shared everything. Somehow, having him there made everything better. It didn’t feel right that he wasn’t with her now, enjoying the glorious water.

  A bright light beckoned in the distance, far above her. It sparkled off the water, shooting diamonds. The brightness hurt her eyes and she squinted. Yet still, it called to her. She turned her back and dived deep, reluctant to leave the sheer pleasure the water afforded her. Heat from the light behind her touched her skin, warming her and all of a sudden, it didn’t seem so bad.

  With a soft sigh of farewell tinged with regret, she turned and headed toward it.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Seventeen years earlier

  Tom stared at the computer screen in front of him and did his best to concentrate on completing his report. Earlier in the day, he’d attended the scene of a break and enter in the leafy, northern suburb of Lindfield and was now writing up his findings. Fingerprint technicians had attended the scene and were lucky enough to find a single print from what looked like an index finger, but a suspect had yet to be identified. It was just another day in the life of a New South Wales police officer.

  Tom had been transferred to Chatswood Police Station a couple of months earlier and was pleased at the change of scene. Too many of his colleagues at the western Sydney station knew about Lily and the broken heart she’d left behind. It was a relief to come to work and not be the subject of gentle chiding or even worse, sympathetic looks, from his colleagues.

  Besides, Chatswood was closer to the city and he’d found a cheap, one-bedroom apartment not far from where he worked. The building was a little run down and sometimes the neighbors were loud, but it was clean and comfortable. Best of all, it didn’t hold any memories of the woman who’d said she’d loved him then left him, all in a matter of weeks.

  It had been seven months and three days since she’d told him it was over and he still felt the pain of it like it had happened yesterday. The swiftness of her change in attitude toward him still put his mind into a spin. He’d questioned her about it as calmly as he could, doing his best to keep his hurt and confusion in check, but he’d come away angry and dissatisfied with her answers and her vague references to needing time apart.

  “I’m young, Tom. We both are. We owe it to ourselves to see what’s out there, what the world has to offer. I don’t want to get tied down like my mom did, at a young age, and then live to regret it.”

  Her words stung as much now as they had then and he gritted his teeth at the memory. It was time he moved on and forgot about her. He was young, fit, in the prime of his life. He needed to remember this every time he found himself moping about what had gone wrong. He needed to let go of it. He needed to let go of her. They were over. Whatever they’d once had was gone. Done. Finished. He had to cut his losses and move on. It was as simple as that.

  “Got any plans for the weekend, Tom?”

  The question came from Rusty Webb, one of Tom’s colleagues. About Tom’s age, Rusty had a smile that made even Tom’s lips want to twitch upwards in response. Fit and toned with a cheeky grin, Rusty was a man on a mission.

  He’d quite openly told his colleagues that it was his goal to sleep with as many women as he could in as short a time as possible. He was proud of the fact that at the ripe old age of twenty-three, he had more than two dozen notches on his belt.

  Tom might not have agreed with Rusty’s moral stance, but he enjoyed the man’s company just the same. It was Rusty who managed to distract Tom even for a little from his daily doldrums by regularly insisting they go out drinking together and although Tom hadn’t told Rusty the reason for his reticence, he was more than grateful for the efforts made by his friend.

  At the thought of Lily, Tom’s heart once again lurched with pain. He thought he’d met the woman who would one day become his wife. Too bad she hadn’t felt the same. He could have sworn she was as much in love with him as he was with her. She’d said as much more than once. He couldn’t believe she’d proclaimed her love for him one day and within a month, she’d called it quits. It just went to show, where matters of the heart were concerned, he knew shit.

  Aware that Rusty waited expectantly for his answer, Tom shrugged. “The weekend? Nothing special. I might go across to Manly on Saturday and catch some waves. The weather’s supposed to be fine. What are you up to?”

  Rusty’s smile widened to his trademark mischievous a grin and he gave Tom a wink. “I’m heading into the city tonight and hitting the nightclubs. You have no idea how those places attract the women. It’s only a matter of time before I strike it lucky.”

  Tom grinned back at him and shook his head. “Rusty, you’re incorrigible. Why don’t you choose just one girl for a change and actually get to know her a bit? There’s more to a girl than her body or the way she performs in bed.”

  “Nah, mate. You’ve got it all wrong. Why restrict yourself to just one when you can sample the whole lot? Besides, I’m only in it for a bit of fun. The girls know that.” He stepped closer and punched Tom lightly on the arm. “Come on, Tom, you’re only young once. Come out with me and have some fun.”

  Tom shook his head. “No, mate. You go ahead. I’m not feeling in the party mood.”

  “Come on, it’s Friday night. You can’t stay home on a Friday night. Nobody does that.”

  “Nah, sorry, mate. I’m going to get an early night, for a change.”

  “What do you mean, for a change? It’s been damned quiet all week. That B & E we attended today was the most excitement we’d had since Monday. What’s been keeping you up all night?”

  Rusty’s tone filled with innuendo and he gave Tom another wink. “Don’t tell me you’ve been holding out on me, Munro. Come on, what’s her name?”

  Tom shook his head and smiled. “There’s no one. I just meant…I haven’t been sleeping so well.”

  Rusty’s expression sobered. “Is everything all right? I know I joke about this place, but the truth is, the kind of stuff we see, the things we do… It gets to all of us now and then.”

  Tom was touched by Rusty’s concern, but he was quick to alleviate his friend’s fears. “No, mate. It’s not the job. I’m all good there. It’s just something I’m working through. Personal shit. Family stuff. You know how it is.”

  Rusty nodded in understanding and his expression cleared. “Hell, yeah. My parents fight and spit at each other every opportunity they get. They wonder why I don’t want to come home very often. They should have divorced years ago and given us all a break.”

  Tom shot Rusty a sympathetic look, bu
t remained silent. Let Rusty think it was Tom’s parents keeping him sleepless. It was better than admitting he was nursing a broken heart. He’d had enough ribbing from his previous colleagues to open himself up to another round.

  “Tom, Rusty. What are you up to?”

  Tom swung around in his chair and nodded to his boss. Superintendent Kyle Campbell ran a hand through his short gray hair and headed toward them from the direction of his office.

  “Not much, boss,” Tom replied. “I’m just finishing up that report on the break and enter we attended in Lindfield.”

  “Do we have a match on the fingerprint?”

  “Not yet. I’ll let you know if we get a hit.”

  “Good.” He cleared his throat and encompassed both Tom and Rusty in his gaze. “I’ve taken a call from the Chatswood Elementary School. They’re doing a Safety in the Community session with the kids. They’ve asked if we would have an officer available to attend the school and perhaps give a little talk about policing in the community.” He looked at Tom and then switched to Rusty. “Any volunteers?”

  “When?” Rusty asked.

  “Soon. As in, an hour’s time. They’d arranged for someone from Gordon to come in, but the blokes there have been called out on a job and there’s no one around who can do it.”

  “I’ll go,” Tom offered, grateful for the distraction. It would give him something more to think about, other than Lily.

  His boss looked at him in relief. “You’re sure?”

  “Yeah, why not? I have two primary school-aged sisters back home. They love having me around.”

  “Well, good. Thanks, Tom. Appreciate your offer. I’ll call the principal back and let her know you’ll be coming. Grab some of those stickers we have in that box in the storeroom and hand them out to the kids. I haven’t met a kid yet who didn’t like stickers.”

  * * *

  Lily clapped her hands in a repetitive, rhythmic pattern to gain the attention of the group of third graders and then asked them to sit on the floor. It was a trick she’d learned from the class teacher. Lily was in the middle of completing her month of practical instruction at the Chatswood Elementary School and was loving every minute of it. She was more than halfway through the second year of her teaching degree and despite her pregnancy, had managed to keep up with her studies.