“There’s no choice,” Fiona said, wiping tears from her eyes.
“No. I can’t see another way, honey. I’m sorry. We gave it a good go, but we’re not taking bookings, and hospitals won’t send their children here,” Simon stated.
“The ghosts are out of control. Nobody can control them, and they’re haunting relentlessly now,” Fiona replied.
“We had such high hopes, but it’s time to admit defeat. We gave it a good run.”
“Those damn ghosts, why won’t they just let people be happy? It’s almost as if that nasty man Callie was with cursed us with his misery. It doesn’t matter how many times we have Callie come back; she can’t get rid of them,” Fiona said.
“Exorcisms aren’t working; they’re too strong,” Simon added.
“It’s time to close our doors,” Fiona said.
I watched as she walked to the wall and touched each photo pinned to it.
“So many children we managed to help and make their dream of a last Christmas come true. Such a shame to lose everything.”
“I know, honey. We gave it our best shot.”
Everything changed, and I stood in a graveyard.
“Oh, hell no!” I exclaimed. “I remember this from the films! Ernest, we can skip this part.”
“Can we?” Ernest asked as he walked away. I chased after him until Ernest came to a stop at a plain headstone.
In front of it, Liv stood with a child in her arms, and two more stood beside her. A man approached, his face hidden in shadows.
“Let me take them, babe,” he said and took the children’s hands. Liv smiled sadly and handed the baby over.
“Love you,” she whispered.
“Love you, too,” he replied and moved away.
“Well, Dad, here we are. I wish I knew what to say, but everything feels angry to me. You had the fuckin’ world and threw it away. Why? Was it really because of Primal’s genetics or because you just became a sullen bastard? There was never any explanation for it.
“But you lost everything. Bean hasn’t seen you since they were just over a year old. Fifteen years, Dad, you ignored them. I’ve not seen you since Carrie was born, and she’s fourteen. You had so much love and turned it all away, and did your best to ruin it. Luckily for me, Callie is a decent person. Even thoughshe and Jack had more kids, they kept me and Gran close. Even while you walked away. I don’t get it…
“You even threw Hellfire away. For ten years, you’ve not been one of them. A decade, Dad. Hadn’t you lost enough time? Hell, I didn’t even know you had died until we were tracked down to be informed of your death. Look at your stone, your date of birth, your death, and your name. Nothing about being a dad or granddad or loving son. Not even a carving of the Hellfire patch. You drank yourself to death. Dad, what broke so badly inside you that nobody could fix it? I wish I knew. But I’m not going to look back and live with regrets.
“Gran told me to live and be happy. That’s what I’m going to do, because I believe you once wanted that for me. I wish you could have seen the kids. Once upon a time, you’d have loved them. Bye, Dad, thanks for my childhood; you at least made that happy,” Liv said and wiped a tear from her cheek.
Then she placed a rose on my grave and walked away.
“I get the point, Ernest,” I snapped as I swallowed hard.
“This could happen. Only you can change it,” Ernest said and disappeared. I glanced around the lonely, miserable graveyard and swore I wouldn’t end up here. I blinked and looked at the sun coming through the window as it rose.
The bedroom door opened, and Callie walked in. She looked tired and sad.
“Are you okay?”
“Fine,” she clipped.
“I’ll run you a bath.”
“Don’t bother, I’ll do it myself,” Callie replied.
“Woman, I said, sit down and let me look after you!” I ordered.
