My father was the greatest man I knew, always so generous and kind. All he ever wanted to do was help people, unlike my uncle Benny. That son of a bitch can care less about anyone but himself.
When my parents died, he sold the family business to the highest bidder, and since I was only a minor, I had no say in any of it. He put my portion in my trust and that was the end of it. It’s like he threw away everything my father worked for, and now he’s too deep in whatever bullshit he’s playing to ever get out.
At the time, I didn’t care to look into the logistics of everything. I was so broken and alone, I just wanted my parents back. Izzi was all I had left, and even then, I felt more alone than I ever had in my life. It’s been three years since I lost them, but it hurts just as much now as it did then. At least now I haveMaddie. I don’t think I’ll ever have the empty feeling of being alone again.
“Your parents were the best thing to ever happen to me, Alexander. I’m so grateful to have known them and to know you. They would be so proud of you.”
I look back over at Julius and see a single tear fall from his eyes as he continues to look out the windshield. It’s enough for me to release the emotions I’ve been trying to hold back. All the anger I’ve held from losing them and the hatred I’ve felt towards my uncle Benny for being the piece of shit he always has been, because despite everything, Julius has always been there. He’s been the backbone I didn’t think I had.
We pull up to a red light and he finally looks over at me and smiles. It’s the first smile I’ve seen on his face in years.
“I love you, Julius. I’m sorry I never said it enough before. Thank you for everything you’ve ever done for us.”
I’ve never seen so much emotion come from Julius. He’s always been the type to be professional and keep to himself. The most emotion I’ve ever seen come from this man is the smallest smiles, but I always knew he loved us. He’s the type of person who never needed to say it for us to know what we meant to him.
“I love you too, son. It has been my absolute pleasure.”
The light turns green, and we proceed to cruise into the intersection. Nothing could have prepared me for what was going to happen next. It all happened so quickly. Honking noises are blaring loudly around me. My head is spinning and I can’t feel anything. A loud ringing is penetrating my ears and I try to open my eyes to look around me.
What the fuck just happened?
I look over at Julius to see if he’s okay, and I stare at him in complete horror. His head is facing towards me, his eyes open as blood drips from the gash on his forehead down into his eyes. There’s blood and glass all over him, and I can’t see down pasthis shoulders. His body is completely crushed by the black SUV that plowed into us.
Oh my god, this can’t be happening.
I can’t fucking breathe.
Trying my best to lift my arm, I look down and see shards of glass sticking out of it. Everything hurts, but I use whatever strength I have to lift my arm and shake Julius. He doesn’t move.
This can’t be happening. This can’t be fucking happening.
“Julius,” I attempt to shout, but the name barely comes out as a whisper. There’s so much smoke from the car, causing me to cough as it invades my lungs.
“Julius!” I croak out, trying again, but I can’t stop fucking coughing.
I manage to lift my hand up to his neck to check for a pulse but feel nothing.
“No, Julius!” I cry out into the smoke filled air, but he doesn’t say anything. He can’t.
“Please!” I scream as loud as I possibly can until my lungs give out. “Please don’t leave me too, Julius. Please…”
He just stares at me with his cold, dead eyes and a sob escapes me as I stare at the last parent I had left in this world sitting dead in the seat next to me.
Why is this happening?All I have left in this world is Maddie, and that’s if I make it out of this alive.
Oh my god, Maddie.
The thought that this could have been an attack and this accident could have very wellnotbeen an accident hits me, and now all I can think about is Maddie. I don’t know if she’s okay or where she’s at. What if he already got to her?
Fuck, what am I going to do?
Blood begins to slowly drip out of Julius’ mouth, and I lift my hand up to his eyes to shut them. He didn’t fucking deserve this.He didn’t deserve any of this. He didn’t even get the chance to have a family of his own, and now he’s fucking dead.
I’m still buckled into the seat, so I reach down to unbuckle myself, but the seatbelt is fucking stuck. I push as hard as I can until it finally releases and the weight is removed from my chest. I suck in a sharp intake of breath, coughing as the smoke continues to assault my lungs.
“Fuck.”
Looking up, I see a figure walking around the front of the car, making its way over to my side.
