Page 82 of The Awful Truth

THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT

“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

3:38 P.M. — WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

MERCY

“Faith, where are you?”

“I just dropped the kids off at school and I’m in the Starbucks drive-thru. Honestly, Mercy, I don’t have the first clue why your nannies keep quitting. The kids have been total angels and⁠—”

“Faith, listen to me,” she said, raising her voice to talk over her sister. “Go get the children. Right now. Pick them up from school and go home. Take away all their devices, tell the staff to leave until I contact them. Do not leave the house until I’m home.” Mercy took her suitcase out of the closet and dumped it on the floor right in front of it. She started grabbing clothes down with one hand, yanking them off the hangers unceremoniously.

The barista’s voice blasted over the speaker. “Welcome to Starbucks. What can I get you?”

“Say you changed your mind and get out of there, now!”

“Umm…I…forgot my wallet. I’m going to have to go home.”

The barista sounded annoyed. “All right then. Pull forward when you can.”

Mercy could hear the sound of the window sliding shut, then Faith’s voice. “What’s going on, Mercy? You’re scaring me.”

“Travis is dead.” She could hardly believe what she was saying. Her voice went up two octaves, but she forced the words to come out. “He got shot this morning. I don’t want the kids to find out on social media or from someone at school.”

“Oh my God! Oh, Mercy! I can’t believe it.” There was a honking sound, then her sister muttered, “Shit. I have to pull forward.”

“Just go get them. Right now. You can tell them it’s fun auntie time or something. Spend the day swimming in the pool and watching movies. Just keep them off anything with access to the news,” she said, feeling stronger now that she was doing what she could to protect her children. “I’m going to have some security guards posted outside the property to keep the media out. I don’t think the word has gotten out yet, but it won’t be long and the house will be surrounded.” She let out a sob, then forced herself to carry on. “The kids need to hear it from me. When I’m there with them.”

“I can’t… Oh my God. Is this real? Who the hell shot him?” She lowered her voice. “It wasn’t you, was it? If it was, I totally don’t blame you. Also, don’t admit it on the phone. And don’t come back. Just…tell me you’ll meet us in Mexico.”

“It wasn’t me. It was…an accident. They were spearfishing and…it just happened.” She closed her eyes, seeing him face-down in the water.

“Oh Mercy, I am so sorry, sweetie. I’m on my way to the school right now. What do I tell the office?”

“The truth, but not to Leah at the front desk. She’s got a big mouth. Ask to see Mrs. Freison, the principal. Tell her what happened and ask her not to tell anyone for now.”

“All right. Mrs. Freison,” she answered in a firm tone. “Are you all right? Were you there when it happened?”

“I was swimming around the other side of the yacht when...” Her hands shook as she recalled that horrible moment. “I didn’t see it, but I had to climb up onto the swim platform right when they were trying to save him. I got covered in… I was trying to… I thought he might be alive.”

“Merc, I can’t even believe this. It’s all just so awful.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever get that image out of my mind,” Mercy whispered.

“You must be in shock right now.”

“It hasn’t really hit me yet. It’s all so strange. Like none of this is happening to me. To Travis. It’s two other people who are going through this.” She closed her eyes tightly, feeling the shock and grief rip through her again. Managing to take a deep breath, Mercy let it out. “And I keep expecting him to come strolling into the room, but he won’t. And I can’t wrap my head around it.”

“It’s going to take a long time to get used to this,” Faith said, her voice sounding shaky too. “But I’ll be here for you and the kids through everything, okay? I’ll quit my job or maybe I can take a leave of absence if you want. I can move in with you guys for a while.”

Mercy sobbed into her hand, then squeaked out a thank you to her sister. Finally, she forced herself to stand, wiped the tears off her cheeks, and lifted her chin. “I can’t think about anything right now. I have to focus on getting home to the children.” She finished emptying her clothes into the suitcase, then crouched down to zip it up.

“I’m just pulling into the school parking lot.”

“Go. Hurry, Faith. And text me when you’re all home safely and the staff is gone.”

She hung up the phone, feeling another wave of reality, followed by the pain of it all. She’d gone from having a husband who she had just realized she had to leave to instantly being utterly and completely alone.