Chapter Thirty-One Part Two

Dropping the phone in her haste to get everyone up and out of the house. Shon heard her frantic pleas to awaken her siblings. He could hear the flames growing louder and he called for his Gramma to wake up and call the fire department. Why didn't the fire alarm go off? Should he go over there? He rushed to throw clothes on and ran out of the house. He could hear his Gramma calling after him but he couldn't stop. He had to get there before it was too late. By the time he got there the house was engulfed in flames, everything but the pool area.

He franticly searched the crowd for Sydney but couldn't find her. He bumped into Robert by accident who was standing in a daze watching his house burn. Shon grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. Robert fixed glazed, pain filled eyes on his face saying "Oh God I tried to get to her but it was too late. I was too late."

For the first time Shon noticed the burns and blisters covering Roberts hands and arms. He guided him over to a paramedic who could tend his burns. He looked inside the open ambulance and found Casey laying on his stomach on a gurney, his back was severely burned. The paramedic knocked into him as he helped Robert into the back of the ambulance.

Shon didn't know what to do, he kept searching the crowd for the one face he needed to see but couldn't find. Where was she? He ran around to the front of the house stopping abruptly at the sound of heart rending cries. Mustering his courage he continued to walk towards those cries, around the fire truck. He caught his breath at the sight of Jessica sobbing on the ground and William staring blankly in the remains of the kitchen.

As Shon stood there he heard the Fire Chief tell William "The fire started in the fire place in the den."

"What? You've got to be mistaken I've told the kids never to use the fireplace unless I was home. They wouldn't have used it."

"Maybe they had a friend over that started it. The main problem was no working smoke alarms."

"That can't be. I just changed all the batteries two days ago. I tested them. They worked, they all worked." William bit his lip to keep from screaming, to maintain control. Why was this happening? He spotted the psychiatrist standing in the crowd. He stormed over to the doctor shouting "This is your fault. You and your tests. Are you happy now? Do you have enough data for your research? I would have been home tonight. I could have prevented this. Instead I was being held hostage by you. Thanks to you my little girl, my princess is dead!"

 Seeing all the accusatory glances, the Doctor said "This man is a patient of mine at the psychiatric hospital. He suffers from paranoid delusions. He doesn't know what he's talking about. I was running routine tests and released him into his wife's care when we were notified of the fire. I drove them here myself to offer my assistance in case it proved to much for him to handle."

"No you tricked me into helping you get my husband into your hospital. You tied us up and drugged us. Did you set the fire to prove your test results? You knew William felt something terrible was going to happen. Did you ensure it did so you got the results you wanted?" Jessica accused the doctor.

"You poor grieving woman. You're obviously suffering from delusions as well. Officer I'm taking my patient and his wife back to the hospital for treatment. This tragedy has obviously affected them adversely."

"No you can't let him take them," a woman's voice called from the crowd.

"Shut up you fool," the doctor growled at the nurse who pushed her way through the crowd.

"No you've done enough harm. Their daughter is dead."

An officer on crowd patrol escorted the nurse over to his chief who asked "Ma'am what do you know about this?"

"I," pausing to take a deep breath "I'm the nurse for the Doctor and I have proof to back up what Mr. and Mrs. Bennett said." She handed the Chief the folder she took from the doctor's office. The Police Chief scanned through the documents, then motioned for his deputies to arrest the Doctor.

The Doctor began to protest "This is an outrage. I'll sue you for this public humiliation."

"You do that doctor but I think your lawyer will be too busy trying to defend you against charges of malpractice, destruction of private property, arson and manslaughter to worry too much about your humiliation."

Shon stood there in the flashing lights of the emergency vehicles, alone, scared, his heart congealing inside him. His eyes desperately searched the crowd. He found Gene, staring mutely at the burned remains of the house. Then he saw her, skin a sickly pale green, tears streaming down her face, holding tightly to a sobbing little girl and he knew the light of his life was gone. It struck him like a physical blow, falling to his knees he wrapped his arms around himself trying to control the trembles that shook him.

His mind reeling, trying to make sense of what happened but he kept rejecting it, wanting, hoping he would wake up from this nightmare. 'This can't be happening. I was just talking to her, she can't be gone. They're wrong. She's still in there, hurt needing help.' Shon staggered to his feet towards the still smoking ruins.

"Son you can't go in there," a voice commanded him. He felt hands pulling at him, hindering his progress, he tried to push them away but it was like fighting an octopus.

"Let me go. She needs me," he kept screaming but no one heard him or cared. Then he felt strong arms holding him tight and through pain deafened ears he heard.

"Son she's gone. There's nothing we can do for her now. Going in there won't bring her back." The voice speaking those words were laced in pain and he looked up into a pair of grief filled green eyes and he collapsed into the arms of Sydney's father. William held him until his knees buckled and they crumpled into a heap on the cold, wet ground. Their tears combined and their broken hearts sought solace for a pain they couldn't bear.

"Sir? I'm sorry sir but we need to clear the area," a kindly voice said touching his shoulder to get Williams attention. "I'm sorry for your loss but you need to go to the hospital and check on your boys."

Stirring William shook his head, his boys? Casey and Robert were burnt in the fire. He had to be strong for them and the others. He took several steading breaths and stood up, bending down he helped Shon up.

"Sir can I come with you? I...I don't want to be alone," Shon said, his eyes pleading with William to let him stay, to be with the family he felt he belonged to

William nodded saying "Call you Grandmother so she doesn't worry." Putting his hand on Shon's shoulder, William looked around at the remnants of his life. He moved towards his children, huddled in a group, he opened his arms wide and they ran to him. Gene, Evelyn and Beverly seeking comfort and strength and hoping to find it in the arms of their father. After a few moments hesitation Shon joined them, feeling safe in the arms of the family he had hoped would be his some day. William hugged them to him wishing he could keep them safe, wishing he could have prevented this tragedy. He lifted his head and looked over the children's heads and his eyes fell upon Jessica. He felt his heart go cold, frozen as if all the feelings he ever had for her were lost and gone forever.

William guided the children into the van, moving past Jessica. She tried to catch William's eye but he refused to acknowledge her. "William please," she pleaded in tears. He stopped jerking his head towards the van. She followed and sat in the front with William, she tried to hold his hand but he jerked away from her touch. So she sat, huddled in on herself, lonely and dejected. 'It's all my fault, my fault. I should have believed in him. I should never have let myself be conned by that Doctor. I thought I was doing the right thing Now my beautiful girl is gone, my husband hates me.' She gulped in air putting her fist to her mouth to keep from crying out as she watched the houses sweep past her window.

At the hospital William tried to find someone who could tell him anything about Robert and Casey. The nurse on duty said they were in the burn unit. "I'll take you to them but the kids will have to wait here."

William turned to the children and found four young faces looking up to him, pleading with him not to leave them alone. He turned to Shon and asked "Son do you think your Grandmother would mind coming here and sitting with you for a while?"

Shon nodded, pulling his phone out of his pocket "Gramma? Can you come to the hospital?"

"Yes dear. I'm so sorry about that dear, sweet girl."

"I know Gramma but you comin to the hospital will help the Bennetts an awful lot."

"I'm on my way."

"Mr. Bennett my Gramma's on her way."

"Thank you son," William turned to the others, putting a hand on Gene's shoulder and another on Evelyn's shoulder with Beverly in the middle. "Kids I know your scared but your mom and I have to go check on your brothers."

"Daddy please take us with you," Beverly begged and William took her into his arms and hugged her tight.

"Honey I wish I could but I can't. You have to stay here. Shons' Grandmother is coming to sit with you. If you need me, tell her and she'll have someone come get me, ok?"

Three heads nodded in unison. William got up to follow the nurse. Jessica once again tried to take his hand but he shoved them in his pockets as he walked. Not knowing what else she could do, Jessica grabbed hold of his arm as they followed the nurse. She refused to believe that this emotional distance was the end, she needed him. She couldn't do this on her own.