The Last Laugh novel Chapter 7

***

While I lay quiet on my bed like a dead person, Heather quietly entered the room and came to sit by me. I kept my eyes on the ceiling. I felt like life had been drained out of me.

Heather held my hand in hers.

"D– don't worry, Sheridan. Dad will find uncle Paul." she murmured softly. I didn't move or respond. "I'm sorry, Sheridan."

She ran her little fingers through my hair, continuously and softly. Surprisingly, it relaxed me.

"You feeling a little bit better?" she asked softly. I nodded slowly. She continued.

"Please don't cry again. You cried this morning and– and it made me cry too. Mom punished me for that." I looked up at her for the first time since she'd entered the room. I held her hand tight and opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out. I didn't even have the force to speak.

At that instant, Sawyer appeared at the door, her little arms crossed. She looked at Heather with a frown.

"Heather, you're not supposed to be here. I'll tell Mom."

"Just shut up for once, Sawyer." Heather's reply came out dry. I looked at her surprised. Sawyer looked at her, shocked. Her big sister had never answered her that way.

"I always keep the things you do from mom, but you are always reporting on me. If you go report now, don't speak to me again until daddy finds uncle Paul."

I saw frustration in Sawyer's eyes. I saw pain. Her sister had never spoken to her like that and had never threatened their friendship.

"I'm sorry." she grumbled.

"Fine."

Sawyer ran out of the room. Heather turned to me.

"Bye, Sheridan. Mom might soon notice I'm up here." she stood up and left the room. I stayed quiet.

***

Days passed by. A whole week. My dad wasn't still found. I was hopeless. I'd stop eating, playing, sleeping and even talking. Uncle Ken begged me to eat. He spent all days with me. Trying to console me. I'd changed so much in just a week. I wasn't the happy little boy of the first week. I was now a hopeless kid who felt lonely. I even refused Heather from approaching me. It was serious.

*

One fateful day, the sheriff appeared at our door to announce something horrible. He spoke to uncle ken privately and gave him a plastic bag with something in it.

After he was gone, I went straight to uncle Ken's room. He panicked and tried to hide something when he saw me.

"What are you doing here, son? Y– you should be–"

"Is my dad dead?" I cut in with a question.

Uncle ken looked at me in surprise.

"Sheridan, please you–"

"Tell me, uncle. Please. I need to know the truth."

I begged him continuously but he refused. I left the room.