151 Days by John Goode Read Free Book Online Page B

myself and then another three for what we assumed would be Kelly’s future family. Six plots of land so we could stay together as a family even in death.
    The fact that our teenage son was the first occupant is as tragic as it is ironic.
    I haven’t been there since the day of the funeral. I just can’t bring myself to go out there and look at the tombstone yet. How can I face even the virtual image of my son knowing I have done nothing to atone for the numerous sins I have committed? So instead I sit in my house and try not to look at the many pictures we have hanging up of Kelly; and I wait for something to happen.
    As with most things in life, karma takes very little time to catch up with you.
    The thunderous declaration of “Goddammit!” came from William’s study followed by the sound of a phone being slammed into its cradle. I didn’t budge. Instead I just sat there and silently counted in my head. It took to twenty-four before he charged into the living room.
    “That school is fucking us again,” he roared, waiting for me to ask him how.
    He would have to wait a long time.
    “Don’t you even want to know what they’re doing?” he asked me, his anger tapering off slightly as he registered my apathetic response.
    I said nothing again, which he took as a silent agreement.
    “They are going to pass a set of rules about bullying and fag protection this Friday during the school board meeting. Do you know what they are calling them?” He was about to answer his own question, since I hadn’t said a word so far. He froze when he heard my answer.
    “Kelly’s Laws.”
    His mouth sputtered shut and then twisted into a snarl. “You knew about this?” It was incredible how his anger could shift from targeting the school to me.
    I nodded but said nothing more; there was no use.
    “Why didn’t you say anything about it?” he demanded.
    “What does it matter?” I asked him, my voice sounding like it was coming from a machine. “Our son is dead. What else matters?”
    “We still have to live here!” Spittle flew out of his mouth as he leaned toward me, screaming. Lately it seems the madder he got, the less I was inclined to respond. I’m sure he was itching for a fight, but I really couldn’t bring myself to care, so he just kept on screaming. “You think I want our family’s name associated with that kind of garbage? Liberal-loving gay protectors. It’s embarrassing.”
    Something inside me began to smolder as he kept complaining.
    “We spent all this time trying to build up a reputation in this town, and then something like this happens, and that reputation means nothing.”
    Smoke began to rise from the shattered remains of what used to be my heart.
    “I am going to have to go down there and tell those idiots that I don’t want Kelly’s name within a thousand miles of that crap.” He looked at his watch and sighed, which seemed to be one gesture too many for me.
    “Oh my goodness, I forgot. Kelly’s suicide must have interrupted your plans for the day. He was always such a polite boy. I’m sure that if we’d explained to him about your schedule—” I took a breath and heard a stranger’s voice coming from my mouth, rasping my next words. “—he would have shot himself on a more convenient day.” I actually snarled at William, then choked down my fury.
    There was no confusion on his part about what I was saying now. “Of course I knew about it. When they called me and gave their deepest condolences at my loss, they informed me that they would be taking steps to ensure nothing like this would happen again. I was so caught up in the gesture that I completely forgot to factor in how my son’s death would impact our fucking reputation.”
    “Dorothy…,” he began to say, but I had been quiet enough.
    “No, William, I think I am done listening to you. I said nothing when we came home and you screamed at Kelly because somehow it was his fault that other people had spray-painted stuff on