Someone Left Behind

Jordan walked into the house, a girl attached to his hip. She swaggered into the room; her orange spray tan appears offensive in the white interior of the Staal’s home. She’s platinum blonde, it clashed badly with her skin color, and worse yet was the yellow short shorts she’s wearing below a hot pink tube top. Everyone froze and stopped wrestling, Marc let Jake sit up and Eric let go of Jared who scrambling across the floor and sat down next to Marc and Jake.

“Hi guys!” Jordan smiled at them, “Sandra this is my mom, Linda, my dad, Henry, my brothers, Marc, Jared and Eric, and that’s Eric’s wife, Tanya.” he pointed them all out, not noticing the little boy huddled next to his brothers.

“Everyone, this is Sandra.” Jordan announced proudly, throwing his arm around her shoulders. Tanya looked around the silent room. Eric was doing his best to force a smile onto his face, Jake looked like he was about to cry, and Marc ha given up formalities and was staring at the couple with his mouth open. She couldn’t figure out if he was amazed Jordan was so foolish, or awed he had an attractive girlfriend.

“Hi! Ohmygosh,” She gushed, strutting into the room. “I’m such a huge fan of you guys, you’re all like… sooooo good at hockey and hot!” She let out a giggle and clapped her hands excitedly, bouncing up and down slightly.

It was all to much for Jake, the images started flashing through his mind, the rain, the laughing, the sudden horn, squealing tires, glass shattering, the sirens.

~June 19th, 2009~

Jake was laughing in the back seat as his mother, Emma, made funny faces at him through the mirror. It was pouring down rain and they were riding to Eric and Tanya’s to discuss the travel plans for this summer.

“Your silly Momma.” he giggled again, his blue eyes sparkling, and she laughed from the front seat.

“Geez you’re like your father.” she shook her head, “But there’s definitely Uncle Eric in there.” they both smiled and suddenly a horn blasted and headlights flashed through the front window. Jake heard his mother scream and he closed his eyes, bracing himself in his car seat as they slid sideways and collided with the speeding tractor trailer. He heard the glass shatter and he blacked out.

When he woke up he could hear voices speaking, he recognized a panicked Eric and Tanya, he didn’t know the other voices. His immediate thought was to calm Tanya down to keep the baby safe; then he remembered everything that had happened. He let out a moan as he shifted and everyone shot to his side.

“Jake, Jake, easy, take it easy.” his uncle’s voice was shaking as he spoke gently to him.

“Where’s Momma?”

“I’ll talk to you later, you need to get some rest.” his voice cracked and he could hear Tanya sobbing in the corner of the room.

“No, no, I need to know what happened.” he stared hard at his uncle who looked away.

“There was an accident…”

“I’m aware of that, thank you.” Jake practically growled, getting impatient.

“There was an accident,” he repeated, “a tractor trailer hit the driver’s side corner on the front of the car…your mom passed away at impact.” he sat on the bed and wrapped his arms around the stiff boy. He was moving, Eric didn’t even think he was breathing, suddenly he felt his body tremble and melt against him.

“No!” he sobbed, wrapping his arms around his uncle and clutching onto his shirt, “We…Dad just won the Cup! Everything…was…going great…and now…” his whole body was heaving with sobs.

“Shh…I know, I know.” Eric was rubbing his head and rocking him back and forth, trying to keep himself together.

2 days later and they were standing in the graveyard in Thunder Bay, Eric being who he was had sped everything up and here they were. Jake’s arms were wrapped around Jared’s leg, his face buried in his thigh, sobbing. Eric was comforting Tanya and staring at Jake, debating on whether or not to go over to him.

Jake couldn’t believe she was gone, she was his whole life, besides Eric. She was the only one who was with him every second of his childhood, and now he’d never see her again.

They had decided that instead of Jake going to live with his grandparents he would stay with Eric, who was like his father to begin with. He knew he was going to have to face his real father this summer because all of them were going to be in Thunder Bay.

~Present Day~

He was jolted back to reality by the squealing voice of Jordan’s thing, and he spoke up, “Daddy?” everyone looked at Jake, expecting him to be staring at Jordan; instead he was staring straight at Eric with tears pouring down his face. The oldest Staal brother scrambled up, scooping him up. “Can I go to bed now?” he whimpered.

“Shh…” he chuckled slightly, “I never thought I’d hear that from you.”

“Do you wanna say goodnight?” he shook his head slightly, “That’s okay, they’ll understand…” he bounced him slightly but he leaned towards Marc and Jared, obviously wanting to at least say goodnight to them. Eric slowly let go of Jake and he slid into Marc’s lap who hugged him tightly, whispering in his ear.

“Ignore Jordan…” he passed him to Jared.

“Yeah, you’ve got us…and don’t worry, we’ll scare her away.”

“Hush!” Eric hit the back of Jared’s head, which bounced forward and off Jake’s. They both grunted and rubbed their heads, Marc laughing hysterically; Jake reached over and hit him on the arm. He shut up and glared at Jared, thinking it was him and then cracking him in the arm.

“It was Jake!” he exclaimed defensively, hitting Marc back and Jake giggled slightly.

“Come on you, before you start a riot.” Eric scooped him up and let his head rest on his shoulder, carrying him towards the stairs.

“Umm… is that baby yours?”

“I’m sorry?” Eric asks turning around to face the orange Barbie.

“I didn’t know you like, had a baby…”

“I don’t technically, well I do,” he motioned towards Tanya’s stomach, “but Jake’s not technically my son…I just raise him.” he turned his head to press a kiss to the boy’s temple.

“Oh… and you guys are like… together?” She asks ignorantly, glaring at Tanya as she speaks, Tanya stared at her as if she was stupid, holding up her left hand.

“We‘re married, yes.” Eric retorted, and spun around to head up the stairs, Jake staring at the living room over Eric‘s shoulder until they disappeared up the stairs.