“Shut up!” Sheila’s voice booms through the air.
Harrison backs up with his hands in the air, keeping his eyes on her.
It’s Tori’s calm voice that fills the room. “Liv, Tug, your mom has done something she truly regrets…and she never meant to hurt you, but now she wants to do the right thing... Isn’t that right, Sheila?” Tori moves slowly toward Sheila, holding her hand out as if to collect the gun. My mother is glowering at her, but Tori keeps inching toward her.
She’s almost reached Sheila when panic strikes me. What if Sheila shoots Tori? I can’t lose her. I slowly start to make my way to Tori. Before I reach her, I look over as Sheila places the barrel of the gun up to her lips.
“I tried to be a good mom to you, Liv,” Sheila wails. “I love you.” She puts the barrel in her mouth.
Tori launches in her direction, trying to reach her before she pulls the trigger. The scene plays out in front of me, moving in slow motion, as I watch the woman I love try to save the life of the woman I’ve grown to hate. While it seems like I have forever to reach them both, a millisecond later blood splatters against the cabinets behind Sheila, and the gun clanks against the tile floor. Her body collapses into Tori, and they both tumble to the ground. Tori’s head bounces off the floor. A bullet firing is one of the loudest sounds I’ve ever heard. My ears ring and I’m disoriented.
Sheila’s body is draped across Tori’s, and there is blood and chunks of brain spewed on the walls, cabinets, and floor. The air smells of rust and sulfur. My skin vibrates, and bile rises in my throat. I sprint to the sink, making it just in time to drain the contents of my stomach into the stainless-steel basin.
Once I’m finished, I rush to Tori. There’s a large puddle of blood forming next to Tori’s head, and I instantly think the bullet reached her, too. Her eyes are closed. She’s not moving, and I’m can’t tell if she’s breathing. My heart is beating faster and faster, and when it’s about to explode, Tori’s sobs ring in my ears, alleviating my concern as she cries out, “I’m so sorry, Brady. I tried to save her.”
Suddenly the screams of everyone else are registering in my head. Sobbing, shrieks, yells and cries, all so loud I can’t think. I move to Tori and reach down, pulling her out from underneath Sheila’s lifeless body. I help her stand, and crush her against my chest. We’re both covered in blood. I have to hold Tori up. Her legs are like jelly, and her body is limp. She’s in shock.
Liv’s bloodcurdling scream echoes off the kitchen walls. She’s trying to come around the island, but Harrison is stopping her. “Liv, no, you shouldn’t see her like that.”
She screams, but he keeps his arms wrapped tightly around her. Through all of this chaos, I’m grateful to him. Liv shouldn’t see her mother like this – no one should.
“Let go of me, Harrison,” Liv wails, her voice hoarse and full of dread. “I need to go to her, goddammit, let go!”
Liv’s fists pound into Harrison’s chest over and over, but he refuses to let go. Her screams give way to hiccupping cries, transitioning to uncontrollable sobbing. She falls into Harrison’s arms, and he steadies her.
Harrison consoles her and takes her out to the garage. As my eyes follow them, they meet Tug’s shocked expression. He’s sitting against the wall next to the door with his elbows on his knees. Tears gloss his eyes, and his hands are shaking. He’s stunned and quiet.
“Tug!” I shout his name, but he doesn’t respond. I shout his name again, and his body twitches when he registers my voice. “You should go with them.” I nod toward the garage. “Go. I’ll call the police.”
He lifts his chin and slowly stands, using the wall for support. He goes through the door, and I start to break down. My body shakes, and tears start to fall. I’ve ruined their life after I worked so hard not to. If I’d only kept my secrets, none of this would have happened. They’d be okay.
Tori begins to tremble in my arms. She’s sobbing and frantically trying to scrub the blood off her hands, but the effort just keeps smearing streaks of red across her skin. I set her in a chair, kneel down in front of her and brush some of the bloodstained hair from her face. The entire side of her head is soaked in Sheila’s blood. It drips from the ends of each strand.
This can’t be real. It’s like I’m watching a movie rather than living it. Everything is clouded. Tori’s speaking, but it’s as though she’s far away. I can hear her, but I don't understand what she's
saying. My body and mind are completely numb.
She’s calling my name again. Each time she says it, her voice grows louder, until finally she’s shouting, “Brady!”
I look at her terrified face, and I don’t know what to do. She’s shaking violently, and I have no idea how to calm her. What the fuck am I supposed to do? None of this should be happening. I should be in L.A. and Liv and Tug should be happy.
Suddenly the reality of the situation crashes through my chest. I have to call the police. How do we explain this? Tell them how the crazy psychotic bitch destroyed all of us. I pull my cell from my pocket, wincing at the sight of blood on my hands. Choking back more vomit, I hit 911, and then hold the phone to my ear.
A woman’s voice comes through the line. “911 operator, what is your emergency?”
“There’s been a shooting. My mother's killed herself.” I’m shouting into the phone as if somehow that will make them come faster.
“Sir, did you say someone has been shot?” the woman asks.
“Yes, my mother killed herself. Please hurry.” I try to stay calm, but talking to someone neutral brings on tears, and I cry uncontrollably.
“Okay, sir. Please calm down.”
How in the fuck can she expect me to calm down?
“Sir, are you there?”
“Yes, I’m here.” I remind myself she’s just doing her job and try to calm down enough to finish the call.