Laurels Literary Magazine Fall 2015 | Page 72

Why? Why not just let them know? really not legally allowed to tell you as much as I have. * hip. They’d washed him, folded him up, and covered him in sheets like a freshly made bed. I hadn’t moved from my chair. He looked peaceful. “I just need to ask you a few questions. Are you next of kin?” “No.” I stood. “I need to make some phone calls, but I don’t want to leave him alone. Will you stay for a few minutes?” “Aww, sure, hon. I’ll wait right here,” she answered. “It’s My legs quivered, and I couldn’t hold steady. I sat back down, staring blankly, clenching the chair’s rail like the manrope 60