I met a young man Daniel almost three years ago. He told me a story I found hard to believe. He assured me it was true. Since then I know it to be. I have met almost his entire family. Daniel put me in touch with others he learned of over the years. I don't know how, I asked, he didn't say.
I am not a writer, far from it. Except for the names and places, the stories you read are true for the most part. Still they are not biographies. Artistic license has been taken to enhance or in some cases minimize the events described. All sexual situations were between consensual adults within the framework of their story.
The stories are somewhat long. Most of these stories cover several years. I will try to keep the chapters short. I suggest you save one for reference. None of the stories are mine, any personal friend, or relative.
This story is about a brother's sense of duty to his sister and her family. Buck struggles to help his sister fight against her demons. The first chapters can be a tough read. It was even more difficult for Buck and Rey Ann to tell it.
This is the sixth and final chapter.
*****
It was a Friday night, I just got home from work. I received a call from Luis.
"Have you talked to Joy today?" He asked.
"No, it has been a week since I talked to her or Karen. Why?" I asked.
I have been out on sales calls and just had a strange voice mail from her." Luis sounded concerned. "Have you talked to Buck?"
"Not since I left for work. He should be home any minute." I explained.
"Call me when he does and use the cell. I am on my way to see Maria."
Buck pulled in ten minutes later. He left the truck in the drive not taking it back to the garage. I could see he was not happy when he came through the door.
"Luis called. Joy left him a voice message. He wanted to know if you talked to her." I could see Buck had.
"I did, the news is not good but it is not clear either." Buck pulled me to him. "Karen may have left Joy."
"Left as in she no longer loves her...?"
"Left as in she was there this morning and she is not this afternoon. Joy says things are things missing suggesting she is not coming back." Buck move close to me waiting for my reaction.
"So she might?" I started to get worried.
"Honey we just don't know. I have too little to go on. I suggest we pack a few things and go see Joy. She will be waiting for us."
"We need to call Luis he is on his way to Maria's." Buck agreed to call him after we were on the way.
We met Luis and Maria at Joy's. She was at her parents not too far away. Buck and had driven the old truck here he and Luis left in it not telling us where they were going. Joy was not as emotional as I expected. I always knew she was a strong person. I was impressed with how she was handling this situation.
Maria and I kept her company. We talked about many things, the wedding, college and my job. Joy started talking about Karen. We had avoided talking about it trying not to upset her. Before long she was telling us stories about Karen and how much they loved each other. Something told me Karen leaving was not a complete surprise for Joy.
Buck and Luis came back around eleven. There was no solid news. A possible this a maybe that. Luis and Maria left. Buck promised to stay in touch. Joy asked if we wanted to stay. I was sure Buck would not leave her alone. He said that we needed to get back home but we would be by in the morning to check up on her. She looked disappointed but agreed.
When we left we did not head for home. We headed back to the big city. This is the one Karen would have headed to.
"Buck where are we going?" I asked.
"I think I know where she is or at least was." He looked over at me. "I am not sure Luis can handle this. If you want, I can take you back to Joy's?"
"Where you go I go!" I said.
"Rey this will not be pretty!" He warned me.
We headed to the worst places in town. Buck stopped and talked to many people. Some people knew him some did not. He made a few phone calls. We stopped what looked like an abandon apartment building. He grabbed a flashlight and checked his pocket for his knife.
"Whatever you do, don't run. Don't talk unless I tell you to." He gripped my arm firmly making sure I understood what he said.
We got out of the truck. I was scared while we were in it and now I was terrified. We headed to the front door the lock long gone. He looked around then started up the stairs. There were few lights on in the halls. It was a quiet place and noisy all the same. I heard sounds that didn't belong in placed humans lived. The place smelled terrible and looked worse. On the second floor we were met at the top of the staircase. There was a landing just before the hall. Some dudes stopped Buck from coming any further.
"What cha busnes man?" The bigger guy said.
"None of yours and yours is none of mine!" Buck replied calmly. "Just looking for a lost soul."
Buck took a step forward the smaller guy stepped in front.
"You can't come up here without and invitation." The small guy said. He pulled back his parka showing Buck his gun.
"Tell you what how about I leave the girl with you, and come get her when I get back?" Buck offered.
"Buck!" I protested. The dudes looked at each other.
"You're Buck?" The big guy asked. "Why didn't you say so?"
"She just did." Buck smiled. "Woman, white, mid-forties, showed up this morning, most likely heroin."
"She ain't here. She was but they took her out a couple of hours ago." The little guy said. "She didn't look good."
"Do you know where they went?" Buck asked.
"The way she looked. She was so high they almost had to drag her out? The way she was sweating, her eyes closed, that bitch be overdosed!" The little guy said. "The hospital or the morgue!"
"Thanks!" Buck replied.
"You leaving her until you come back?" The big guy asked. One gold tooth glistened whem he smiled.
"Can't do that guys. Where I go, she goes." Buck replied.
We went back down the stairs. The big guy followed behind. It made me nervous. Buck took no notice. When we made it back to the parking lot there were two guys leaning on Buck's truck. Buck walked to the passenger door and helped me in. He walked around the front where the two guys were standing.
"Going someplace honky?" The guy was almost as big as Buck but fat.
"To the hospital. You want to go with me? Buck asked standing his ground.
"Hey Scoop. You don't want to do that!" The guy from the stairs yelled. I assume Scoop was the one moving in Buck's direction. "You remember Bobby? That the dude took him down."
"You're Buck?" Scoop asked.
"I am." Buck replied. "I am in kind of a hurry..."
"Why didn't you say so?" Scoop asked.
He moved the other guy away and opened the driver's door. "Me and Kettle here, we will follow you. Make sure no punks bother you!"
"Thanks guys!" Buck replied as he got in the door. He looked at me and shrugged. "Guess we have some new friends?"
He was like that with everyone. There was this quiet confidence about him. It was like he was scared of nothing and everyone knew it. He never threatens and he never talks down to people. He was right. We met four guys that could have messed him up and me. Buck really thinks they are now his friends.
They lead us to the hospital and followed us in. Buck talked to the attendant at the desk. Soon a flurry of activity took place as they asked him to come with them. He thanked Scoop and took my hand.
"Rey this is not good." Was all he said. They led us to a private room. A women came in. Buck repeated the description of Karen. I knew right away we had found her. I also knew she was dead.
Joy opened the door when we pulled in the drive. Like a little girl I ran into her arms crying all over again. She held me crying herself. It was almost a half hour later when we were calm enough to tell her partly what we knew. Buck had identified her body. She was partying with some people. They shot her up and took what money she had to go buy more heroin. When they came back they found her passed out and sweating heavily. They took her to the hospital but she died before they could help her.
I stayed with Joy for the next two days. She needed me and I needed her. Buck went Saturday morning and told Luis in person. He took it pretty hard. Since we were kids she seemed to have lulled us into this false sense of security. When you least expected it she would take it away. Buck refused to let them postpone the wedding. He was not going to let Karen's death rob Luis, and especially Maria of their special day.
I would like to say thousands of people showed up at her funeral. The fact is less than ten did. Buck, Joy, Maria, Archie, Luis and I were there with a minister. None of her other siblings decided to come. Only one sent flowers. I found it ironic all of her drug dealers. Her pimps. Her customers. Even the friends she gave drugs to so they would party with her. Not one showed up.
For a few days all we talked about was what made her leave. The wedding? Buck with me? Joy and her success? Then Buck set us all straight one day. The only one to blame was Karen herself. I figured if anyone knew her it was him.
Karen passing affected me more than I thought it would. We were closer now than we ever were and yet she was still not my mother. Now that she is gone I miss her. I was lethargic. I was not sleeping and feeling sorry for myself. It affected my work and my relations with Buck. One Friday night Buck was waiting for me to come home from work. We got in the new truck and started driving. I fell asleep shortly after we left. I hadn't even asked where we were going.
