"We need you to come down to the hospital with us, to get his things that were on him and to fill out some paper work for the will and medical insurance and life insurance" SGT. Ryan said. "I just need to get someone to watch my kids then I'll be there ok" Katie replied. "That's fine and we are very sorry for your loss" Dr. miller said and the two men left. Katie started crying as she picked up the phone.
Thirty minutes later ~~~ "Katie are you alright?" Nick asked as Katie opened the door. He saw that she had been crying. "Nick I just need you to stay here and watch the kids, I gotta go to the hospital" Katie said putting Alexia in her arms. She had woken up 15 minutes ago, and Katie couldn't get her back to sleep. "Why what happened. Is everything ok" Nick asked. "I really need to go I'll be back soon" Katie said and left, leaving Nick standing there with a crying Alexia in his arms.
Two hours later, which would make it 4:30 AM, Katie walked back into her house. She looked into the living room and saw Nick asleep on the couch. She walked into the kitchen and just slid down to the floor and starting crying hysterically.
Nick woke up a few minutes later. He heard some noise in the kitchen and walked over to it. He found Katie on the floor sobbing uncontrollably. He walked over to her and sat down next to her. "Katie what's wrong" Nick asked, gently. "Why did you have to go to the hospital? Where's Kevin?" Nick asked. "Kevin was ki-ki-killed last night! Somebody killed him!" Katie cried. Nick sat there shocked. "Oh Katie I'm so sorry" Nick said and hugging her. He was upset as well. He considered Kevin one of his brothers. He held Katie and whispered soothing things in her ear, but that didn't work so he just let her cry. After about 20 minutes he saw that she had cried herself to sleep. He carefully stood up with Katie in her arms and carried her upstairs to her bedroom. He laid her down on the bed and crawled next to her and held her and fell asleep with her.
Katie woke up around 11 AM. She thought it was just a nightmare, but when she went downstairs and saw Nick trying to make breakfast. She knew it wasn't. "Hey how you feeling' Nick asked and handed her a cup of coffee. "Like crap" Katie replied. "Katie I'm sorry " Nick replied. "It's not your fault. I mean it hasn't even been 24 hours, and I miss him a lot what am I gonna do. Who could have killed him?" Katie asked. "I've got three kids to raise by myself" Katie added. "Come here" Nick said, holding his arms out. Katie walked into them and Nick hugged her. "I'll always be here for you" He said and kissed her forehead. "I gotta go over to Brian's and call Kev's mom...oh god" Katie said. "I'll stay here with the kids" Nick said. "Thank you so much" Katie said and kiss his cheek and left to go over to Brian's. Katie told Brian what happened and what the police said. By the time they were done they were both crying. While she was over at Brian's, Brian let her call Kevin's mom. Katie picked up the phone and dialed the number. "Hello?" Ann Richardson asked. "Mrs. Richardson, it's Katie. I've got something bad to tell you" Katie said, almost crying.
A week and a half later~~~Kevin's funeral was a few days ago. Kevin's mom and brothers and their families came down, as well as Brian's mom and dad and brother and his wife and kid. All of them left yesterday to go back. Katie's parents came down as well and also left yesterday. Alexia was way too young to know what was going on, but seeing everybody upset and or crying made her start to cry. Hayley was 6 and didn't know what to make of it. All she understood was uncle Kevin was in heaven and he wouldn't be coming back. Kyle was too young to understand. Katie was a mess. She slowly managed to get through each day, one at a time. At night, she barely slept, and spent most of the nights crying.
That night~~~~ "Katie are you sure your going to be ok" Nick asked. "Nick, go home. I'll be alright, not great but I'll be alright. You've been here for over a week, you need to go home and get your kids" Katie said. "My mom can watch them if you need me here" Nick replied. "Nick, I appreciate the offer, but I can handle this. If I can't I have to learn how to" Katie said. "Ok, but if you need anything and I mean anything call me" Nick said, kissed Katie on the cheek and left. "Why Kevin? Who did this to you? Why did that person do this to you?" Katie asked, looking at a picture of her and Kevin that was hanging on the wall, in the living room. "Mommy I can't sleep" Hayley said walking into the living room. Katie wiped away her tears with her hand and turned around and looked at her daughter. "Why not?" Katie asked. "I don't know. Can I stay up a little while longer please" Hayley asked. "Sure" Katie replied. IF she kept her self occupied, she didn't think about Kevin that much. "Mommy do you miss uncle Kevin" Hayley asked. "Yes I do. I miss him very much" Katie replied honestly. "Why did someone kill him" "I honestly don't know, sweetie. There are some bad people out there in the world" Katie said. "Are you and daddy gonna get married?" Hayley asked. "No! Why do you think that?" Katie demanded. The thought of marrying somebody else, was not in the near future for Katie or in the years to come. "I don't know. I thought that with Uncle Kevin gone, maybe you and daddy could get back together. He was here all week" Hayley said. "And I saw you 2 in the same bed for a few nights" Hayley added. "Hayley your dad and I aren't going to get married. The reason you saw him in my bed was because I had nightmares and I was scared that's why" Katie said. "Oh" Hayley replied and walked up the stairs.
"Kids say the damnest things" Katie heard somebody say. She looked behind her and saw Kevin there. He looked very pale, but fine. There were no signs of being murdered. "Kev?" Katie asked. "Yeah it's me...you can see me, but only you can" Kevin replied. Katie's eyes started to tear up. "Don't cry, baby" Kevin murmured. "Kev, do you know who killed you" Katie asked. Kevin nodded. "Tell me. I want whoever it was, locked up for the rest of their life" Katie said. "Maria" Kevin replied. "Maria as in Nick's wife Maria" Katie asked.
