daughter getting out of a Land Rover. She spotted me straight away and came running over to me shouting, “Daddy! Daddy!” with her arms open wide, her little face crying as she ran as fast as she could. Here comes my angel! I held her tight in my arms, kissing her and repeatedly telling her I loved her. She couldn’t stop crying and so Pete left me to it.
“Daddy, w hy hasn’t Griffer come to see me?”
“He loves you so much , but he’s on holiday at the moment, baby!”
“On holiday!”
“Yes, he’s staying next door with Mrs Jones. You know, the old lady next door!”
“Can I see him soon, D addy?”
“Of course you can , baby, of course you can.”
Hannah’s mother and father came up to me and gave me a hug; my own mum and dad stood by my side. Nan had to keep her distance as she was in charge of our Fran now, so we had to make it look like she was the last person she’d be staying with. You never knew who was watching, if you know what I mean. I greeted all the family and friends, each one patting me on the back. Fran would not let me go, and I didn’t want to leave her side. She was my last piece of life, of Hannah. I sat down next to my girl, my little angel so sweet and innocent. I had got her into this awful mess, it was my entire fault and I would never forgive myself until I got that evil bastard Killeen.
“We are here today to celebrate the life of Hannah Marie Fox,” the Vicar read on. I was welling up, and my baby girl was still crying on my shoulder. Mum and Dad looked over at me, and I gave them a brief smile back. Hannah’s coffin sat just ten metres away. I wanted to believe it was all a lie, and soon Cilla Black would jump out on me shouting Surprise! Surprise! Sadly, it was not to happen. Her father stood up in front of everyone and read out a prayer; her mother was in shock. As I listened to his poem I clenched my fists in rage. I was going to get Killeen: if it was the last thing I ever did, I would get him. The Vicar read out his last poem and then nodded to the bearers to turn on the CD player, so we could share her favourite song before we said our goodbyes.
“I Will Alway s Love You” by Whitney Houston – she sang it all the time and it made her excited every time she heard it. It went so quickly. I watched the curtains close and Hannah was gone, my beautiful Hannah was gone. Dad came over and sat next to me. I longed to weep, but I was too embarrassed, and I had to keep strong for my darling Frances. The vicar told us to stand, so we did, but my knees were rather wobbly. Frances continued to hold my hand; Mum gave me a kiss, and Nan kept her distance. I was the last to leave the chapel: I stopped, turned around, and looked at the cross on the wall, where the coffin had once stood. I smiled, and then winked at my beautiful wife as she was laid to rest. “Goodbye, baby, see you soon!”
It was raining hard outside, Mum was soaked, and so Dad ran to the car to get his umbrella.
“Right Michael, we’ll meet you up the Four Seasons then, yeah?”
“Ok! See you in a bit.”
Fran was led away by an armed escort, but she seemed ok about it. When I arrived at the pub everyone was already drinking, and I felt left out. Dad got me a pint and I literally downed it in one go: I was a thirsty boy. Pete joined me with a few old mates and we got hammered. The barmaid brought us out a few nibbles to munch on, which was good of her. It didn’t take long before Dad was in the toilet throwing up his beer, bless his cotton socks. The alcohol had taken its toll on a few people, and Hannah’s sister burst into tears. I sat down, pulled up a chair nearest the fireplace and finished off the last of my pint.
“Fancy another pint, b uddy?” My old school mate and a friend of Hannah’s was buying the next round; I felt knackered, exhausted by it all. By half ten, I was propped up at the bar with a double whiskey in one hand, and a packet of ready-salted crisps in the other.
“Daddy, w hy hasn’t Griffer come to see me?”
“He loves you so much , but he’s on holiday at the moment, baby!”
“On holiday!”
“Yes, he’s staying next door with Mrs Jones. You know, the old lady next door!”
“Can I see him soon, D addy?”
“Of course you can , baby, of course you can.”
Hannah’s mother and father came up to me and gave me a hug; my own mum and dad stood by my side. Nan had to keep her distance as she was in charge of our Fran now, so we had to make it look like she was the last person she’d be staying with. You never knew who was watching, if you know what I mean. I greeted all the family and friends, each one patting me on the back. Fran would not let me go, and I didn’t want to leave her side. She was my last piece of life, of Hannah. I sat down next to my girl, my little angel so sweet and innocent. I had got her into this awful mess, it was my entire fault and I would never forgive myself until I got that evil bastard Killeen.
“We are here today to celebrate the life of Hannah Marie Fox,” the Vicar read on. I was welling up, and my baby girl was still crying on my shoulder. Mum and Dad looked over at me, and I gave them a brief smile back. Hannah’s coffin sat just ten metres away. I wanted to believe it was all a lie, and soon Cilla Black would jump out on me shouting Surprise! Surprise! Sadly, it was not to happen. Her father stood up in front of everyone and read out a prayer; her mother was in shock. As I listened to his poem I clenched my fists in rage. I was going to get Killeen: if it was the last thing I ever did, I would get him. The Vicar read out his last poem and then nodded to the bearers to turn on the CD player, so we could share her favourite song before we said our goodbyes.
“I Will Alway s Love You” by Whitney Houston – she sang it all the time and it made her excited every time she heard it. It went so quickly. I watched the curtains close and Hannah was gone, my beautiful Hannah was gone. Dad came over and sat next to me. I longed to weep, but I was too embarrassed, and I had to keep strong for my darling Frances. The vicar told us to stand, so we did, but my knees were rather wobbly. Frances continued to hold my hand; Mum gave me a kiss, and Nan kept her distance. I was the last to leave the chapel: I stopped, turned around, and looked at the cross on the wall, where the coffin had once stood. I smiled, and then winked at my beautiful wife as she was laid to rest. “Goodbye, baby, see you soon!”
It was raining hard outside, Mum was soaked, and so Dad ran to the car to get his umbrella.
“Right Michael, we’ll meet you up the Four Seasons then, yeah?”
“Ok! See you in a bit.”
Fran was led away by an armed escort, but she seemed ok about it. When I arrived at the pub everyone was already drinking, and I felt left out. Dad got me a pint and I literally downed it in one go: I was a thirsty boy. Pete joined me with a few old mates and we got hammered. The barmaid brought us out a few nibbles to munch on, which was good of her. It didn’t take long before Dad was in the toilet throwing up his beer, bless his cotton socks. The alcohol had taken its toll on a few people, and Hannah’s sister burst into tears. I sat down, pulled up a chair nearest the fireplace and finished off the last of my pint.
“Fancy another pint, b uddy?” My old school mate and a friend of Hannah’s was buying the next round; I felt knackered, exhausted by it all. By half ten, I was propped up at the bar with a double whiskey in one hand, and a packet of ready-salted crisps in the other.
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