Chapter 677
After reading the note, Keira knew she had to call Stuart and Caitlin.
It was past midnight when Caitlin received the call. She was stunned by the news of Tammie’s death, thinking at first that she was dreaming. As a doctor, she knew death, but this was different. She had seen Tammie less than two weeks ago. He had looked healthy, vibrant, and full of life—not like someone on the verge of death. Even a sudden illness would have had warning signs.
“Grandma,” she said, her thoughts racing, “am I dreaming p>
Keira’s voice was hoarse. “Freya, I’m at the hospital now. Tammie… he took his own life. The doctor said he had started to recover, but he didn’t want to live p>
The reality of it finally sank in. Caitlin shot up in bed. “Grandma, don’t cry. I’ll tell Dad right away. We’ll fly back tonight p>
He was her cousin, her family. Whatever had happened between them, she had to be there to see him off one last time.
“Okay,” Keira rasped. “Freya, please be careful on the road p>
“I will, Grandma p>
Caitlin quickly changed her clothes, ran a brush through her hair, and went to Stuart’s room. He was still awake, sitting at his desk and sketching. If she had entered a moment sooner, she would have seen that the subject of his drawing was Carey.
*Knock, knock, knock p>
Stuart put down his pencil and opened the door. “Who is it p>
He was surprised to see Caitlin. “Freya, why are you still up so late p>
“Dad, we have to go back right away,” she said urgently. “Grandma just called.
She said… Tammie is gone p>
“Gone?” Stuart looked confused. “Where did he go p>
“He took his own life,” Caitlin said, the words heavy in her mouth. Having faced death herself, she knew how precious life was, and the news hit her hard. “Grandma just called and told us to come back to say our final goodbyes p>
*Final goodbyes p>
*Clink p>
The pencil fell from Stuart’s hand. He never imagined that less than a month after waking up, he would, have to face something like this. Tammie had always been a cheerful, resilient kid. Why would he do this?
Stuart forced himself to stay calm, though his eyes were red. “Alright. Let’s go p>
“You go get packed,” Caitlin said. “I’ll let Grandma Hannah know p>
Hannah was already asleep, but
Caitlin’s news jolted her awake. She
had met Tamm and she,
once, at Caitlin’s
welcome banquet, and she
remembered him vividly.
“Freya, your cousin is gone?” she asked, her voice filled with disbelief. “The
artist? The handsome one p>
Tammie’s good looks, a hallmark of the Gonzales family, had left a strong impression on her.