Banana Man (a Novella) by Christian Blake Page B

while they watched the casket being lowered into the ground.
     
    Although Danny didn’t know much about death, he knew he missed his mom. He didn’t like waking up alone in the house before school, especially now that his dad was working overtime. For breakfast he ate cold cereal by himself instead of cheese eggs with his mom. And he didn’t like coming home to an empty house. He always felt sad when he got home from school.
     
    “It’s just the two of us now,” his dad said again. “In a few weeks I’ll get a different job so you won’t be alone so much. Until then, I need you to stay strong.” 
     
    “Dad, can you take me grocery shopping after we get back from fishing? Like mom used to?”
     
    “Sure.”
     
    “Will you hold my hand?”
     
    His dad nodded. “Yes.”
     
    “I got the paper. We can clip coupons before we go.”
     
    “Get some sleep, Danny. We’re getting up early.” His dad kissed him on the forehead and said good night, and shut the bedroom door.
     
    Alone in his room, it didn’t take long before the tears started again. This time Danny let them flow, and they soaked into his pillow while he sobbed for a good long while.
     
    It had been almost six weeks to the day since his mother wrecked her car in the rain on that fateful Saturday morning, the same day Danny and his dad went fishing.
     
    It was the first time Danny cried since his mother died. He loved her very much, and he missed her every day. That was partly why he cried himself to sleep that night. Mostly though, it was because he finally realized his mother was never coming home again.