Chapter 12 – Picking Up the Pieces

Reign

We drove in silence with the only noise coming from the classic rock station playing softly on the radio. As we got closer, my tears started to silently fall, and my heart started to hurt. I don’t know if anything would be salvageable, all I really want are my pictures and my safe, everything else can be replaced but not my pictures. They were all I had left of mom, dad, and the life I had before they died. I prayed that I would be able to find my safe and pictures. We pulled up to the gate and we were immediately let in. Before we turned the corner to my house, I froze. “NO! STOP! I don’t think I can do this.” I whispered through sobs. Damien came to a stop and waved the guys around us. “Little one, you’re not alone. We are all here for you.” Damien said leaning his forehead on my left temple. I took a deep breath and nodded indicating for him to keep moving. When we got to the remains of my home, there were stacks of items that looked like they have been cleaned of the soot from the fire. Shadow walked over following behind him was an older couple, they looked familiar.

“Ms. Rose, I’m Max and this my wife, Isabel. We live a few houses down from you.” “Hello, nice to meet you. Please call me Reign.” I said with a weak smile. “As I was explaining to your, rather large friend here,” he chuckled pointing to Shadow. “Yeah, is freakishly large.” I smiled and everyone chuckled except for my Shadow. “I hope you don’t mind that we and a few other neighbors came out early to help you go through the rubble and try to salvage what we could. We thought this might be a difficult task for you.” Isabel explained with a gentle smile. “Uuhhmmmm…yes, thank you. I don’t know what to say.” I said wiping tears from my eyes. “Your thanks is more than enough.” Max said. “Thank you so very much. Tell ya what, I’ll have lunch delivered, It’s the least I can do.” I said looking at Shadow. “Maybe some barbecue and all the fixin’s.” “You got it. I’ll get on it right now.” Shadow said pulling out his phone to start the arrangements.

“Come with me and I’ll show you what we have found so far.” Isabel said taking my hand and walking me to the different piles. I looked up at Damien, he smiled and nodded. “We found cloths, some dressers, pictures, they have some scarring, but you can still make out the people in them. We also found you’re awards, they seem to be in good shape, I hope they can be replaced, if needed.” She said. “I think they can but it’s no big deal, they are just hunks of cheap metal.” I lightly chuckled as I ran my fingers over the saved furniture. “If there’s anyone who wants or needs the furniture or cloths, they are welcome to whatever I leave behind. I don’t think I’ll be wanting it after what happened, or you can donate it all to a church or a needy family.”

“Little one.” Damien called. I turned and looked up at him. “What items do you want to keep?” He asked. “Uuummm…just the safe, pictures and any awards, the gold and platinum records, stuff like that. Leave the clothes and furniture. Also put the land up for sell, I won’t be rebuilding, at least not here.” I said staring off at the horizon. “Are you sure? Maybe you should think about this…” Jazlyn started. “NO! He was here! In my house, he went through my things, walked the floors I walked, I don’t want anything to do with this place anymore.” I stated with no emotion. “Reign, the food is here.” Shadow said. “Okay, would you mind setting up for me? Sure, no problem.” He smiles at me. “Thanks Shadow.”

While we were going through all our things, I say our because not only were we a band, but we were also a family and they lived with me. I’d told them there was no point in them getting their own place when I had more than enough from for all of us. Once I assured them that the whole house was soundproof, they moved in. We all lost just about everything, one of the only things lost that was irreplaceable was my KC. I thought back to all the times we spent running around the backyard. She was my comfort and my companion. I missed her so much. I sat in silence going through the things that were salvaged, it wasn’t much but there was stuff that others could use.

“Excuse me, Ms. Rose.” A sweet soft voice called. I turned and saw a young girl around maybe 9 or 10 and a boy around 15 or so. “Hi, please call me Reign.” I told them motioning for them to sit next to me. The girl squealed with joy and bounced over to me. She has no idea, but she just made my day a little brighter. “Hi, I’m Sandy, this is my brother, Jason.” “Very nice to meet you.” I smiled. “This is Fluff and Furry.” She said holding two of the cutest and furriest puppies I have ever seen. “Well, hello there.” I said, she put them down and they came scampering to me. I could feel a smile cross my face. “They are the last two in the litter, there were seven of them. They were the only two girls.” Jason started. “We’ve been trying to find them a good home but so far, no luck. I don’t mean to be cruel, but we thought maybe you would want to take one or maybe both.” He said rubbing one of the puppy’s head. “We know they will have a great home with you, and they’ll get to travel the world.” Sandy chirped. “What breed are they? How old are they?” I asked. “They are huskies, and they are three months old and are current on their shots, the vet even gave them a clean bill of health and travel certificate.” Jason said with a smile. “You know just in case anyone wanted to travel with them.” He grinned. The little sneaks, they knew what they were doing. The puppies were sitting next to me when they lifted their heads and their ears pinned back to their little heads and started growling. I chuckled and looked up to see Damien walking towards us. “Who do we have here?” Damien asked. “This is Sandy, Jason, Fluff and Furry.” I introduced. “Kids this Damien.” “WOW! You’re a giant!” Sandy said leaning her head back trying to look up at Damien. He chuckled at her and came down to her eye level. “Sandy! Don’t be rude!” Her brother scolded. “Ooopps, sorry.” She mumbled. “It’s okay.” Damien laughed. “Who are these little fuzz balls?”

“Oh well, they don’t really have names, we just call them fluffy and furry. We heard that Ms. Reign’s puppy…well…we thought we would gift her with one or both of them.” Sandy explained. Damien stared at the pups and called them to him, and they slowly made their way to him. “Yes, I think they will be perfect.” He said. “Perfect for what?” Sandy asked him. “To be Ryven’s guard dogs. They are perfect, they have the temperament for it with the right training and guidance, they will be able to go with her where I can’t.” He explained to her. “Looks like they are coming home with us.” I smiled. “Great!!!” Sandy and Jason cheered in unison. “It’s getting late, we should really get back to the hotel. We still have to get ready for the show.” Koltyn said walking over, as he got closer the puppies started growling at him. “What the fuzz balls?” He said laughing. “Meet my new guard dogs.” I chirped. I thought that I wasn’t ready for another furbaby but these two are so cute and I could have sworn I saw KC yipping like she was giving me her approval. Now, how can I deny that. Then again, maybe I have just lost my mind. I mean I am talking to some strange voice in my head, and I have no idea who or what it is. “I’m not strange, and I’m not a what. I am a who and you will find out who I am when the time is right.” Nera huffed at me. All I could do was shake my head at her. “Now don’t be rude, get back to your conversation.” She scolded me, so turned my attention back to Koltyn. “Really?” Koltyn snickered and playfully growled at the puppies making them cower down and belly crawl to him. He leaned down and picked one of them by the scruff and sniffed it, the puppy licked his nose. Koltyn smiled and walked off saying, “yup, she’s going to be perfect.” With the puppy still in his arms, he leaned down and picked up the other one that was trotting behind them.

I looked at Sandy and Jason, “Thank you, we will take very good care of them.” I told them giving each of them a hug. Damien handed Jason a card, “here’s my contact information, you can text me if you want updates and pictures on the little fuzz balls.” He chuckled. Damien put his hand on my lower back and led me back to the car.