CHAPTER ONE
The funeral for Officer Mitch Terrilli was held on a Tuesday morning. Police departments from neighboring communities, counties and even a few from adjoining states, sent representatives to show their respect for their fallen comrade and support for his family and fellow officers. Spectators lining the sidewalks watched as over 125 police cruisers, lights flashing and sirens wailing, joined the procession from St. John’s Catholic Church to Whispering Pines Memorial Gardens located on the outskirts of town. The Pall Bearers were police men and women who had served in the same precinct as Officer Terrilli. They were attired in their dress blues, somber expressions chiseled on their faces. An American flag was draped over the coffin, a solemn reminder to all that the deceased was a public hero who had died while striving to protect the safety of those in his community.
Nina Terrilli, and her younger brother Brian, kept a close vigil on their mother, Delores throughout the service, both at the cathedral and now at the graveside. Delores was visibly shaken. This was her second funeral in less than a year, having just lost her husband to a bout with cancer only ten months previous. She had the opportunity to prepare herself for her husband’s death. They had known for over a year that his condition was terminal. She had managed to steel herself, but his passing still came as an unwanted shock, jarring her life in a way she had never known before.
While she had been marginally ready for her husband’s demise, there was nothing that could have prepared Delores for the brutal murder of her eldest son. This was more than she could bear. Nina had watched as her mother had wept openly during the entire funeral mass and her sobs remained audible and heard by all gathered now at the cemetery. The priest intoned his final blessings and the service came to a close. Nina watched as Police Captain Greer presented her mother with the flag. Delores clasped the flag that moments before had reverently adorned the casket of her son to her breast and wailed plaintively. Her body jerked sharply each time the seven rifles spat out their salute and she collapsed onto her youngest son’s shoulder as the mournful tones of the bugle wafted in the late morning air. Despite the many who offered words of comfort, she remained inconsolable. Nina and Brian stood by her side while many in the crowd came by to give Delores a hug, a kiss, or some other expression of support. Once the well-wishers ceased to stream by, Nina and her brother gently guided their mother back to the family car.
Dr. Tom Walters, the family doctor, dropped by the house shortly after the Nina, Delores and Brian returned home. After seeing Delores’ condition he gave her a dose of Valium and put her to bed. He spoke with Nina and her brother. “I’m very concerned about your mother right now. She really needs her rest. She is in an emotional state of shock and I’m afraid if we are not careful, it’s going to have some adverse effects on her health.”
“What can we do,” asked Nina?
“Let her sleep for a while. I wouldn’t be surprised if the pills I gave her keep her out until tomorrow morning. When she wakes, try to get her to eat. If you can, get her up and doing something. Encourage her to cook, clean, take a walk, whatever. Any kind of activity would be immensely helpful. Of course, I’m not a psychiatrist, but I know the best thing for her would be for her to talk and work through her grief.”
Brian answered, “That will be a trick. At times, I think she accepts the fact that Mitch is gone but a few moments later she’ll be in total denial. It didn’t help she wasn’t able to see his body.”
“Trust me, Brian,” said Dr. Walters, “none of you wanted to see your brother’s remains. You wouldn’t have wanted to remember Mitch in that way. I know not seeing him doesn’t help with closure, but what those monsters did to him…” He shook his head as his voice trailed off.
Nina buried her face in Brian’s shoulder. Dr. Walters placed a comforting hand on her elbow, smiled weakly at Brian and took his leave.
The next morning when Delores awoke, it was shortly after 7 am. Nina had slept in her mother’s room on the floor and heard her as she began to stir. She helped her mother out of bed and into the bathroom.
“Would you like me to run a hot bath for you, momma,” she asked? Her mother simply gave her a blank look and did not reply. Nina began to run the water and helped her mother out of her night clothes and into the tub. Throughout the entire procedure Delores said nothing and her eyes never lost that far-away look. Nina continued to try to engage her mother in some conversation but to no avail. Afraid to leave her mother alone in the bath in her current state, she gently bathed her mother and shampooed her hair. Her mother followed all of her instructions to stand and sit as she toweled her off, used the blow dryer and curling iron on her hair and applied some light makeup. However, her mother never said a word and the emptiness in her eyes remained.
Nina led Delores downstairs and seated her in the armchair in the living room. Brian walked in from the kitchen, a cup of steaming coffee in his hand. “Can I get you some coffee, mom,” he asked? She simply stared at him blankly. Nina pulled Brian off to the side of the room.
“She hasn’t said a word since she woke up, Brian. She’s acting like a zombie. What do you think we should do?”
Brian looked at his mother with concern. “Perhaps we should call Dr. Walters and see what he recommends. Maybe this is normal and he’ll tell us not to worry, that it will simply pass.”
“It could be the lingering effects of the valium,” Dr. Walters said when they reached him, “or it could just be her body’s way of helping her to cope. Sometimes, the body slows down and gives the mind an opportunity to catch up with the terrible reality it has experienced. Give your mom and day or two and see what happens. Continue to try to get her to do things for herself. Call me if there are any significant changes, or, call me if you don’t see any changes by tomorrow afternoon.”
Nina thanked the doctor and relayed his comments to Brian. They glanced back in the living room at their mother. She hadn’t moved since they left her there.
The funeral for Officer Mitch Terrilli was held on a Tuesday morning. Police departments from neighboring communities, counties and even a few from adjoining states, sent representatives to show their respect for their fallen comrade and support for his family and fellow officers. Spectators lining the sidewalks watched as over 125 police cruisers, lights flashing and sirens wailing, joined the procession from St. John’s Catholic Church to Whispering Pines Memorial Gardens located on the outskirts of town. The Pall Bearers were police men and women who had served in the same precinct as Officer Terrilli. They were attired in their dress blues, somber expressions chiseled on their faces. An American flag was draped over the coffin, a solemn reminder to all that the deceased was a public hero who had died while striving to protect the safety of those in his community.
Nina Terrilli, and her younger brother Brian, kept a close vigil on their mother, Delores throughout the service, both at the cathedral and now at the graveside. Delores was visibly shaken. This was her second funeral in less than a year, having just lost her husband to a bout with cancer only ten months previous. She had the opportunity to prepare herself for her husband’s death. They had known for over a year that his condition was terminal. She had managed to steel herself, but his passing still came as an unwanted shock, jarring her life in a way she had never known before.
While she had been marginally ready for her husband’s demise, there was nothing that could have prepared Delores for the brutal murder of her eldest son. This was more than she could bear. Nina had watched as her mother had wept openly during the entire funeral mass and her sobs remained audible and heard by all gathered now at the cemetery. The priest intoned his final blessings and the service came to a close. Nina watched as Police Captain Greer presented her mother with the flag. Delores clasped the flag that moments before had reverently adorned the casket of her son to her breast and wailed plaintively. Her body jerked sharply each time the seven rifles spat out their salute and she collapsed onto her youngest son’s shoulder as the mournful tones of the bugle wafted in the late morning air. Despite the many who offered words of comfort, she remained inconsolable. Nina and Brian stood by her side while many in the crowd came by to give Delores a hug, a kiss, or some other expression of support. Once the well-wishers ceased to stream by, Nina and her brother gently guided their mother back to the family car.
Dr. Tom Walters, the family doctor, dropped by the house shortly after the Nina, Delores and Brian returned home. After seeing Delores’ condition he gave her a dose of Valium and put her to bed. He spoke with Nina and her brother. “I’m very concerned about your mother right now. She really needs her rest. She is in an emotional state of shock and I’m afraid if we are not careful, it’s going to have some adverse effects on her health.”
“What can we do,” asked Nina?
“Let her sleep for a while. I wouldn’t be surprised if the pills I gave her keep her out until tomorrow morning. When she wakes, try to get her to eat. If you can, get her up and doing something. Encourage her to cook, clean, take a walk, whatever. Any kind of activity would be immensely helpful. Of course, I’m not a psychiatrist, but I know the best thing for her would be for her to talk and work through her grief.”
Brian answered, “That will be a trick. At times, I think she accepts the fact that Mitch is gone but a few moments later she’ll be in total denial. It didn’t help she wasn’t able to see his body.”
“Trust me, Brian,” said Dr. Walters, “none of you wanted to see your brother’s remains. You wouldn’t have wanted to remember Mitch in that way. I know not seeing him doesn’t help with closure, but what those monsters did to him…” He shook his head as his voice trailed off.
Nina buried her face in Brian’s shoulder. Dr. Walters placed a comforting hand on her elbow, smiled weakly at Brian and took his leave.
The next morning when Delores awoke, it was shortly after 7 am. Nina had slept in her mother’s room on the floor and heard her as she began to stir. She helped her mother out of bed and into the bathroom.
“Would you like me to run a hot bath for you, momma,” she asked? Her mother simply gave her a blank look and did not reply. Nina began to run the water and helped her mother out of her night clothes and into the tub. Throughout the entire procedure Delores said nothing and her eyes never lost that far-away look. Nina continued to try to engage her mother in some conversation but to no avail. Afraid to leave her mother alone in the bath in her current state, she gently bathed her mother and shampooed her hair. Her mother followed all of her instructions to stand and sit as she toweled her off, used the blow dryer and curling iron on her hair and applied some light makeup. However, her mother never said a word and the emptiness in her eyes remained.
Nina led Delores downstairs and seated her in the armchair in the living room. Brian walked in from the kitchen, a cup of steaming coffee in his hand. “Can I get you some coffee, mom,” he asked? She simply stared at him blankly. Nina pulled Brian off to the side of the room.
“She hasn’t said a word since she woke up, Brian. She’s acting like a zombie. What do you think we should do?”
Brian looked at his mother with concern. “Perhaps we should call Dr. Walters and see what he recommends. Maybe this is normal and he’ll tell us not to worry, that it will simply pass.”
“It could be the lingering effects of the valium,” Dr. Walters said when they reached him, “or it could just be her body’s way of helping her to cope. Sometimes, the body slows down and gives the mind an opportunity to catch up with the terrible reality it has experienced. Give your mom and day or two and see what happens. Continue to try to get her to do things for herself. Call me if there are any significant changes, or, call me if you don’t see any changes by tomorrow afternoon.”
Nina thanked the doctor and relayed his comments to Brian. They glanced back in the living room at their mother. She hadn’t moved since they left her there.