Scattered Ashes

By Charlie O’Brien

A few months after his estranged father's death, Luke Carter travels to his childhood home to scatter his father's ashes. He is not alone – Luke's siblings, Gwen, and Jake, have also taken the trip home. He hasn't set foot in his childhood home in twelve years, not since he moved out as a teen. The house, the town, has so many poor memories, and this trip is a time to face the terrible memories he has of the house. It is a time to say goodbye to his neglectful father, to get past the bad memories, and make way for new ones.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Charlie O’Brien
• Release date: May 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201916749

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Luke chewed on the inside of his cheek, as he stared through the thick, grimy airplane window. They were descending, and Luke could see the tiny toy-like cars driving up and down the streets. He could see the houses, the little backyards, the trees. Oak Ridge looked so much smaller from above. It was his hometown, where he had spent his first sixteen years, the place where he vowed never to step foot in again. Too many awful memories.

He had upheld that promise for twelve long years. Stayed away from the town, stayed away from the entire province. Luke had made a point to move clear cross the country just to get the fresh start he required. And yet, here he was, about to land at the Oak Ridge airport. It still felt surreal.

Coming back here was all Gwen’s doing. Gwenivere, his older sister by a year, had managed to do the unthinkable – convince both him, and their younger brother to hop on a plane, and travel back home for a few days. He couldn’t fault her for demanding their presence. There had been a death in the family, after all.

Six months ago, their father had died of liver cirrhosis. He had died alone, without his three children at his side. The only visitors to the house, was the health care aide that checked in on him once a day, and Dad’s brother, who stopped by on Sundays, to cook him a nice meal.

Had it been anyone else, Luke would’ve felt horribly saddened by the circumstances. Dying alone, his family refusing to visit. If he had heard the story in the news, or read it online, he’d have felt anger and outrage at the grown children who couldn’t – or wouldn’t – carve out a few hours a week to visit their dying parent.

But when it came to his own father, Luke callously thought that the old man had it coming. Forty-nine years old, and he’d drunk himself into an early grave. The last picture that Uncle Johnny had sent him, Luke didn’t hardly recognize his father. He’d aged more than his years, face sallow and gaunt, wrinkled like an old man. He’d been propped up in bed with pillows stacked up behind his thin frame, jaundiced and weak. He looked fragile. Hardly the man that Luke remembered from his youth, the one who had been larger than life, tall and imposing. The picture, though disconcerting, had not convinced Luke to visit the man’s deathbed. He couldn’t bring himself to make the trip.  

The airplane touched down with a jarring bump, and Luke stared out the window at the pavement rapidly rolling underneath the wheels. He was a squeamish flyer, hated being cramped up in the narrow seats, unable to get up and stretch. Had it been up to him, Luke would’ve driven. But the trip would’ve taken much too long. He’d only taken a week off work.

When the plane finally came to a complete stop, Luke waited until the crew allowed them to disembark. Luke waited a moment for people to grab their bags from the overhead compartments, before grabbing his own bag, and following them down the stairs.

It was a cool, crisp day. The cold Maritime wind cut through his jacket, making him shiver. It was typical March weather for the area. He’d checked the local forecast before boarding his flight, almost hoping that the flight would be delayed by bad weather conditions, and he’d have an excuse to dip out. But all it had said, was that there was a chance of flurries this afternoon, and a few inches of snow overnight. It was a far cry from the monsoon-like rain that had been falling all week back at home.

Luke followed the procession of travellers across the icy tarmac, careful to avoid the shiny patches of ice. His stomach churned with anxiety, as he entered the grey concrete airport. He wasn’t sure how well this trip would go, but he hoped that it’d be somewhat decent. He mentally steeled himself for the sibling reunion.

Just as she’d said in her email, Gwen was standing in the lobby of the airport, holding up a large sign with his name on it. She grinned at him, recognition clear on her face. It was a small airport, so it was impossible to miss her.

Her sign was a joke, really. It hadn’t been that long since he and Gwen had seen each other. Two years, but still. They’d emailed back and forth, texted occasionally, even Skyped on holidays and such. But it was rare for both of them to be in the same room together, never mind all three Carter siblings.

That morning, Gwen had texted him, asking him what he’d be wearing. She kept making these comments, as if she wouldn’t recognize him on sight. As if he’d change so much in those two years, so much that his older sister could walk right past him on the street. Like he’d have changed overnight into someone unrecognizable.

Hence the cardboard sign, with his name scrawled out in thick, black Sharpie lines. Gwen was recognizable as always. She was on the larger side, with carrot red hair tucked up in her Kelly-green knitted toque. She waved the sign at him, eyes bright.

Yoo-hoo! Luke! Gwen shouted. Over here!

Hey, Gwen, Luke said, setting down his bag. He held out his arms, and enveloped her in a big hug. Long time, sis.

Gwen didn’t look too different than the