Excerpt from Shadowed Remembrances

     At the lab several hours later, Nick mustered the courage to start the autopsy.  He knew this case called for a medical-legal autopsy since he considered suicide a possible cause of death and a ruling for legal purposes would be required.  He almost picked up the phone and dialed Sheila's number.  Performing his first solo autopsy, he sorely missed Sheila's expertise.

  Here goes nothing.  He looked over at the still-clothed corpse lying on the cold metal table.  He identified the body and assigned a number to the toe tag.  He grabbed the lab camera and photographed the body.  As he then proceeded to undress the corpse, he wondered how long he was going to have this job.  He took the camera and photographed the naked corpse, skin waxy in appearance, a blue gray color; the lips and nails were pale.  The body was cool to the touch.  Nick noted the fixed lividity and he touched the skin, no apparent blanching with the pressure.  He observed more advanced rigor mortis; the corneas of her eyes were clouded.  Nick estimated she'd been dead for at least six to eight hours.

  He then weighed, measured and x-rayed the body.  As he worked over the corpse, he suddenly remembered the absence of the Mayor at his house during the search.  He wondered if the Mayor found his wife's body.  What a tough break.  Such a nice couple.  Never would've thought there were problems.

  He finished the external examination and then proceeded to perform the toxicology test.  He prepared for the internal examination where a body-length "Y" incision would open the entire front of the corpse.  His hands trembled slightly, then he regained his control.  I've made it this far, I can finish.

  He removed all the organs with painstaking concentration and weighed them on the scale to the right of the table.  He examined the genitals and uterus for any sign of pregnancy or sexual assault.  With an intermastoid incision, he cut the skull away and removed and examined the brain.

  He removed the bullet lodged in her skull and placed it in a plastic bag for ballistics evidence.  Nick returned the organs to the body cavities and stitched the "Y" incision.  He still had work ahead of him with preparing the autopsy protocol.  Nick turned away from the corpse and went to get some coffee.  

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  "Does it hurt to think about Lynn?" Torianna's question brought Nick's head up.  She nervously munched on a slice of cheese.  "I'm sorry, if I upset you," she whispered.

  Nick needed to shake his melancholy.  "I think I've gotten over the pain.  But then other times, I know I haven't."

  "It must be hard, losing someone you love."

  Nick leaned on his stomach, his face resting in his hands, and stared at her intently, "Does it hurt to think about your parents?"

  Torianna wanted to weep.  She saw the caring in Nick's eyes, no prying motives lay hidden in his words.  "I don't really think about them."

  "But now that you're here," he began.

  "I don't know, maybe."

  Silent, Nick waited, thinking Torianna needed to talk.  "I had trouble sleeping last night," she whispered.  "My grandmother knew.  She saw me by the railing, and I...I saw it happening all over again."  She wiped her tears.  "I won't sit here and cry in front of you."

  "You can cry."

  "But I don't want to."

  He moved close to her and pulled her back so that they both laid down and looked up at the beautiful sunset sky, a perfect finish for an imperfect day.

  Nick turned to look at Torianna, not expecting her face to be so close.  He leaned up on his left elbow and moved down, inches from her face.  His lips gently brushed hers.  If she pushed him away, he would have backed off.  She welcomed him.  He moved closer and kissed her more deeply.  He pulled away, unsure.

  She stared back at him.

  "I'm sorry," he whispered.

  "Don't be.  I didn't stop you.  I didn't want to."

  Nick answered silently by pulling her into the crook of his arm and they rested together, watching their perfect sunset, a stark contrast to the uncertainty invading his heart.