A glimpse at the past

EIGHT YEARS AGO

“Come home now, Derek! Your father is dying! Oh, my God! I’m so scared! Please, God!” The hysterical voice of Derek’s mother came from over the phone.

Derek felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach at those words. He loved his father more than life itself. That man had sacrificed a lot for Derek and his sister and hearing that he was dying was something of a rude shock.

“Mom? What are you talking about? Dad is dying? He sounded very hale and hearty when he called me earlier today.” Derek asked, thinking to himself that he must have heard wrong. His mother was not listening to him and did not answer his question because she was busy talking in a frenzied tone in the background.

“Mom!” He yelled into the phone, but instead of hearing his mother’s reply, the line went dead, throwing him into utter confusion and fear.

He tried to call her number as he picked up his keys and rushed out of the office, so he could go to his parent’s house and find out what was really go