Tales That Toby Tell - 21. The End Part One: John Doe

"The diner is always empty on Saturday mornings," Riley said, as he served Josh and I an English breakfast. My boyfriend, being the eater that he is, gobbled down his food. I dare not tell him he has picked up a few pounds. He still looks hot though.

Riley turned on the tv that hung behind him. He mindlessly flipped through channels until he stopped.

"Gotta go to the main house, be right back," he said halfway out the door. I sat eating in silence, well that's a lie because Josh was "enjoying" his breakfast so much.

I caught myself staring at him. He was my only thread of happiness and I promised myself to work hard on making our relationship work, but then I got interrupted by the tv reporter.

"This just In, The body of a teenage boy has been discovered in The North Port area. The body is currently being held at the local morgue and no one has filled a missing report but police say it's too early to expect any calls from locals who'd know anything."

The reporter wasn't even done talking and I immediately shut off. I looked over to Josh who was finish his breakfasts.

"What? Do I have egg yolk on my face? Oh God," he blushed.

"No... didn't you hear the news?" I asked.

"I didn't, what's the -"

I couldn't wait for Josh to finish, "There is a body of a teenage boy at the morgue. Nobody has been reported missing."

Josh stared at me blankly.

It was hard to say but I had to. "Nobody has been reported missing because there isn't anybody missing from here Josh. Nobody is reported missing because that's Connor in the morgue!"

As soon as I uttered those words my body gave in and I walked over to a couch where I fainted.

After a few minutes I opened my eyes to see Riley and Josh talking. Things seemed serious and that's when I remembered what happened.

"You have to go down there to make sure," I heard Riley tell Josh, as I regained consciousness.

"How long was I out?" I said, stumbling as I got to my feet and Josh rushed to help me.

"A few minutes... I think we should go look at the body Toby," Josh said, looking like he was on the brink of an emotional breakdown.

I did not want to go. I did not want to go at all.

"I can't go with you... I have to stay here..." Riley said and Josh assured him that he would let Riley know as soon as we find out anything.

Walking out to the car felt like I was going to a funeral. The green land looked horribly covered in fog, dark clouds hung in the air hiding whatever bit of sunshine that was trying to break through. If the universe was trying to tell me something, this was it

As the car took of, Josh spoke

"Toby... I want you to promise me that if Connor is in that morgue, God knows I'm praying it isn't so, but if it is, you won't blame yourself."

I looked at Josh and nodded yes. Maybe I was lying. "Jesus, your life has gotten so complicated since you met me... You must be wondering what it would have been like without all this... without me," I said, feeling guilty that I dragged Josh into this mess.

"That's not true. My life compared to now and before I met you is so much better. It was horrible and lonely. I love you and that includes helping you through tough times and hoping you'd be there for mine."

"Awww... how can you concentrate on driving and still be such a gentleman at the same time." I asked and Josh just smiled as he looked out onto the street.

"I love you too... so much more than you can imagine," I said as I felt the urge to protect Josh more than ever.

"You're gonna make me cry and I'm an ugly crier," Josh said, as tears started to trickle down his cheeks.

"Remember how I kinda- sorta proposed to me in the woods?"

Josh stunned me when he asked this but I nodded and smiled.

"Well I think we should make it official, call me crazy but I need it in my life. I want everybody to know it," Josh said, but I didn't know how to answer him, the situation we were in killed it for me.

"Everything will work out fine," I said to Josh, this time I tried to console him.

"I think this is it," Josh said as he pulled up to a grey building. The place looked empty, nobody was coming to see who the dead boy was, accept for us.

"Are you ready?" Josh asked and I nodded.

We walked in and none of the people who were working there noticed us. Josh stopped one of the women who were busy cleaning.

"Excuse me, who do we have to talk to if we want to identify the body," Josh said and the woman pointed to the front desk.

We rushed and a tiny woman greeted us, but before we could speak she said "Come with me," rolling her eyes. She probably think we do this on a daily basis.

"Josh I don't think I can do it," I said, freezing to the ground. I couldn't even move as the idea of seeing Connor really started sinking in.

"Are you sure? I'll go if you don't feel up to it," Josh offered, I felt ashamed for feeling relieved.

"Thank you," I said as I sat down in the waiting hall while Josh diseapred into one of the rooms.

As I sat there I wondered about all the things that has happened in my life, the good and the bad, and for some reason, a horrible question popped into my head.

"Would you take back everything?, Would you prefer to have Connor with you now and instead of Josh?"

I bit my teeth together at the terrible thought, trying to banish it from my mind but it never went away.

"Hello," I heard someone say. It was an elderly woman with long grey hair but she looked uncommonly kind for a stranger.

"Sad place to be... I hope it's good news for you," she said smiling at me.

"Thanks, you too," I said trying to be nice.

"Oh no darling, I already went to identify a body this morning, it was my grandson... I don't know where to go from here,"she said, still with a friendly look on her face.

That's when I noticed the door of the room Josh entered opening. Josh looked at me confused and before he started walking towards me, the man stopped, placed his hand on Josh's shoulder and shaked Josh's hand.

I don't know if I was reading the situation wrong but I believe that Josh had identified the body as Connor's.