Greg is a recovering alcoholic (12 years clean and sober!) and had dabbled in some heavy drug use during difficult times in his life before we met. So I knew my dad's concerns were valid. At this point Greg and I had been dating maybe 6 weeks, so my best answer was that I had no way to know how Greg would be in a tragedy until I saw him through one.
I had no idea that in just two weeks, I would be given that chance.
On Monday, May 23rd, 2011, I had just landed at SeaTac and was waiting to deboard the plane. It had been a long, early morning flight with my bestie and her two young daughters as their family moved from Texas back to Washington. (She's since re-abandoned me and moved back to Texas.)
I was doing that thing where you stand at your seat, cramped, totally unable to move or leave the plane yet. I turned my phone on and it immediately buzzed a few times, informing me I had some texts. Greg had stayed at my house with my kiddos during the long weekend I was away, and I knew he'd taken the kids to school by now, so I assumed he was checking in.
I opened my phone to a panicked-sounding text from Greg. I let him know I would call him as soon as I was off the plane, and my mind began to race. What could it be? I was nervous.
I still remember the exact spot in the airport I was standing, just outside a bathroom, waiting while Tress took her girls inside. I called Greg, palms sweaty, totally unprepared for what I was about to hear.
"Liam and Madigan are dead."
Greg's words were barely understandable through his sobs.
My throat closed. My eyes welled up. "What?!" I barely managed to squeak out. I suddenly forgot I was in public, tears streaming down my cheeks as Greg tried to explain.
Liam and Madigan were his niece and nephew. Liam was Jasper's age, Madigan was about a year older than my Teiley and Greg and I had been excited for them all to meet, because Greg was sure they'd be instant best buddies.
Greg's older brother Eric - whom I hadn't met yet - had been going through an ugly divorce. That Monday he was scheduled to be in court for the judge's final custody decision, but after the expected kiddo exchange didn't happen that weekend, police were called and they discovered the bodies of his kids, asleep forever in their beds. His ex-wife had decided she wasn't going to share custody with Eric.
Greg was beside himself. He'd gotten the news from his dad just after dropping Jasper off at school. Unsure of where to go next, he found himself in the parking lot of my work, having a panic attack in his car.
On Mondays at Bellevue Christian School, the District Office staff - which I was a part of - met together to pray. I instructed Greg to go in and join them. The Murphy family had a long, beloved history with the school and they would take care of him until I could get there.
Tress and I raced to get her luggage and car seats and all the toddler-paraphernalia. I was distracted and just wanted to get to Greg. We met her dad at Arrivals and I was quiet, totally in my head on the ride to Bellevue.
As soon as we parked at the school I grabbed my stuff, hugged Tress and her dad and raced towards my office. I found Greg in the Superintendent's office with my coworkers, the air tense and somber. He looked up and leaped into my arms. We sobbed together and the room cleared out around us.
After a while we calmed down and talked about what to do next. Greg called his sister and we agreed to meet at the Redmond Pancake House. I'd never been there before, and I haven't been since.
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