A Police Siren
Everything was set, and the couple dressed and hopped into their car. The day was dull, covered by dark skies that seemed to punctuate the somber mood.
She was behind the wheel, her mind elsewhere even though her eyes were glued to the road. That's when she heard the high-pitched cry of a police siren.
The Presleys
Elizabeth Presley and her husband, Liam, were your average Virginia couple. Married for more than two decades, they had created a lovely paradise for themselves.
They had the best home anybody could ask for, with great jobs and the most wonderful kid in their teenage daughter, Macy. But one day, all this would change.
Facing The Law
Elizabeth and Liam had rarely been on the wrong side of the law before. They always adhered to every rule and regulation placed by their state, and in the many years they'd been together, they only had a few speeding tickets between them.
But the disaster that would ensure would result in more than a cop coming after them. Elizabeth would shed tears she was working hard to hold back.
A Happy Family
The Presley family had always been a happy one. Elizabeth and Liam had the best relationship with their daughter, building an environment full of love, respect, and appreciation.
But one day, they received the worst news parents could ever want. Their only child and the apple of their eye had been involved in a severe accident.
The Call
"I remember receiving the call while at work," an emotional Elizabeth shared while talking to a local news reporter. "I couldn't believe it. I dropped everything and raced to the emergency room."
Sadly, Macy would be pronounced dead an hour after the EMTs brought her in. Her wounds proved too severe, and she succumbed to the physical trauma. Her parents were beyond broken.
A Sad Reality
The days that followed Macy's passing were a blur for the Presleys. "No parent should live to see their child in a mortuary," Elizabeth said.
She'd always seen her and Liam in their daughter, given how kind, thoughtful, loving, and hard-working Macy was. “She had her whole life ahead of her. Sometimes life can be so cruel.”
The Aftermath
Although Elizabeth hated every part of what came after losing her daughter, she knew she had to step up to give Macy the perfect send-off.
She had mortuary business to attend to, followed by organizing a memorial service. Afterward, she would arrange a funeral as beautiful as her daughter had once been. She had no idea what awaited her on the road that day.
Keep The Pain Out
Elizabeth fell entirely into clearing things with the funeral home and arranging every bit of Macy's memorial to drown out the jarring ache of losing her only child.
She lined the memorial venue with Macy's favorite flowers and sent out invites to everyone Macy knew. But although each of the preparations would go well, Elizabeth and Liam would find themselves running late for the wake.
The Memorial
Everything was set, and Liam and Elizabeth dressed and hopped into their car. The day was dull, covered by dark skies that seemed to punctuate the somber mood.
Elizabeth was behind the wheel, her mind elsewhere even though her eyes were glued to the road. That's when she heard the high-pitched cry of a police siren.
On The Road
"I was staring at the road, paying attention to my driving," said Elizabeth. "But my mind wasn't there." Unknown to Elizabeth, she'd been driving over the speed limit for almost ten minutes.
Now that a police cruiser was hot on her tail, she knew the only way out of this was to stop. She had no idea what the police officer had in mind.
Deep Breaths
Elizabeth pressed on the brake pedal gently, bringing the car to a halt. She took a deep breath, trying to hold back the tears threatening to break through her lashes. She'd been strong throughout the week, distracting herself with all the preparations.
But now that everything was set, she couldn't help but feel that overwhelming pain creep up on her. She took another deep breath, realizing that although the police cruiser had stopped, the officer was nowhere to be seen.
Where Is He?
"Where is he?" Elizabeth asked in a broken voice. She was ready to receive her speeding ticket so she could grieve in peace.
She was about to speak when Liam pointed at the rearview mirror with a raised brow. The officer had bent his head over his palms as if in prayer. Was everything alright?
He Comes For Them
Elizabeth was about to ask her husband to see if the officer was alright when a hand tapped against her door. She rolled her window down, seeing it was the officer.
He informed the couple that they were driving over the speed limit, to which Elizabeth apologized, admitting that her mind wasn't on the road as they had just lost their daughter, and they were driving to her memorial. The tears she'd been holding back finally burst through, and she choked back a sob as she continued talking.
He Listens
The officer listened intently. Elizabeth expected him to hand them a speeding ticket right away, but instead, he asked something that would make her tears double.
"Ma'am, do you mind if I pray with you?" the officer asked, and the couple quickly nodded. The man's spiritual words would be a needed balm to their day.
His Prayer
The officer began by thanking God for keeping Elizabeth and Liam safe on the road. He prayed for Macy, asking that she rests in peace. Afterward, he let the couple go, offering condolences instead of writing them a ticket.
In the middle of the prayer, Elizabeth found herself holding onto the man's hand tightly as her tears flowed freely. "It just touched me so much," she said. "In a day full of sadness, at least we had something to get us through the pain." Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.