Belong (Seven Year Itch #3)(15)
Rachel:
It means a lot to know you spent the time to take care of those matters to make it easier on me. Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. Last night was rough on me. Thanks again.
Chad
I started to close out the application after sending two more messages and noticed a new one popped up.
Chad:
I don’t know about seeing you in person, but if you need someone to talk to on here I’m always around. I couldn’t sleep last night. I know he’s suffered for a long time, and I hated seeing it. Maybe I’m being selfish for wishing he was still with us. It’s hard to say goodbye to the people you care most about. As I said yesterday, I’m so very sorry for your loss. You made him proud. I hope you know that.
Rachel
Why was it that my own wife couldn’t give me this kind of comfort? As much as it annoyed me I knew I wanted to continue speaking to Rachel, even if I never heard the end of it from Veronica. It wasn’t like I was doing anything wrong. She was being a friend to me.
Rachel:
I keep thinking this is a terrible dream. I promised him I’d be at his side, but when he stopped breathing they forced us away. I feel like I let him down. How long had he been suffering? Why didn’t he call me? Why hadn’t he reached out for me to come home sooner? I would have dropped everything to spend more time with him. Now he’s gone and I regret staying away for so long.
Chad
Chad:
It’s not your fault. You have a life and a family now. Don’t blame yourself. Your grandfather was happy. I saw him last week. We went out for lunch. He ordered extra bacon on his burger and acted as if the world was his oyster. You were there when he needed you. That’s what matters the most.
Rachel
I was getting choked up again, but this time it was for more than one reason. Rachel had valid points, but I’d missed out on too much. It was ironic how she’d been the reason I left, yet I wasn’t at all angry with her. I was upset with myself.
Rachel:
Thank you again for helping. We’ll be seeing you at the funeral in the next couple of days. I won’t be having a viewing. I think one service will suffice.
Chad
This time when I closed the computer I had no intention of opening it back up. I had to stop this, because it was making me lose it over and over again.
I spent the rest of the afternoon contacting the attorney, and the funeral home. Arrangements were in order, and they even had a list of people to contact on their end. Gracie stopped by later on and informed me she’d called his close friends, so all that was left for me to do was linger around the property remembering the man for the extravagant life he lived, and the time I’d missed out on by moving away.
Chapter 8
Veronica and Harper being around the mansion had helped, at least to keep me occupied. I ran around the house most of the time, chasing after her and showing her my favorites places to hide and play. We’d even ventured out into the woods and found my old fort. After discovering a bucket of white paint in one of the sheds, we painted it and put her name on the door, overtop where mine had once been.
Harper was happy all the time. It was contagious when I was with her, making any sort of tragedy easier to cope with.
With everything I was going through, just knowing I’d always have her by my side made it all manageable.
The day of the funeral arrived, and I still don't think I'd fully accepted his death. Per my grandfather's request, the service was to be held at a large cathedral in town. We'd arrived an hour early, and already there were a large amount of individuals waiting to get inside.
Known for his accomplishments with the agency, many big named celebrities were expected to be in attendance?. It was unlikely everyone he'd ever represented would be there, but I had a feeling the turnout would be extraordinary.
Veronica stayed at my side, holding the hand of Harper as we made our way into the main chapel.
My grandfather’s casket was open, and even though I didn't care for funerals, I knew I had to put on a brave face for everyone else. All eyes would be on me; the last living heir in the family. Gracie was walking away from the casket with a hand full of tissues.
“I’m going to miss him very much.” She hugged me briefly before walking away to sit in the front row where I’d soon join her.
Instead of standing around to greet people as they came in, I walked straight up to the casket, placing my hands on the sides. The makeup artist had done a good job giving him color and making him appear lifelike. I took in the man’s traits, his thick eyebrows and large rounded ears. His straight nose had always been predominant in the center of his face. ?I started wondering if I'd forget his attributes like I had somehow managed to do with my mother. Even though I could vividly remember everything about her, her exact image always seemed distorted. I wondered if it was normal, like some part of me wanted to forget the pain of losing her. If I couldn't remember every small detail, it would make the coping easier.
I reached my hand forward to touch him one last time, sucking in a deep breath of air to keep control of my tormented emotions. Then I felt a presence come to stand next to me. At first I thought it was one of my girls, offering me support in my time of need. This person put their hand over mine, and it wasn’t until I saw the wedding ring when I realized who it was.