Chapter 57
THREE DAYS LATER…
AT THE SERVICE
**** JASON P. O. V ****
I stood in front of the mirror and put on my black blazers. My eyes were full of tears, but I tried to stop them.
People couldn’t see me like this. Ryan doesn’t have any trouble not crying because he’s still having trouble figuring out how to be human.
Agnes has been fighting so hard, and I hope she doesn’t give up so quickly. I miss my sweet older brother, too.
I heard Gracie say behind me, “Melina, the ceremony is about to start very soon.” When I turned around to look at her, she was wearing a black gown that made her look very pretty.
I walked up to her and said, “Wow, you look great.” She smiled calmly.
She put her hands around my neck and said, “You look beautiful. You’re the most handsome Emerson brother.” I smiled, but it didn’t last long.
I told her, “I don’t think I could stop crying in front of everyone,” and she cupped my face in her hand.
She told me, “It’s not wrong to miss someone you love, Jason. Crying doesn’t make you weak, so don’t worry about that.” I smiled and nodded.
I bent down and kissed her tummy through the gown she was wearing and asked, “How is my baby?”
She told me, “She’s doing great,” and I smiled.
I told her tummy, “I love you so much. Don’t bother your mom when she’s away, okay? And I’ll visit you often, because I can’t go two days without seeing your mom.” She laughed.
She said with a smile, “And your mom will miss your dad, too.” I stood up and kissed her lips. We broke up by putting our foreheads together.
I said, “We should join them,” and took her hand as we left the room. I walked down the hall that led to the church’s main room.
Ryan and Agnes were standing in front of the church when I saw them, so we joined them. There were a lot more people than expected in the church.
We stood with them until someone opened the church door. The men carried the casket on their shoulders, and the priest went in front.
We all stood up, and as they walked toward the altar, we all looked back at them. My eyes hurt a lot, but when I saw Ryan, we both put on a straight face.
When they got to the front, they put the coffin down on the stand. We all sat down, and the priest started to speak.
My eyes got heavy, and I started to cry. Melina rubbed my arm to try to make me feel better.
It was too much for me. I couldn’t take the pain of seeing my mother in that casket. A few days ago, she was laughing with us at the dinner table.
Who would have thought that this would ever happen to her? She cared about us and never gave anyone trouble.
We were the ones who brought it over. She told us to change, but we didn’t. Because of me, she is now dead. In a very cruel way.
Soon, everyone in the church stood up, and Melina helped me do the same. We were asked to come see her in the coffin before she was taken to the cemetery.
Ryan went first because he was born first, and I came next. He stood in front of her as she lay in the box and stared at her.
For a few minutes, he didn’t say anything. Then, he reached for the chain around his neck, kissed it, and put it on her chest.
He left, and I picked one of the flowers that was next to her box. When I got close to her and looked at her, I started crying like a baby.
How close her head was to her neck and how thin and white she looked. It broke my heart.
I put the flower in the box and cried as I said, “I love you, Mom, and I’m so sorry I let this happen to you.”
“And there’s good news: your grandson is on the way! Melina and I are having a baby, and I know I’m not the best son, but I hope you’re proud of me on this one.”
“And I promise I’ll take care of him until my last breath, and I’ll never let those jerks get near him,” I said, kissing my two middle fingers and placing them on her forehead.
I took off the front of the box, and then they put it back together. They took the box outside, and as they walked away, we all stood up and watched. They were on their way to the place where they would bury her.
I told Gracie, “I don’t want to go,” and she sighed.
She grabbed my hand and said, “Come on, Jason. You need to be there with her until the very end.”
Agnes also held Ryan’s hand, and the two of us followed the box to the graveyard.
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After we were done at the graveyard, we went back to the house to get the rest of the party.
People were already around the mansion when we got home. They were more than I thought they would be.
I told Melina, “You need to stay close so I can watch you,” and she nodded.
She said, “Okay, but know that I’m fine and I’m not going anywhere.” I smiled. When we got to the mansion, the lights and sound were all set up the way we had planned.
As Melina and I walked through the crowd, I held her hand. Even though I can’t tell who my enemies are, I can keep Melina with me.
Ryan was walking with Agnes, and I heard them talking. They looked like they were having fun.
Soon, a solemn song started playing. And I felt like dancing.
“Can I dance this?” I asked Melina while putting my hands out to her.
She took my hand and said, “Yes, you can.” I hugged her. We were in the spotlight, and soon other couples, like Ryan and Agnes, joined us.
We started to move to the beat, with Gracie’s head on my shoulders and mine just touching her ear. We kept moving and I kept looking around.
Then I saw Harrison standing with the other people in the church who weren’t dancing. Who were watching us.
I sighed and closed my eyes as I kissed Melina’s hair. Just then, we heard some loud murmurings.
I looked up and saw a fight going on between two guys. I had to let Gracie go because they were acting like fools at my mom’s party and I had to stop it.
I told them to stay put, and Ryan and I walked over to where the men were. As soon as Ryan got there, he stood between them to make sure they wouldn’t do any more damage.
Ryan yelled in a very angry tone, “This is a funeral! You have no right to make a scene. Respect the dead woman!”
Then I saw the guys start to relax. I let out a sigh and turned around to see that Gracie was gone. I ran back to where I had left her and saw that the bottom of one of her shoes was broken.
I yelled, “Melina!” out of fear, anger, and guilt. Why did I give up on her?
Ryan asked as he came up to me, “Where is she?”
I yelled in anger, “She’s gone! They took her!” and showed him the bottom of her shoe.
He muttered, “Shit.”
I yelled in anger, “Shut all the doors! No one gets out of here alive until I find Melina!”
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