“Would anyone else like to say anything?” The minister asked. I couldn’t believe we were here. I held Avery in my arms protectively as I tried to shelter her from the pain. I knew it wasn’t helping. I knew she was confused and scared.
“It’s okay,” I whispered to her for the millionth time, or so it seemed. I gave her a gentle, yet comforting, squeeze as she wrapped her arms around my neck tighter.
I felt two hands – one on each shoulder – and turned to see who was there. On my right stood Casey and on my left was Nick. I smiled weakly at him as he gave me a soothing hug and stood back. I had no idea he was coming; he must have just gotten in.
“Let us pray,” the minister interrupted my thoughts. “God, thank You so much for giving us the time with Kate on this Earth. Please Bless her family and friends and let them know that You are with them, and so is Kate. Let us realize that she lived life to the fullest and is happy with You in Heaven. In Your name we pray, Amen.”
A soft chorus of “Amen” could be heard throughout the rather large turnout. “Time to go put the flower down,” I whispered to Avery as we walked hand-in-hand to the coffin. We placed our white roses on the coffin and Avery blew it a kiss goodbye. She wasn’t crying, but I knew for a fact she had no idea she was saying goodbye to her mother’s body.
It was finally over. I went to Nick and wrapped my arms around him tightly. I couldn’t help but let the tears fall. “I’m so sorry, Megan. I can’t believe this happened.”
“That makes two of us,” I muttered through the tears. I hurried to stop them as Avery approached. “Hi, sweetie. Do you need anything?” I asked her quickly.
“I miss my mommy,” she whispered as I picked her up into my arms. I kissed the top of her head and nodded in agreement.
“Lets go home, okay?” I nodded at Casey and Nick as we walked back to our cars. I didn’t have much of a chance to talk with Nick until we pulled into the driveway of Kate’s parents’ home. They had agreed to have all of the funeral arrangements there since it was their daughter and my apartment could barely hold fifteen people.
“Megan, you don’t understand how grateful we are that you agreed to take little Avery,” Margaret Lynn, Kate’s mom, smiled warmly at me with tears in her eyes. “When Kate told us she had chosen you to be Avery’s guardian if anything ever happened to her, I could never imagine it actually happening. I mean, you never want to think of your daughter dying,” her tears began to fall rather quickly. It was incredibly difficult to stand there and watch her. Her green eyes were a dull gray color now – so full of sadness and stress. “But now I know why she chose you. You are an amazing motherly figure.”
“Thank you,” I said. It was all I knew to say in response to that. “I’m going to go check on Avery.” I smiled a small smile and disappeared in the living room. I saw Nick and Casey talking in the corner. “Please get me out of here.” I whispered as I approached them.
Nick grinned sympathetically and opened his arms for me to step into. “I missed you.” He said, trying to change the sad topic.
“I missed you, too,” I sighed and allowed a few tears to escape. I was tired of holding them in for every damn person. If they didn’t want to see me cry, they could look away for all I cared. “Thank you for coming back.”
“Absolutely,” he kissed the top of my head.
“Miss Megan,” I felt a tug on my dress. I wiped away the tears hastily. Okay, so maybe I did care who saw me crying. I had to be Superwoman for this little girl, remember?
“Yeah, baby?” I knelt down to Avery’s level and tried my hardest to smile.
“Can I go back to your house now? Everyone’s sad and I want to go home and watch Veggie Tales,” Avery said very calmly. I knew one of these days she would have her mental breakdown.
I smirked. I, secretly, wanted to get myself out of there. Too much sadness for one day. “Absolutely. Let’s get your things together, okay?”
Author's Chapter Notes:
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