Trustworthy help

28. Nickname

We're in the car. Corpse is driving.
He's dressed in fancy black clothes.

He places his hand on my leg as I sigh. 'Just today. Just hang on a little longer.' He says. I nod while looking in the rear view mirror to see my sister following us. 'Thank you for looking after them.' I say. It's been a week since what happened. The funeral is the last thing, making the fact that everything happened definite. 'You're welcome.' He says. Eve as had a hard time, seeing how she still went to my father. She still talked to him, no matter how harsh and painful his words were. I couldn't. The things he said and did to me had too much affect on my life. To much affect on my well being.

We arrive and corpse parks the car, I get out, closing my coat at the breeze. Tyler walks up and takes my hand in his small one, holding on to two fingers. 'You going to be okay big man?' I ask him. 'Yes! Stay strong for mommy.' He answers. Corpse pats his head 'good man.' He says, making Tyler giggle. Eve wraps herself around my other arm. 'Thank you for having done all this. You gave me time to gather my thoughts.' She says. I smile softly at her 'no worries.' Micheal and corpse walk behind us as we walk through the gate of the graveyard.

We stand alone in an empty room, in front of the closed casket.
It's quiet, just the five of us. Staff walk up 'will there be more people?' The woman asks with sympathy. 'Just us.' I answer. I invited people. Family. But no one wanted to come. They texted me or wrote a letter back. He screwed them over like he did to me and Eve too. He got rid of everyone that was ever close to him. And when his last wife decided to leave, he became suicidal. Having been through three divorces. Bullied away three out of four children while the last tried to hold onto him so desperately. Always hoping to fix him. I look at Eve and feel pity. All her hurt and hard work for nothing. Eve dries her eyes as they walk him to the grave.

We stand by and watch as they lower the casket into the ground. Tyler says bye, after that Eve says some last words, as me and corpse stand our distance to give her some room. 'You don't want to say anything?' I look at corpse, feeling a little hollow 'what would I say?' I ask with a fake smile as I try to keep myself from crying. The smile didn't work as soon a tear leaves my eye. 'He was always hateful. I have nothing to say besides things out of anger.' Corpse wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me into his side. 'That's alright. You don't have to.' He says.

After a bit Eve and the others walk up, Tyler wrapped around Michael's neck, in need of comfort.

We drive to the coast, seeing how it's not that far, and decide to take the edge off of today.

We walk along the beach for a while before heading to a restaurant. My apatite hasn't been amazing. But we eat. We all do. 'Let's end it here. Tonight.' Eve says as she raises her glass. 'To dad.' She says as she looks me in the eyes. Everyone else raises their glass as well. 'To dad.' My voice is soft as the glass feels heavy in my hand. I take a sip. Out of everyone I've seen that died in front of my eyes, why is it him that pops up when I close them? Why does it have to be him. Him roughly grabbing my arm as he slaps me across the face before calling me a waist of air flashes through my mind. 'Amelia?' Eve asks as I feel corpse place his hand on mine. I look up, snapping out of thought. I haven't had time to let is sink in. I haven't had time to give my mind a break. I place my hand over my cheek before realizing I've been out of it for a while. 'Give me a second.' I say as I stand up. I quickly make my way to the bathrooms. I hold my hands under the cold water as tears leave my eyes. Though I hated him most of my life, there were moments where I cherished him. Like the first time paining my bedroom walls. Him telling me he was proud of me when I got my beret for the army.

The bathroom door opens, making me quickly look away, trying to dry my eyes in haste. My hands get grabbed and lowered, making me look up. I'm met with corpse's eyes. Worry and sadness fill them. He holds my face between his hands and dries my tears. 'He's gone.' I say as my voice cracks. 'The bastards gone.' I say as I start to cry all over again. No matter how far apart my father and I were, I always felt the need for validation from him. Looks like I'll never get it. I grip corpse's shoulder as I cry. 'He's really gone.' My chest aches as corpse gently rubs my arm. 'I know, baby. I know.' He says calmly. 'How do you deal with it? How can I make this pain stop. Please.' My voice gets higher the more upset I am. Corpse tenses at my words. I realize the mistake of what I asked and step back, covering my mouth. 'I'm sorry.' I say quickly. 'Wha- it's okay! It's fine.' He pulls me in for a hug. He rubs my back as I'm holding onto him tightly. 'I don't know how to deal with it. And the pain doesn't stop, it never will.' He says. I pull him a little closer, now feeling sad for him and myself. 'But you don't have to do it yourself. Let it hurt. Cry it out. I'll be there to dry your tears.' He says. I close my eyes as I take a deep breath. A ton of weight just left my shoulders. 'Thank you.' I whisper.

We head back to the table when I calmed down and soon after we head home.

I lay in bed, feeling a little jealous as I watch corpse sleep. He's been getting more sleep then me for the past few nights. He looks calm. At least laying awake Isn't as bad with someone like him next to you. He frowns in his sleep and moves a little. He's really gone. He's all to familiar with the situation. I know, baby. I know. I lay still for a second as his words repeat in my head. Then I shoot up 'baby.' I say softly. I look at him 'baby?!' I turn back to look at the sheets in front of me. He said that. I mean, I remember that right, don't I? I blush as I hold my hands over my face. He called me that.

I feel a hand on my back 'You okay?' He says in his even deeper sleepy voice. 'You totally called me that.' I say following my train of thought. He sits up, now next to me 'called you what?' He asks as he rubs his eyes 'You called me baby back at the restaurant.' I say. His sleepy eyes widen a little before he looks away, in the dark it's a little hard to see, but I bet he's blushing. 'You did right?' I ask. 'Yes.' I hold in my weird excitement in as I smile brightly at him 'Yes you did.' I say. He carefully looks back at me. 'Oh look at how happy you are. Proud of yourself?' He asks with a sleepy grin. 'Very.' I state. 'Oh so I should call You nicknames more often?' He asks. I stay quiet as I blush. He moves one hand to the other side of me as he leans close. I move back a little as I giggle. 'Maybe.' I place my hands on the base of his neck 'so names like baby?' He asks. My face heats up even more. The smirk on his face makes it even worse. 'Or what about darling?' He asks on an honest tone. I drop back, laying down as he hovers above me. 'Or babe.' He says as he moves a little closer. 'What about sweetie? Or Darling? Honey?' He keeps making up nicknames as I cover my face while laughing. 'Stopppp.' I whine. He moves my hands away and leans down 'you sure you want me to darlin?' He asks in his low voice. 'Oh my goddd.' I say as I laugh a little more. 'I'm serious.' He says. 'I bet you are.' I say as I place my hand on his cheek and kiss him quickly before rolling onto my side so I don't have to face him.

He lays down and scoots closer to me, pulling me into his chest as I lay on my side.
'If you won't tell me which one you like most, I'll have the rest of my life to try and figure it out.' He says softly. I look over my shoulder at him 'You think I'm giving you that long?' I ask. 'Even if you don't.... I'll never forget you.' He says. His words touch my heart. I turn in his arms so I'm facing him. I place my hands on his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat under my touch. I kiss him, longer then we ever have. When we break the kiss I look him in the eyes 'I love you.' He smiles softly as he pulls me flat against him 'I love you too.'

With those words lingering in the air, I drift off to sleep.