Loved Since Forever

Rachel - 2 Years Ago

"What? Oh my god! That's so awful!" Rachel exclaimed into the receiver of her cell phone.

"I know, heart attack. It really is", said Samantha Duchon. "His poor family."

"Is there going to be a memorial service or something?"

"Yes, in 4 days. Do you think you can get the time off? He would really love it if you were to come."

Rachel pulled up Chrome and did a quick search for the obituary in the local paper for Bedford, Massachusetts.

MR. FRANK CARBONNE, AGED 66 PASSED AWAY THIS WEEKEND FROM A SUDDEN HEART ATTACK. The headline read. Mr. Carbonne was a beloved husband, father, and teacher in the Bedford Public School system. He will be truly missed by his wife, Patricia, three sons, and all his students.

"Hold on, Sam," Rachel said to the phone. "Hey, Steph!" She yelled into the next room. Stephanie, Rachel's wonderful assistant came jaunting in with her hair in a high-top bun, and professional dress.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Can you book me on the next flight out to Logan, please?"

"Can do," she said as she immediately left the office. She always knows what to do, Rachel doesn't even have to ask her anything anymore. It is one of the perks of growing into a position with your assistant. She is only a couple of years younger than Rachel, but they take care of each other so well.

Back on the phone, "Yeah, I'll be there. Do we know anyone else going?"

"Well, Mike Carbonne will be there, obviously. I'm so sorry. I'm sure you don't want to see him."

"We broke up like 7 years ago, Sam," Rachel chuckled into the phone, "a lot can change in 7 years."

"Totally true, we both know he is still low key in love with you," she said. "Kels will be there, Cookie, Taec said he will try to be there. He just got out of the military, so we will see. Jen will be there."

Rachel sighed a little into the phone. "Sounds good. It will be nice to get the group back together, despite the circumstances."

Stephanie poked her head in through the doorway. "You're all set, Rach", she said, "Your flight leaves in 5 hours, the car is getting you in 3."

"Thanks, Steph," she replied quietly as Stephanie was leaving the room. "I don't know what I would do without her," Rachel said to Sam.

"Yeah, what a hard life you have, Ms. Senior Editor. See your fancy-ass when you land."

"Do you want to stay at the DoubleTree with me? I can book you another room." Rachel offered.

"Ugh, I wish! James will hate it if I abandon him. Let's grab drinks though. I can make a reservation at Bazille at the Burlington Mall one of the days we are together."

"Sounds good. Love you." I said as she clicked off the line.

Rachel slouched back into the office chair and tossed her cell on the desk burying her face into her hands.

I can't believe he passed away.

She remembers transferring to Bedford High School without having any friends. She truly found a beautiful community in the marching band and was fortunate enough to see Mr. Carbonne's passion exuded through the Jazz band where Rachel played tenor sax. It was a welcomed change from her normal pace as the center snare in the drumline throughout the marching year. She sat right in between Mike Carbonne, the band director's son, and her future on-again/off-again ex-boyfriend, and this kid Taecyeon Ok, who left school and life in Bedford to be a superstar idol in Korea.

Rachel thinks back to the last time she saw Taec was actually in 2017. She and Kelsey went to Japan to be tourists on our self-named "KR Takes APAC tour" for a couple of weeks. They were in Tokyo and saw Taecyeon's face on posters for a Christmas concert. After some translating, they learned that he was putting on a "one night only" concert in Japan, so Kelsey messaged him, letting him know that they were in Japan as well, if he wanted to meet up for coffee or an adventure. 

Rachel thought that it was a lot of fun touring Japan with a "local", or a local adjacent. It made such a huge difference in her experience. He took the girls to some shrines, and around Tokyo, they ate at delicious restaurants. Rachel remembered that just as they were leaving Tokyo to go to the airport, he said that he had a great time too and that they should keep in touch more. Even though Rachel texted, Taecyeon didn't answer. She learned later that he enlisted in the Korean Army. He actually made it to sergeant.

Good for him, I guess, she remembers thinking at the time.

She wishes he called her or at least responded to the many messages when he got back. Rachel has always had a little crush on Taec, even in high school. He has this goofy smile, that makes her kind of smile. She does hope he grew up well in the past couple of years. If you would have met him in high school, you would have never thought that he would be now an idol in Korea, that's for sure. She thinks back to the spastic outbursts he would have. Sometimes it would get them scolded in school. He was always trying to make her laugh. Maybe he saw it as more of a challenge since Rachel is quiet and reserved.

Rachel looks around her office for what work she would have to bring with her on this trip. She has 4 manuscripts from the team that she has to sign off on before the end of the month, and about 100 emails to answer. She picks up 2 of the manuscripts, the ones with the most pressing deadlines, of course, her work phone, laptop, cashmere travel blanket scarf, a stack of business cards, and her planner, and throws them into her Celine work tote. She looks at her personal phone sitting on the office desk.

Should I call her?

She navigated to her mom's number and hovered over the call button for a second. Rachel's mom, Susan, is a true Bostonian woman through and through. She runs on Dunkin and cusses worse than a sailor, but she has enough love to smother every single child on the planet. That is one of her best qualities, and unconditional love and a slight distraction is what Rachel needs right now. Rachel presses call. Susan answers on the second ring.

"Hey, baby, how you holdin' up? Sam's motha just called and told me the news, poor thing. She's gonna bring a casserole ova' to Patty from the girls."

"Hey, ma. Yeah, I'm doing ok. Thanks."

"Are you going to the service?" She asked.

"Yeah, my flight is in 5 hours. Do you need anything while I'm state-side?"

"Just give love to Patty from your fatha and I, and don't cause too much trouble."

"Ma, I'm 28, how much trouble can I get into?"

"I know what you're like with ya little friends, Rachel P-ah-k, don't give me lip!" She raised her voice ever so slightly, trying to sound tough. Rachel thinks it's so funny how her mom can't even pronounce her own last name. "Do you need a ride to the airport, baby?"

"No, Stephanie ordered a car to take me. Thanks though, ma. I'm going to head home to pack. Love you", Rachel said.

"Love you too, baby girl, we're here if you need", she said with a click of the phone.

If only Rachel knew then the kind of trouble she would actually get into during her spontaneous trip back to Bedford. She might have not boasted too much to her mother.