50 Shades of Drake 5 and 6

More Life: Chapter Four

    The funeral was an especially somber affair. It was held in Scottsdale, AZ, on a blazing hot day. The Richards wanted to celebrate their daughter's life instead of mourning her death, but Aubrey heard multiple people remarking on how young Destiny had been. There was so much more life she had to live. The event was closed casket, which was for the best. People rarely looked like themselves at their own funerals, due to horrible makeup jobs and eerie church lighting. That wasn't how he wanted to remember her.

    Long after the event passed, Aubrey remained near the casket with his hand stroking the polished cherrywood. It was hard to believe she was lying inside of the large, wooden box. "The house doesn't feel the same anymore," he said. "It feels so empty without you in it. I keep waiting for...a sign, or something that you've moved on. I don't know. After we lost Brian, there was that moment where we both saw and heard him. I guess I was expecting something like that to happen, see your reflection in a window somewhere or in the clouds. I'm not sure if that would make it easier or harder to accept. I don't know."

    The large, open area was so quiet when his voice wasn't bouncing off of the walls.

    "You don't know how much I miss you. If I could just see you one more time, tell you how much I love you, how much I-" His voice cracked, and he dropped his head down so low that his chin touched his collarbone. "Is Jaxon up there with you? I saw him in my dream, so I'm not sure how it's possible this even happened to you. But...do you at least have Jaxon with you? It would give me some sort of peace, knowing that you're together at least. Knowing that he exists and didn't just...disappear because of all of this." His chin quivered and he wiped at his eyes. "I feel this rage creeping up now, all the time. Keeping it at bay for you, because I know you wouldn't want me to become this raging monster. But...it's so hard without you, you don't even know."

    Silence was the only answer, and then he heard the faint sound of singing. With a crease in his brow, he turned and surveyed the church. Beyond the pews, Chubbs and Carlos remained at the entrance of the area, patiently waiting for him. There was no one else in sight and still, there was the unmistakable sound of a woman's voice singing. The voice was familiar to him, and before he knew it, he was lost in the memory of Destiny singing in the shower.

    "Oh my God, I didn't see you standing there. Geez, warn me when you sneak in here."

    "Are you giving me orders?" Aubrey taunted.

    Destiny smiled sheepishly while using the washcloth to scrub the length of her arm. "Maybe."

    "Keep singing to me," he urged. "Don't stop just because I'm here."

    "My singing voice is horrible. You don't want to hear it."

    "Your voice isn't horrible. I just heard it, and it was beautiful. Sing to me."

    She gave him a doubtful look, but resumed singing.

    He smiled and raised a hand to the glass shower encasement.

    She raised a hand to the shower stall glass, her smaller palm facing his.

    "What good deed did I do to deserve you?" he mused.

    "Maybe it was God's plan," she joked, washing her other arm.

    His smile widened at the sound of her tinkling laughter. "Maybe," he said softly.

    Tears filled his eyes and he removed his hand from the casket. "Or maybe I pissed him off and took you for granted," he said, sniffling and smiling wistfully through your tears. "I had you and brought Bernice to my condo for the purpose of fucking her. I pushed you off on Brian, thinking that it was for your own protection. But maybe that was stupid of me. Maybe if I hadn't done that, both of you would be alive right now. Naming those fucking politicians was stupid of me. I've made stupid moves ever since I met you. And I was so cocky. I should have been more humble, more grateful for you. I should have...So many things." He shook his head. "So many things, my beautiful baby. Fuck." He bent at the waist and lowered his forehead to the top of the casket.