The Reunion- A Waterloo Road Fanfiction

Chapter Two

Bolton stood in front of the pale, grey headstone, his heart throbbing with grief. The flowers in his hand felt like a heavy weight pressing on him, weighing him down.

Three months had gone by. Three whole months, and yet it still felt like it had happened yesterday. He felt like he was in a nightmare he couldn't wake up from. He wanted it all to be a bad dream, he wanted to wake up one morning and everything would be the way it was before. But he knew that it never would be.

His Mum was dead, there was no changing that.

He sighed as he carefully laid the flowers on the bottom of the gravestone. The assortment of purple, blue and pink flowers seemed to light up the dull headstone. His fingers traced across the engraved lettering in the centre.

"Candice Smilie- beloved Mother"

His Mum now, to everyone else, was just a name on a headstone, practically forgotten. But to Bolton, she was still so much more than that. She was a person, a Mother; she had been everything to him. But of course no one else saw that. His Mother would fade away to the back of people's minds. But for Bolton, her death would leave a gaping wound that would eventually scar but would never fully heal.

Bolton had never felt so alone in his life. He knew he wasn't the only person who had been affected by his Mum's death, his Auntie, cousins and some of his Mum's friend had been devastated when they'd received the news. Even with all those people surrounding and supporting him over the last few months, he still felt like he was the only one who felt the true weight of his Mother's absence. There were so many people in the world who were grieving, and still Bolton felt like he was the only one.

Lost. That is how he felt. Completely and utterly lost. He was in an endless maze and he couldn't find his way out. Everything felt pointless, including his daily life. He felt like he was existing rather than living. The future felt bleak for Bolton, lacking in vision and opportunity.

Everything was pointless without his Mum. She had gone and taken all the colour in the world with her. Nothing would ever be the same.

"I miss you, Mum" he whispered

Talking to a headstone was pointless, he knew that. His Mum couldn't hear him, she was gone. But it helped to say what he wanted to say aloud. He hoped that if he did it enough, his words would reach her, wherever she was.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out the invitation he had received in the post this morning. It was what had prompted him to come to visit his Mum's grave today.

A staff and student reunion at Waterloo Road. He was going for her. If she was here, he knew she would be there in a heartbeat. She'd been devastated when she had to give up work because she was ill. She always talked about Waterloo Road, even in the days leading up to her death.

"I thought you'd like this, Mum. A reunion at Waterloo Road" he said, pointing the invitation in the direction of the headstone

"I'm gonna go for you. I'll tell everyone you said hi, ok?"

The silence he received from the headstone was almost enough to kill him. He wanted his Mum back more than anything in the world.

He turned away, brushing the tears from his eyes.