Light Me Up [HS AU]

40

Morgan was standing out in front of our hotel when we drove up to the entrance. She looked a little confused at the seating situation, but crawled into the back seat next to Peyton. She scanned both of us, as if she was trying to get a read on what we had been up to. I didn't say anything, but focused on putting the address for the funeral home in the satnav. 

"Is everything okay?" Morgan whispered, obviously thinking I couldn't hear them. 

"Mm-hmm," Peyton took Morgan's hand to reassure her that everything was alright. 

"Has he been an asshole to you?" Morgan said a little louder, making me roll my eyes at her in the rear view mirror. 

"Not today," Peyton said. "But don't worry about that." 

"She's punishing me accordingly, making me work my way back to her." I said and sent Peyton a wink, which made her roll her eyes and cross her arms over her chest. 

She was feisty and defiant most of the ride, but when we entered the funeral home, she was hit with the reality of why she was there. She became quiet and soft and when the mortician introduced himself and offered her to come sit down for a talk about her mom's final journey, she nearly broke my heart when she grabbed hold of my hand for strength. I laced my fingers with hers, holding her hand gently. When she sat down, she didn't let go of me but looked up at me and then at the chair next to her. 

Morgan sat down on the opposite side of Peyton and sent me a small smile over her head. She winked at me, as I stroked the back of Peyton's hand with my thumb. All teasing and pursuing was shut off now, she needed us there to help her finish that chapter of her life. She listened carefully to every word the mortician said and nodded and asked questions. When he spoke of how her mom would be cremated and how they would make sure she was placed where she had wished, Peyton dried a tear off her cheek and sniffled. 

"Were you close with your mother?" The mortician asked and smiled at Peyton. 

She shook her head. "No. Not at all actually. We were estranged. But I was the only family she had, so I want to do right by her." 

"She is lucky then. Even though she may have failed you in life, you still honour her in death. She can be proud of you." The elderly man handed Peyton a tissue and she dabbed her cheeks with it. Then he started going through all the paperwork with her and she signed and checked boxes, constantly checking her notes from the conversations she had with her mom. Once everything was filled out the mortician folded his hands and looked at Peyton. "Your mother has declined a memorial service. That means there won't be an official service where people can say goodbye. It also means that as her only next of kin you can choose to be the one to put her in the ground or you can have us do it once the process of cremation is completed." 

Peyton nodded as he explained. Once he finished and let her make her choice she pointed to a spot in her notebook. "One of the times I spoke to momma, she said 'I don't want anything fancy. Let them put me to rest there.' Then she pointed to that exact spot on the map and that was that. So I think I'll let you put her there and I'll return to my life in New York."