Professional Disaster

Chapter 43

The dreaded day had arrived. The first funeral within their family.

Elijah had always expressed his wish for a small funeral whenever it was his time. Kimberly would hate speaking about the topic, but now she regretted not asking him more about his wishes.

The funeral would be held on the island. Two years prior, a secluded patch of land had been turned into a graveyard. Not a single plot had been filled yet.

Elijah's body was to be the first.

The land was only for The Professionals. As morbid as it may be, everyone had already chosen their plots. It started small but had room to be expanded for future generations. Kimberly and Robert's plots were at the centre of the top row, their two children each already having their plots marked in front of theirs. It was morbidly sweet. Savannah too was in the left corner, her siblings were to be buried around her. Cole to her side, and Ethan at Ari's.

Although not quite alone, it was hard not to notice Elijah was to be buried without his pair. He was a touch North of his little brother, and just to the left of Kimberly, yet he looked alone.

Elijah's grave was the only one dugout. The only one with a stone decorating the top. Flowers lined it before his body was even laid to rest.

The funeral was to be held at a small chapel close to the beach. Elijah wasn't exactly a religious man. He enjoyed believing that there was more to life than living and dying, but he was too much of a realist to ever devote himself to a God. He needed proof. Sometimes he'd even pray in the chapel, hoping - begging - for something to show him that there was more after this awfully short life.

He never got that proof.

Ethan hoped that for the sake of his big brother, there was more. That he wasn't truly gone. That maybe his spirit would live on with his parents.

At the sound of coughing, he turned to face his girlfriend who was fastening a watch around her wrist. It was then he realised he had been zoned out for quite a while. Arabella had gotten dressed within the time his mind was away. He hadn't even noticed her knocking about behind him as he stared at his reflection in the mirror.

Ethan stood to his feet and shook out his arms, attempting to rid the uneasy feeling. "Do I look okay?"

"As handsome as ever," Arabella answered with a sad smile.

Ethan checked his watch. "We should get going."

*****

Kimberly stood staring at the flowers that were laid along the path leading up to the church entrance. Kim and Robert were the first ones at the church, They waited at the doors, Robert exchanging casual conversation with the funeral officiant as they waited for the rest of their family to appear.

From the corner of her eye, Kimberly could see Ethan and Arabella approaching up the path. Arabella had her arm wrapped tightly around Ethan's, their fingers laced together. "Hello," The boy greeted. Since that day in The Mitchell's living room where he let it all out, the boy had once again reverted into being a shell of himself. He rarely spoke, feeling he didn't have much to say, his face always as solid as stone. Expressionless.

Arabella hoped that the funeral would be his first step to closure, a stepping stone to getting himself back.

The older couple gave the two a long hug, each whispering their apologies. Kimberly gestured her head towards the funeral car. "Are you sure Ethan's okay to carry the coffin?" She asked her daughter.

"I can decide that myself." That was all Ethan said.

"Of course, son. We would understand if it was too hard for you." Robert patted Ethan's shoulder.