The Party Scene (Gen. 5)

Nicholas

"Are you ok, Nicholas?" asked Skyler, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm a bit sad, but I haven't cried yet for some reason," I answered, leaning back on the park bench.

"That's sad. Anyway, when's the funeral?"

"It's at 1 o'clock."

"Am I invited or what? I mean, I didn't know your great aunt too well, but-"

"Dad said for me to invite five friends. And I invited you, Camille, Talia, Andrew, and Rhen. But they can bring a guest or whatever," I interjected.

"Well, Talia's bringing Emma, Camille's bringing Claudia, Rhen's bringing Elliott, I'm bringing Colin, and Andrew's bringing Rory."

"That's dandy, then. Do you want to come back to mine so I can get into my funeral clothes?" I questioned.

"Why would you refer to dress clothes as funeral clothes?"

"I dunno. A cardigan and jeans aren't funeral clothes. A proper dress shirt and jacket with pants are funeral clothes."

"All right. Let's get to your place now," demanded Skyler, as Thorn ran to me, leaping into my arms. He panted heavily, his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

"Nicholas, would you cut up those sandwiches for me? And are you sure you don't want anything for your birthday?" buggered Kate, as she handed me a plate of uncut sandwiches and a knife.

"I don't want anything extravagant for my birthday. What do you want me to do? Weep my eyes out at a funeral and come home and cackle like a hyena?" I retorted, carefully cutting the sandwiches.

"Nicholas, be nice to Kate," interrupted Dad, planting a kiss on Kate's cheek, and smirking as I grimaced.

"Now, are you sure you don't want anything for your birthday?" asked Kate, raising an eyebrow.

"No, not really. Just let me enjoy my great aunt's funeral and I'll have some of these crap sandwiches," I returned, evenly cutting the sandwiches into squares.

"Aren't you getting dressed soon? It's 11 o'clock, and we've got to be there in 45 minutes," reminded Dad.

"Whatever. I'll be ready."

"Tell me something funny, Talia," I whispered, nudging her lightly in the side. She smirked at me, and her bright blue eyes filled with excitement. The church was filled with silence, while the priest talked quietly at the front to my father and my uncle.

"All right. The first time I had sex with Skyler. We didn't actually have sex. The fucking bed sheet was in between us, and nothing legitimately happened," muttered Talia, as a smile formed on my face.

"That wasn't funny. That was hilarious."

"Why'd you let me and Emma sit up here with some of your relatives. We're supposed to be back there with everyone else."

"I don't know. I figured if I broke down or something, you two would comfort me best. I haven't seen Aunt Mini for a while before she died, and I feel like a douche."

"Don't, Nicholas. She knows you loved you," reassured Talia, rubbing at my back.

"Would you like me to start the ceremony now?" asked an unfamiliar voice. The priest was in conversation with my dad, and my dad nodded.

"Today, we honor the life of Minerva Hadley Reed. By her request, she wrote her own eulogy, and she wanted her grand nephew Nicholas, to read it," declared the priest, who stood at the pulpit and had the attention of the entire church. I got up from my spot, and crossed over numerous pairs of crossed legs, and walked to the podium. A neatly written eulogy was placed at the front, and I adjusted the microphone.