Always On My Mind (Sequel to Always In My Heart)

Chapter 24- Wings

I stand in the wet grass of the cemetery, my head hanging low as I listen to the priest talk about how precious life is and how we should embrace every second of it. I swallow hard, sighing slightly when I feel Harry's hand slide across my lower back, pulling me a bit closer to him.

I look up at the group of Ava's family and friends that are standing and listening to the wise, gentle words of this man. Ava's casket sits on a stand in the shiny grass, the small, pink-tinted capsule contrasting greatly with the darkness around us. Ava's parents decided to display the portrait I painted of Ava, sitting proudly on a stand near the casket. Everything sits near her grave plot where she will soon be buried, making me swallow hard at the thought.

I stand close to Harry, relishing in the feeling of his warmth against my side. He holds me close to him, stroking my side comfortingly.

"And Jesus said... "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal..." And from Psalm 34:18... "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit..." So, in conclusion, Jesus is telling us that he will always be near in times of need or trouble. He will be there to comfort us in times of sorrow and he feels blessed to gave gained another angel in Heaven, Ava Marie McKinley," the priest says in conclusion, folding his hands together and pausing for a few moments in silence. I listen to the quiet, sad sniffles and cries of Ava's family, feeling as if I honestly cannot cry anymore.

"Louis?" the priest asks with raised eyebrows, motioning for me to come up. I look up and swallow hard, nodding slightly. Harry gently squeezes my hip and gives me a reassuring nod, sending me off.

I slowly walk up to where the priest is standing, smoothing out my suit jacket as I do. I stare sadly at Ava's closed casket before turning to face the crowd of people that are standing in the cool, rainy weather. I take a deep breath and cross my hands behind my back before I begin to speak without a piece of paper. Ava deserves so much more than written words on a soggy paper.

"Hello, everyone. As some of you may know, my name is Louis Tomlinson. I am the person that painted Ava's portrait that you all have seen here today," I begin to explain, swallowing hard and motioning over to the painting.

"Charles and Alice asked me to speak today in honor of Ava because of the special love that Ava and I both shared for a certain something. And that certain something is art," I continue, locking eyes with Ava's parents that are standing close to each other and crying quietly.

"I was a bit nervous at first when my boyfriend, Harry, had told me that we were going to visit his close friend's daughter who was diagnosed with brain cancer. I had never been around a child who was sick with such an awful disease. But as soon as I walked into Ava's hospital room, all of my nerves melted away. She had managed to cover her entire room in colorful artwork; drawings, sketches, paintings... you name it, she put it on paper. As an artist myself, it was beautiful to see someone so young take such interest in art," I explain, locking eyes with Harry for a second.

"After my first visit with Ava, I couldn't bear to be away from her. I continued to go and visit her, surprising her with different art supplies every time I went, loving how her face lit up with excitement. The best day was when I taught her the technique behind painting a portrait of someone. That was when I painted this portrait of Ava and she painted the one of me that you probably saw earlier at the funeral home," I continue to explain, looking around as I speak. All of Ava's artwork was displayed at the funeral home during the viewings that occurred over the past few days.