Out of This World

Chapter 8.

Erica's POV-
Tonight my grandparents arrive... I am wondering why, because they weren't here to support us before, when the accident struck. So maybe they didn't know. Or they were just so busy. But, so busy they couldn't come visit their motherless and fatherless grandchildren? Oh I don't think so! I'm waiting to find out, eagerly!

Lilith's POV-
Ohhhhhh my gosh. Oh my freaking gosh. I am so worried. How the heck is this supposed to go tonight? I suppose it will go over horribly, but let's hope for the best. Let's hope like Hope the dolphin. I need HOPE!
I ask Erica to just fix dessert, because Debora  is bringing over dinner, tonight. That woman is so nice. I need her in my life right now, no crap about anything.

When she arrives, I introduce her to the boys because the girls already know her. Once we sit down for dinner, I can see that it is Lasagna. How the steam rolls off the foil, from the cheese and noodles smothered in sauce and meat, brings tears to my eyes. It's just so beautiful. We haven't had this type of home cooked meal, since my mom was back here.... oh how I miss her!
Debora is so sweet, she uses manners waits for the food to be passed around the table, while the boys just dig into it. "Boys!" I yell, frustrated. They all look from their handfuls of freshly chopped strawberries, "What?" Cole and Nathan say at the same time. Like there is nothing wrong with what they are doing. "We are passing the food around the table, not jugs digging into it like wild carnivores or dinosaurs. Let Debora have some first, and we will continue to pass it around the table until it gets to you three," I say, sternly. Debora smiles gratefully and takes some strawberries, and it goes around the table like I said.
It's nice and quiet until Leo does something surprising, " Hey, have you heard anything about mom, Lily?" I stutter for an answer, but I eventually say, "Sadly, yes. Debora, your turn, if that's ok? " she nods her sweet little old lady head and starts speaking. "Kids, I am truly, truly sorry for your losses this week. I don't know who to call for this, but I think your grandparents can handle it. If you ever, need anything, just call me. Or stop by my house. I will be there," she says shakily. It leaves the kids faces awe- shocked. Allia is the first one to say something while quietly sniffling, " Can we at least go to their funeral?" " I am sure, Allia," I say. I jump over there and give her a fully hearted hug and she squeezes the life out of me.
After Debora leaves, we all pretty much just sit on the couch and cry, and comfort one another. In times like these, you should be able to show weakness.
I'm the first one to speak. "Anyone up for a movie?" I say. They say sure, and we watch half of Despicable Me 2, because we have to go pick up my grandparents.
With my foot being better, and with the bomb dropped on our faces earlier today, we all go. I drive my moms old supposed  "work" car with Cole, Leo, and Madison. Erica drives the minivan with her siblings, Nathan and Allia.
While I'm driving, Cole is humming the song Titanium by David Guetta. And I join in by singing the chorus,

"I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose, fire away, fire away. Ricochet, you take your aim, fire away fire away. Shoot me down, but I won't fall, cause I'm titanium. Stone hard, machine guns, firing at the ones who run. Stone hard, as bulletproof,"
Then Madison joins in, cause she loves the song as well. We both do. We finally, finally, get Leo to break out of his little shell, and he sings a little as well.

We arrive at the airport, and we wait 15 minutes for their plane to arrive. Erica and I park, and we walk into the luggage claim zone, searching for my Grandpa and Grandma. Grandma sees me limping around, and runs up to hug me, then Erica, Allia, Madison, Nathan, Leo, and Cole. "Where's Grandpa?" I say, full of wonder. She points over to him, and we see he has his face stuffed into a pretzel. I laugh, and limp over there, being the last one to hug him. " Alrighty! Let's get a midnight snack, and back on the road!" Grandpa says. We laugh, and stop for more jumbo pretzels, at a nice and clean gas station.

I drive the mini- van with grandma, grandpa, Allia, Madison, and Nathan. Erica drives the other car with Leo and Cole.
Once we arrive at home, we let Grandma and Grandpa sleep in the guest bedroom, I sleep in my bed with Madison, Allia in my moms bed with Erica, Leo in his bed, Cole and Nathan in his bedroom.

In the morning, I get ready for my doctors appointment, and have Grandma take me to it. She is kind of excited to see what is going on with my foot, and I'm ready to get of these crutches and say, "Bon Voyage." Oh would I love to toss them overseas, or into a raging forest fire. Doesn't matter, as long as they get destroyed. They leave serious blisters on your arms.
The doctor says I can get off for 2 weeks, but come back for a check up. If all is well, no more crutches. But I will have to have a follow up appointment in 4 months, though.

We go home, and Grandma calls the funeral home. It's sad, that I am going through this. But, whatever kills you makes you even stronger. Just ask Kelly Clarkson.
The funeral is in 3 days. We are taking their savings money, and using that for their funeral.
Next, is who are we going to live with? I don't know. My Grandma and Grandpa plan to live here until we are all able to live on our own. I guess that will suffice.

We get to do online school now, because of this. Well, I'm kind of fine with it. Except for the one friend that I made. Kelsey. She was so nice... and rich. But that's not why I care about her. She is also invited to the funeral, along with many others.
I just hate that word. Funeral. It makes everyone want to cry. And at a funeral, everyone cries.

Today is the day of the funeral. We are all wearing dark clothing, to mourn. It's not fun to mourn. When it comes to differences, we all have our own ways of mourning. Like Erica. Hers is singing. Madison's is playing games with Cole or Leo. Leo's escape is music. Nathan's is playing the computer. Cole's is football or soccer. Mine, is either music or thinking. Grandma's is writing. Grandpa's is fishing.

We eat an early lunch, because the funeral is at 12. My hair is curly, Erica's is straight, Allia asked me to do her hair in a French braid, and Madison is wearing her hair in a French- Fishtail braid. Instead of all the boys hair being spiky, it's flat, across and gelled. We look nice, and sharp. Kind of sad. Parent less children. All in black.

At the funeral, we all say a few words, but when I get up there to say goodbye, I lose all control of myself. My legs feel so wobbly, from me crying I sir down on a bench in the Church, and take a few breaths. Then I walk to the bathroom to splash some water on my face, so I look like I haven't been playing with black marker. We go to bury them, and we each get one shovel full of dirt to put on top of each of them. I take my bouquet and separate it into four pairs, and lay each pair on each gravesite.

I'm an emotional wreck at the dinner afterwards. I am in my room for quite sometime, but I eventually go down into the kitchen and grab a plate of steak, broccoli, a little lasagna, and a drink. We kind of eat in quiet but there are few conversations, one about flying bacon. Stupid Cole.
Once everyone leaves, we watch a movie about an art theft.

I fall asleep on the couch, and wake up in the middle of the night. I walk up the stairs, without falling, then to my bed. Madison is hogging the covers, so I just do my sleeping technique and fall back asleep.