Graceful Departure// Harry Styles Fan Fiction

Chapter Ten

“Johanna!” I shouted across the road as Johanna and Mark got out of their car.

“Harry..” She said, opening her arms to embrace me in a hug. “How are you?” She asked me, I nodded and gave her the best smile I could.

“It’s been a while since you’ve been here, hey?" She nodded back at me as Mark pulled two suitcases up to the house.

“Harry.” He nodded in my direction and proceeded into the house.

“I’m so not ready for today.” I said sadly as Johanna took my arm and followed me inside.

“Me neither.” She said quietly.

***

The funeral went slowly. There were many tears and wails from behind me as I sat with Johanna and Mark on one side of me with Liam, Zayn and Niall on my other side. When it was time for Mark to deliver his speech, he found he lost his voice. “Harry.. I can’t..” I nodded and took the paper he had written on to the stand and stood in front of the seated audience and began to recite the words on the paper. 

“I remember the day Louis was born as if it were yesterday. He was a large healthy baby and when I held him in my arms… I felt so complete. I fell in love with him immediately. He was the most precious thing I had ever laid eyes on.” I looked up from the paper and took deep breath, taking the time to wipe away the tears from my eyes. I looked down at Mark who was getting up and exiting the church. “He always seemed to be engaging in very musical and dramatic activities. He loved his guitar and piano. Louis was happiest when he was making other people happy with his singing. He always said he needed his guitar and a stage and everything else would take care of itself I used to roll my eyes when he said that. Deep down I knew he was just a little boy inside.” I took another deep breath and steadied myself. “Louis taught me so much about life and myself. He taught me to always discover and try new things. Before he was around, I never thought of music as anything of importance. I learned to appreciate the beauty of music from him. He taught me the importance of expression. Louis used to give hugs to just about everyone he knew. He allowed me to experience fatherhood, and for that I am forever grateful.”

“But most importantly, he taught me the importance of humour. Louis was always laughing and horsing around. He made everybody feel so good inside. He used to say that humour is the cure for sadness, and I began to truly believe that. He had the most beautiful outlook on life, which fascinated me.” I wiped the tears away from my eyes again and took yet another deep breath, looking down at the boys who did their best to smile at me to let me know I was doing OK. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jennifer sitting with Samantha’s parents who were also in tears.

“My daughters reminded me of a time when Louis broke his leg from a biking accident. He had to be in a cast for 8 weeks which would prevent him from participating in a song contest. I went to see him in the hospital, upset, which I always did get when he got hurt. But he just looked at me with a huge grin on his face and said “Daddy, it just wasn’t meant to be. Now I can sit around the house and bother you all day.” And then he just started laughing and laughing I couldn’t help but laugh with him. His positive mind frame was contagious. And I know that all of you are first hand witnesses to that contagiousness.”

I smiled to myself, remembering a day when Jennifer and I had had a huge fight and Louis made me sit on the sofa while he spent the whole day trying to cheer me up, and in the end he laughed at his own joke which sent me into a fit of giggles. His laugh was all I needed to cheer me up.

“Charlie Chaplin once said, in the end, everything is a gag. I know my Louis would have believe that. I know he would want us all to remain humorous and positive here today, and forever. Son, your humour, dedication and bravery made you great. I love you little Louis.” From the seats in front of me I heard Johanna whisper “I love you boo bear.” And with that little whisper of words I slumped down from the stand and took my seat next to her. I slid my hand into hers and cried with her while the funeral came to a slow and painful end.