Too Far Away (Keaton Stromberg Love Story)

Chapter 22

Chapter 22; P.S: I'm sorry :(

Dressing up was difficult. Nothing seemed good enough for my daughter's funeral, but after a while I got tired of trying to find the perfect outfit.

I was frustrated. I was frustrated and angry, and all together I did not want to attend the funeral.

The closed casket was going to be brutally antagonizing. I would never get that one last glimpse that I had prayed time and time again for, but I knew the decision of a closed casket had been my own. I knew it was for my own good, but I was still holding a grudge against myself for taking the easier route.

"Jules, baby, I know you don't want to go, but you have to. Come on, get dressed." Joanna spoke from mine and Keaton's doorway.

I hadn't seen Keaton since this morning, and it was now almost two in the afternoon. The funeral service began at three.

"I don't know what to wear." I answered honestly, my voice sounding horrible even to my own ears. It was cracked and deeper than usual; giving away the blatant and excessive crying that I had hoped would be more secretive.

"Here," Joanna sighed, stepping into the room and picking something out for me. I didn't even look at it before or after putting it on.

I followed Joanna's footsteps. She led me downstairs, her hand in my own as we went. We didn't stop until we reached the car, and it was then that I realized the entire house was empty.

"Where's Keaton?" I began mildly panicking, and Joanna shushed me comfortingly, her hand coming to brush over my arm.

"He's already at the church, Julie. He'll be there, okay?" Joanna murmured, leaning over to kiss my forehead before she drove.

The radio was on, but I was oblivious to what was playing loudly as the car lunged forward. I knew the sound was there so Joanna and I did not have to speak. It was there to busy the constant silence, although, to me, the noise was worse.

The noise made my ears ring, causing an ache to pound at the corners of my skull and continue to do so until we arrived outside of the church.

As Joanna had promised, Keaton was there. He was dressed up, and he was waiting for the two of us outside. He pulled me into his grasp immediately after I stepped from the car, and I just prayed he wouldn't let go. Not during the service.

The casket was placed directly in the front of the room, and it was perfectly centered.

"I can't do this." I shook my head, and Keaton held me tighter.

"Yes you can." He insisted, nodding. I didn't believe him, but I pretended to.

The casket was awful. It was like someone had placed a gigantic monster right in the middle of the room that slept peacefully until approached. Once you stepped before it, it bit you. It bit you, and that's when the crying would begin.

The first person that I recognized who stepped up to the casket was Drew, and it was no surprise to me that he was one of the first.

For a while, he just stood there. He just stood there with his eyes squeezed shut, one hand over the closed lid. And somewhere throughout his wordless speech, he broke. He suddenly began spiraling, his body breaking as he fell to the ground in front of the casket, tears streaming down his cheeks.

It was genuinely painful to watch, and I was forced to fling my body against Keaton's, my eyes clenched shut as I pressed my face to his chest. He rubbed my back.

"Julie?" A voice snapped me out of Keaton's chest, and I turned.

Drew stood in front of me with his arms outstretched, and I fell into them without a word. I hugged him tightly, allowing him to cry into my shoulder. I refused to cry myself, though. I couldn't break too early.