Reality {Aerosmith}

ONE

 

“Some days you're the bug, some days you're the windshield.” 

―
 Steven Tyler

 

ONE

 

She wasn't quite sure how her whole life could suddenly turn upside down in a matter of hours, her body felt numb while her mind was stuck on repeat - how could this happen? Why was it kept a secret? Secrets, she wasn't sure how she felt about the words, she use to never give it a second thought but now it held a whole new meaning. In hours, her parents were taken from her in a drunken car crash and in the awake of their death revealed hidden knowledge.

Dread first filled her stomach at opening the door to a couple of police, their grim faces not helping the moment as her Gran stood beside her. "Delaney Brody?"

"That would be me." Their full attention was brought upon her and she wished to god she hadn't opened the door and had left the music turned to an unreasonable volume.

"We are sorry to inform you that your parents were involved in a car crash, they didn't survive-" The rest of the Officers words hazed into the background as she stared just above the Officers shoulder not clearly seeing what was in front of her. All she could hear was car crash and didn’t survive.

 She could vaguely feel the pressure of her Gran’s hand as the door closed with a click and Delaney was steered in the direction of the lounge. The old couch didn't have the same effect on her as it usually did, the usual comfy cushions felt stiff against her body. "Sweetheart?" The soft tone of her Gran’s voice made her focus on the older woman's wrinkled face, green eyes filled with tears. "Come here." The older woman pulled her against her frail body on the couch, emotions swelling in both of them as they used each other for comfort.

It was the next day that she felt as if auto pilot was on, her body going through the notions of the day. Delaney did notice her Gran seem to decrease with her energy, the already sick woman losing more of her edge at hearing the sudden death of her daughter.

Cooking and caring for her Gran was a thankful task instead of the usual dragging one, it gave her something to do with herself, keeping her hands busy and making sure her mind wouldn't wander to far from the topic at hand. 

The few days went by slow when in reality the pace was quick as plans were made for a funeral and the surreal part of it faded at the edges rapidly as Delaney stared down at the closed coffin, they couldn't have an open one because the damage from the wreck had been to major. It was that last glimmer of hope that it was a mere dream of her wild imagination as she couldn't see their faces.

 It was throwing down the purple and white paradise flower onto her parent's coffins as they sat in a hole in the cemetery. With the heat of the sun making sweat drip down her back and the cold headstone against her hand, the crying of others echo in her ears as her own tears silently streamed down her cheeks - it was truly happening, they were gone, forever.

A seventeen year old - they needed support and structure as they made their transaction to adult hood and making decisions, ideas on how they would like to live their life. She did have all that in place a few weeks ago, now it was scattered like a broken necklace of beads on a wooden floor.