All Of You

Chapter Six

The wind outside had begun to die down, but the mood inside was just the same. Allison now sat on the sofa with her head resting on her mother's shoulders. They shook up and down on occasions, each time the thought of her husband popped into her head. Her eyes were bloodshot and swollen with the blackness of her mascara running down her cheeks. Her face was puffy from the hours of crying and yearning for her husband. She hoped that the cancer was just a dream and that her husband would come jogging down the stairs with a huge grin on his face, acting as if everything is fine, and putting a positive spin on the horrid weather that surrounded them. But the truth was, it wasn't a dream, it was reality and the fact that her husband was never going to walk down the stairs, jog down the stairs or even dance when he was in the best of moods. Her husband was gone and there was nothing that she could do to bring him back. All she had now was memories of them. Memories of when they met. Memories of their time they spent together. Memories of having Allison and watching her grow older, turning into the young and beautiful woman that she was now.

Brenda was proud of her daughter. Proud of how strong she had been for the past couple of months. Proud of how amazing she had been for her father, taking care of him, doing double shifts down at the bakery when she was unable to go as she wanted to spend as much time with her husband as she possibly could. Proud that she was sitting with her right now and being strong for her. Being by her side and doing all of the right things.

But Allison didn't feel strong. Not now. Not after seeing her dad lying lifeless in the bed. His hands cold and the smile that was there even until his final days that would be beaming from one ear to the other was no longer there. Breaking down in Ethan's arms was the first time that she had actually let her mother see how weak she was feeling. How hard she was finding being without her dad anymore. She didn't want to break down in front of her, even if it was in the hallway where her mother couldn't see her, she knew that she could hear her and she hated that. She hated that she wasn't strong for her mother after promising that she would be.

Derek stood in the hallway with Kim and Doctor Richards as Doctor Richards explained to Derek what was going to happen. He explained to him that they were going to take the body away and take him down to the funeral home where they were going to prepare him for his funeral. Derek found everything that the doctor was saying to him hard, he couldn't take anything in that he was saying as the death of his son loomed on his mind. He tried to be strong for his granddaughter and his daughter-in-law but the truth was, he had just lost his eldest son and hearing about his funeral arrangements was almost like a dagger to the heart. Derek leaned back against the wall as he could feel his legs beginning to buckle from underneath him.

Fortunately, as Derek fell backwards he felt a strong hand placed on his back, preventing him from falling any more. Derek looked over his shoulder and found Ethan standing behind him. Derek nodded a thank in his direction and Ethan returned the gesture. He gave him a soft pat on the shoulder as he stepped forwards and shoved his hands into his front jeans pockets.

"So, Doctor Richards, you were saying." Ethan said.

Derek looked at him with shock. Ethan Owens, the same young man who had treated his granddaughter badly for the past ten years was now standing in his son's home, helping out with the family and doing things that no-one would've ever expected him to do. At least Derek didn't, nor Allison who was amazed that Ethan was talking to Doctor Richards about the funeral arrangements. Allison raised her head from her mother's shoulder as she released her hand and slowly headed towards the doorway, looking at them all as they stood in the hallway.

"As I was saying to Derek. We're going to be taking him down to the funeral home where they will keep him until the day of his funeral. They will have to speak to you in person about how you want to have the funeral. I understand that Ken wanted to be buried in the same church where he got married to Brenda, is that true?" Doctor Richards asked.