Long nights and street lights

The next week

Do you know how hard it is to organise a funeral when you still can't accept that the person is gone?

Connor helped me but it was hard because I don't have much family. Everything ended up being super relaxed and chilled because I know that's what Dad would have wanted.

It's hard. It's really damn hard. Even with everyone there helping me, I struggled. I hated the pity too.

That week was probably the most difficult week of my life. I wasn't ready to go back to my house yet so I made Connor go in and collect some of my crap.

I stayed every night at his house, hardly sleeping, hardly talking. Not even thinking about going back to work. The days when Connor worked were the worst. I took walks but they did no good, just made me think more and more. Overthinking was my killer.

Connor tried to help. He would keep me distracted. But at night, around two am it would hit me. Dad is really gone and he's never coming back. I would sob silently into the pillow, trying not to wake him.

One night, he did wake up.

"Aisha? Aisha what's wrong?" He sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Aw honey come here."

He held me in his arms until early hours of the morning. Until I fell asleep.

When I woke up, he still had his arms around me and I realised I felt comfortable, at home and content. I realised that I wouldn't mind waking up in these arms every day for the rest of my life.

He told me he had to go visit his sister for five days. I was cool with that. I mean of course I'd miss him but I knew he'd be back and I knew she needed to see him. I'd be fine, I knew I would be.

"Do you wanna stay at mine or yours?"

I hugged him real tight. "I'll stay here."

He gave me a kiss on my forehead. "Don't get into too much trouble. Remember I'm only one call away. I hope you'll be okay."

"I'll be fine. Off you go." I said bravely.

I watched his red, Magna drive out the drive way and watched my one and only go with it before I walked inside, wondering what to do with my life whilst he was gone.

I had just made myself some two minute noodles for dinner and sat down on the couch to watch 500 Words when my phone started ringing. It was a private number. The only people that I usually got calls from were my Auntie, Connor and work. So this was quite unusual.

"Hello? Aisha speaking."

"Aisha hi, it's constable Jake Harris. I have been asked to do an investigation on your parents deaths. I was just wondering if you could answer a few questions."

I swallowed. Hold yourself together Aisha, I thought. "Yeah sure, go for it."

"Well, actually, I was hoping we could do them in person. Are you free tomorrow?" He did not sound like a cop. Actually he sounded more like a seductive bar tender. But I do briefly recall Dad mentioning him as just a 'young sprout'.

"Yeah I am."

"Cool, how about ten?" Ten?! Geez usually I haven't even thought about waking at that time.

"Yeah that sounds fine. At the station?"

"Preferably in your home. Is that okay?" Oh crap. Now I'll have to get up at eight so that I can walk into the house a few times before hand and make sure I'm not going to break down.

"Er...sure."

"I'll see you tomorrow at ten then."

I hung up.