Pernicious 2 (punk h.s.)

ten

A/N

Picture Noah as Nolan Funk *picture above* :)

Rose.

There was one time, a long time ago, I remember one of our best days. The days that I could say I was proud and happy to be the daughter of such wonderful people. One of these days was one I could remember as if it had were yesterday.

It was summer, the hit had risen to one of its highest that year. I was about six years old and my parents had woken up late that Sunday. For some reason my dad was in his best mood and so was my mom. They had cranked the ac up to keep us from burning. The kitchen was mixed with multiple smells of bacon and chocolate chip pancakes and eggs and fruits everywhere. Fresh strawberries were cut in the blender to make my mothers famous strawberry banana smoothie with a secret ingredient to make it so sweet. She had never told us what it was but that made it so much better.

I remember being confused and asking if it was someone's birthday or a holiday. It wasn't either, just a day. A good day. We sat and watch disney movies until noon. That's when my dad suggested we take our day outside. He packed bread, cold cuts, water and orange juice in a cheesy picnic basket. My mom dressed me in a pink floral bathing suit and a straw sun hat. She had decided on her blue bathing suit and a wonderful yellow sundress that only she could pull off with a straw sun hat of her own. My dad joined our hat trend and wore a blue Hawaiian button shirt with flowers and trees on them.

We got in the car and drove off as if it were something we did this all the time. Never in my childhood had we just had a day like this. Just a day of happiness and laughter. That day, my dad had played what is still one of my favorite songs today. I Wanna Hold Your Hand  by the Beatles. I swear we sung it the whole drive. And when we got to the beach, we splashed around. Singing that song and grabbing shells. Building castles and playing in the water. Then the sun began to set, everyone had already went home. The chill of the sea began to rise on the night and we watched the sky turn dark. I had been cradled in my fathers arm like if this were what we were. As if he had held me like this all the time. As if this was who he was. As if this was who she was. As if we were normal. That day, we were a happy family. And I cherished everyone moment of that day because I knew we never had been nor will we ever be like that again.

When the priest asked me to share about my father, I kept that story to myself. He nor the co-workers that were reluctant to be there needed to know that story. That's not who he was. That's who he was for that day, that's it. In the end, it was just a day. One day doesn't change who he was.

"No it's okay," I give a small smile. He is a bit perplexed by my decision to keep silent, but nevertheless, he continues reading from his holy book.

And as he reads, I pretend I listen or care about what he's saying. Included the idea that my father was a great man and one of kindness and goodwill. When he says this I slyly laugh, trying to keep it low so no one stares at me. I glance to see a couple women crying. They're all young, some blonde others brunette. Probably those hoping to hook up with him. They even whisper, "He was a great man," and I scoff, shaking my head noticeably. They stare at me but don't dare to say anything, they know better than to question me right now.

It had seemed the priest finished, signaling me to stand up and place my flower on his coffin. I chose a single forget me not. A meaningful but somewhat predictable sentiment to give to my father. I stand numbly as they lower his coffin six feet under. The machine is slow and quiet, moreover interesting. As he lowers, I began to questioned the whole charade. His picture had been enlarged surrounded by an abundance of flowers, non of which I chose. The priest was someone who I never met nor hired. It had all been arranged for me. I didn't mind because the details wouldn't have mattered. He was dead, it wasn't like he could judge everyone who showed up or even the selection of flowers surrounding him.