You And Me Against The World | ✅

Chapter 83

Tobias and I arrive just ten minutes before the service starts. We hurry to where the funeral is held and stand in the back, not wanting to disturb the mourning crowd. I can barely hear a thing, partly from the crying but also the wind seems to have picked up a little. I look up and see heavy, dark storm clouds. I just hope the rain won't start until everything here is finished.

Half an hour later the sermon concludes and Myra's father thanks everyone for coming to say goodbye to his beloved daughter. I have given up on holding back my tears and have cried for the last ten minutes without pause. Tobias wiped the tears away at first, but they kept coming and he just let me shed them. After Myra's family and friends say goodbye to her Mr. Jenkins opens the urn and scatters her ashes. The wind spreads it all over the park and beyond and I realize that we will all be reduced to dust in the wind one day. But the time we spend here on Earth is what matters and the people who mark our lives. I cling even more to Tobias and he holds me close, comforting me the best he can. We wait for the people closest to the Jenkins' to say goodbye to the mourning family before we approach them.

"Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins," Tobias says and stretches out his hand for Mr. Jenkins to shake. They do so and I give Myra's parents a small smile.

"Our condolences," I say and Mrs. Jenkins hugs me.

"Thank you, Tris. For all you did for our daughter," she says.

"I didn't do much," I say shyly.

"Yes, you did. If it weren't for you we wouldn't have been able to see our daughter and help her the best we could. Especially, not with the old rules still standing. You changed this city for the better and gave us so much time with our Myra, time we wouldn't have had without you," Mr. Jenkins says. I don't know what to say to that so I just nod.

"Thank you for coming," Mrs. Jenkins says looking from me to Tobias.

"Of course," Tobias replies.

"It means a lot to us that the two of you came and I'm sure it means a lot to Myra too, wherever she now may be," Mr. Jenkins says with tears in his eyes. Again I am speechless. "Before Myra died she gave me this," he says pulling out a small black note book and hands it to me. "She said to give it to you if I don't hear from her within a week. She said it was important and you needed to read it. I am so sorry I only now give it to you, but with all that happened, it completely slipped my mind," he says apologetically.

"Don't worry. It's understandable. Thank you," I say and hold it close to my chest.

After that we just say goodbye to each other and Tobias and I head back to the car. We don't say anything for a long while until he asks me about the book.

"Huh?" I ask turning my head to him.

"I said, I wonder what that book contains," he repeats.

"Yeah, me too," I say absentmindedly.

"What's wrong, love?" he asks, clearly concerned about my refusal to talk.

"I keep thinking of Myra and her parents. I know that death is part of our lives, but it's only now that we expect a child that I realize how devastated they must be," I say wrapping my arms around myself, trying to shield my unborn child from an invisible harm.

"I know what you mean," he says looking straight ahead. "The whole time we were there and I saw Myra's parents mourning I couldn't help but think of our baby. I swear to you, Tris, I will do anything I can to protect you and our child from any harm there is. I will die for you if necessary," he vows and my heart constricts painfully.