Hayden & Dean (The Sequel) - A Tethered Love

Chapter 19: Letting Go

I wait at the bedside of my mother as the beeping of her heart rate stops. It's like a part of me stops as well, a part I've long been wanting to stop. My father grips her hand, letting a few tears escape his eyes as his head droops low watching her lie there completely motionless. The doctor and nurse standing in the room with us allow him to take all the time he needs and they quietly exit the room after documenting her official time of death. My father shakes his head after maybe 7 to 9 minutes and re positions himself to his upright and straight posture he's known for. He lets go of my hand and turns to me "let's move forward now dear" I can tell he's trying to be strong.

"Dad" I hum out, putting my hand on his arm "it' okay to mourn, to wait a bit before planning everything." I encourage softly.

He shakes his head "no, she would not want to lay here wasting away." He nods while saying it and moves past me outside of the room. "Charles, I thought you had left." He comments once he's out of the room.

Charles turns around "of course I wouldn't leave Martin." He sort of smiles back "I called the best funeral parlor in the city. They will have everything prepared to hold her wake on Friday, I figured she would have liked that best."

My dad agree's nodding his head "she would have, yes" he agrees.

"Perfect. They would like you to call to confirm a few things, but I told them you would do it tomorrow. I've called down for a car to take you both back to your home, they should be outside any moment."

"Thank you" I say to Charles, truly meaning it. I never planned a funeral before, I wouldn't even know where to start. It's then that I remember Charles has already lost both his parents, and I'm a tad more thankful he is here with us to help with that part of the process. "Shall we go dad?" I turn to my father and ask.

"I'll meet you down there darling." He nods to me and turns to shake Charles hand "thank you son."

"Of course." He responds and Charles and I both head towards the elevator. Once inside, I bow my head and suck up my pride "Thank you Charles, really. This is going to be difficult for him and I'm glad you're here to help with this."

"It'll be difficult for you too Hayden, she was your mother." He tells me.

I shrug "probably." I agree "but worse for him. They really loved each other, no matter how they showed it."

"They were one of a kind couple." He smiles back. The door opens to the main floor and we exit towards the car I can see already waiting. "Remember that night after that concert in the park?" He asks jogging my memory.

I laugh "of course. It started hailing out and we could not catch a taxi! We ran home, without my shoes on!" I smile "I still get a pain in my foot when it rains." I add on.

He laughs as well "when we finally got you home, you're parents were outside making out on the balcony in the hail! It was ludicrous." He continues the story.

"It was romantic." I change the word he used. He nods now, the door open for me to get in.

I slide into the seat and look up to Charles who asks "does your husband do romantic things for you?"

"He does when he can." I tell him, smiling remembering Dean's version of romance being different than his.

He nods "great. Well, Goodnight Hayden. I will come by tomorrow to help with everything else. If that is okay with you?"

"That'll be fine. Goodnight Charles." I smile back up to him. He shuts the door to the car and walks in the opposite direction the car is facing. I grab my phone from my bag, wanting to call Dean and get more information about the spell they found to get rid of the mark. I dial his number, but he doesn't answer. I try once more, declining to leave a message. I convince myself he's busy preparing and will call me before they begin with anything. I only have to wait a few more minutes when my dad gets into the car. "Let's go home." I say once the door is shut and we give the driver the address.

Once at the house, my dad waits at the door for a few minutes, staring at it like it's no longer his home. "I don't know if I can do this." He sighs, his eyes glistening with the tears he is holding back.

I wrap my hand into his and encourage him "it's okay dad, I'm right here with you. As long as it takes." My voice is barely above a whisper but I know he can here me.

He looks down next to him to see say something in return "I'm glad you are here Hayden. I'm glad you came back into our lives." He squeezes my hand just a little.

"Me too." I return the gesture. He exhales again and this time takes a step forward towards the door. The doorman lets us in and we go back into their home silently.

My father declines the drink that is waiting for him once inside and goes to his room without any more words. I thank Lizette for the drink and take it myself, not wanting it to go to waste "I so sorry for loss Ms. Hayden." She smiles sympathetically towards me.

"Thank you" I say back, already knowing I'll be saying that a lot over the next few days. "Why don't you go home early tonight. I'll take care of my father." I say to her. She looks at me eerily but I add on "really, it's just us two now. We'll be fine." I lean in to give her a hug "thank you." I say into her ear as she returns it.

"Thank you." She says back to me, moving to the closet by the door to get her things.

After she leaves, I stand there letting the silence sink in, letting the events of the day soak through me. It's there in that silence that I let a few tears fall for the loss of my mother. We may have not been close, but part of me was hoping to rebuild something we lost now that I was back in their lives. I was hoping that knowing she had a grandson would change her, make her more maternal, into something that she never could be for me. After sometime of sulking, I wipe away the tears and pull my phone back out. Dean should have returned my call by now and I try to call him once more time. Still no answer, so this time I leave a message "hey babe, it's me. Just checking in, call me back and let me know what's going on. I love you." I hang up and go to my room, letting the exhaustion come over me and drifting off to sleep quickly.