Lost Love

Chapter 5

Gracie and I both woke up late on Saturday morning. It was a call from Tom that woke us up. We were both sleeping in Gracie's queen-sized bed, where we fell asleep watching Toy Story 3 last night.

Apparently, the call from Tom was about a certain someone attending the funeral today, and also joining us for dinner afterwards. None other than... Fletcher Moore. Hip-hip, hooray. Note the sarcasm.

"Are you sure you're okay with that?" Gracie asked when she hung up from Tom.

"Yeah. I think so" I shrug, and walk out to shower, but I only walked right back in. "No, you know what? I'm not okay about it. He can't just show up after seven years of no contact, and think it's okay. Is he serious!? Who even invited him anyway?" I say, pacing and throwing my hands around in the air.

"Tom said Mr and Mrs Parker did. They felt it was right that he was here. Anyway, he still talks to the guys regularly" she shrugged. Then, a question popped into my head.

"It's probably the wrong time to ask this, but he's going to be at your wedding, isn't he?" I ask.

"That won't be for a while, Sammy. But yes, most likely" she frowned. "But that's okay" she stated.

"Yeah, I know. I was just... curious" I shrugged and then went to shower, so I wasn't doing it all last minute before we left.

We began getting ready at 4 o'clock. I had called the lobby asking for a cab at quarter to 5, sharp, and said it would be waiting for us. The small church/cemetery where the funeral was being held was just outside of the city, a ten minute drive from our loft, maybe five in a speedy cab.

I slipped into my dress after doing some light makeup. It was a black bodycon dress, with some studs on the sides, which Kenzie had bought me for my 21st birthday a few years ago. She said when I wore it to my birthday dinner that it was her new favourite dress of mine, so I felt it was fitting to wear it. I left my hair down and natural, no matter how much I disliked it, it too was Kenzie's favourite.

"I'll wait in the lobby, Sammy" Gracie says to me as she walked past, all ready. I quickly brushed through my hair again, put some light lip gloss on and slipped into my Christian Louboutin black pumps. After putting some cash and my phone into my Chanel clutch bag, I left. Yeah, working where I work has its perks. Like, amazingly high pay, and some free 'samples' from the shoots I help out on. All I do is get the models, photographers and stylist their coffee, but hey, if I got a free Chanel bag out of an hour of coffee runs, I'm not complaining!

As soon as Gracie and I got out of the cab at the cemetery, we were engulfed in a hug by Mrs Parker. Mr Parker followed soon after.

"I'm so glad Kenzie was friends with you both, you know. You made her a better person" she said, getting a bit teary. Her husband's arm found it's way around her.

"She loved you both very much. Spoke very highly about you all the time" his eyes twinkled in memory.

"Thank you" I say, Gracie smiling. "I think we'll go find Dylan. We haven't seen him all week" I excuse us and we walk up the stairs, after Mr Parker said he was inside with the other guys. We walked in and Gracie went to Dylan, hugging him before sitting directly next to Tom, weeping a little.

"Hey Sammy" Dylan said, his voice raspy. He hugged me and I held him, letting him cry silently into my shoulder.

"It's okay, Dylan. She's okay" I soothe, rubbing his back. He regained his composure and wiped his face.

"Thanks, Sammy" he said, voice scratchy. I smiled at him and rubbed his arm.

"Any time, Dyl. Always here for you" I said. I hadn't noticed yet, but now I did. He was sitting next to Jay on the end of the pew, furthest away from the isle, where Gracie was sitting next to Tom. I ignored him and sat in between Tom and Jay, hugging Jay before talking with him like we used to. Mainly, this time it was about Dylan and how he was holding up.

"On behalf of the Parker family, I thank you, friends and family, for joining here together today, to say goodbye to a dear loved one. Kenzie Parker" the priest said. "I do believe Mr and Mrs Parker have requested for someone to make a speech?" he says, looking to them for confirmation. They nodded and Gracie and I stood, walking arm in arm up the few stairs and standing behind the podium, where Gracie placed the paper we wrote the speech on. She began.

"Hi, I-I'm Gracie, and this is S-Sammy. We were, and still are, Kenzie's best friends. S-she-" she tried to continue, but her shaking body and sobs were too much to subside. I looked to Tom for help and rubbed her back.

"I got this. Go to Tom" I whispered in her ear. She reluctantly left me standing alone, and sat with Tom again. I cleared my throat and looked down to the paper. It seemed to formal now. I discarded all words on it and went with what my heart was saying.

"As Gracie said, I'm Sammy, and we were and still are, Kenzie's best friends. Kenzie was the type of person who called everyone her best friends, but the way she said it to us... the sound of her voice, every time, we knew it was different to her usual way of saying it" I began, looking at the half-filled room. I recognised Kenzie and Dylan's cousins, who I had met a few years ago after tagging along to a family event. "I could stand here and list all the amazing memories I've shared with Kenzie, and how she helped me through the bad, but that's too cliché, and lets face it; Kenzie hated cliché. So, instead, I'm going to tell you just how insane she was" I smiled slightly at remembering memories with her. "She was the type of girl who didn't care what others thought. She'd comfortably eat three burgers on a date, and still be hungry afterwards. She carelessly talked about boys, her feelings, and uh, girl things, in public, no matter who was around. I tell you, if she met the President she'd easily ask him how many people he's dated, or how long his wife was in labour for" I chuckled, hearing the light, amused laughs of the people in front of me. "She honestly, made me the person I am today. There's not going to be any backstory to me; those who know are the only few who do. Kenzie, though, she didn't care. She would openly ask me about things I didn't dare to look back on, and forced me to. I see now, and then, that she did that so I could move on from them, and put the memories to rest. Somehow, I don't think that's going to be the case with her" I pause and my eyes caught Fletcher's. They twinkled with adoration at me, his brown eyes hiding his feelings that he won't show, and his brown hair shorter since I saw him last. "Kenzie's memory will live on in all of us, I can guarantee that for sure. She won't be remembered for how and when she died, but for how she lived, and what she lived for. She lived for many, many things, all of which I am incredibly proud to stand here before you all today, and say she was my best friend. She always will be. No one can ever replace Kenzie Parker. No matter how hard you try, she comes back like a rash" a few giggles came again. "But, I can promise you all this; she's a rash I wouldn't by cream for, and I would gladly let it take over my whole being" I paused. "Thank you" I finished and walked back to my seat. Not even one tear came the whole time I spoke.

"Excuse me, Sammy?" a tanned girl stopped me outside the church.

"Yes?" I smiled at her, wondering who she was and why she was here.

"Hi, I've heard so much about you. I'm Miranda. I was seeing Kenzie" she says, sadly smiling at me.