Stand By Me - A Theodosia Story

Shocked.

          The young girl stood in the middle of the giant group gathered by the hole. Tissues were being passed around to everyone. The tears seemed to falling as quick as the rain over their heads. Every sob, every word, every thing, was cancelled out. 

Theodosia Burr kept her gaze on one spot. She couldn't look up, she couldn't look down, she just stopped. She made everything go away, even the loudest of sobs from her mourning father didn't faze her. Theo was the only one who didn't shed a tear. For sure she missed her mother, but she couldn't feel anything. After the death, little Theodosia had fallen into a deep hole, something she couldn't climb out of. Not only did she feel sadness and anger, but shock. This has come out of nowhere, a pop up storm in the middle of a clear summer day. Theo didn't want to believe her mother was really gone, so to her, she wasn't. Just on a long vacation. To a place where someday they would see eachother again. Theo would count down the days until the reunion. 

The girl felt a little tap on her shoulder. Light and more energetic than someone should have been at the funeral. Theo turned her head slightly, not wanting to look anywhere near the grave, only to see a little smile and a mess of curls. Philip Hamilton. Her best friend, the person who was there for her when her father wasn't. 

"You holding up okay, Theo?" The boys voice was soft and caring, understanding in a way that it felt good to hear. 

She nodded, smiling slightly at her peer. It was a lie. How could someone feel okay? Especially at a time like this. 

At this moment, Theo regretted ever taking her eyes off the small space she usually stared at. A vision she would never forget was shown in the saddest of ways. Her Father, looking at her with a tear stained face. His expression not filled with sadness, but hope and trust. He saw a future for them, like somehow they could carry on after this. Those things put on the girl who couldn't even speak at the moment. Her eyes then caught sight of her Mother. She watched as she was lowered into the ground. 'Vacation..' Theo kept repeating in her head. It wasn't helping. A tear finally escaped her eye as her father grabbed her hand, leading her over to the hole.

"Dad No! I can't do this!" Theo choked out as she caught sight of the coffin in the grave.

Every head turned and looked at her, some with sympathy in their eyes, others with annoyed looks. Were they mad at her? She wouldn't believe it. Theo pulled out of her father's grip and looked up at him with an 'i'm sorry' look. She then looked around at the crowd of people who had come to say goodbye, making direct eye contact with Philip. He was crying? But what for?