A Greek Odyssey - Jason Fic

CHAPTER 79

Jason skirted the end of the pew and slid gratefully into the one occupied by Lexi and Anna. Lexi held onto Anna's hand, whilst Jason took Lexi's other one and squeezed it supportively.

Joe made his speech, paying tribute to James's mad sense of humour and how much everyone loved him and his kind nature. Thankfully he managed to get through his speech without breaking down, as did Anna and Lexi with Jason there to keep an eye on them. Joe finished and felt extremely relieved that it was over with, he was pleased he'd managed to get through it without having to stop and compose himself.

Lexi didn't remember a lot of the service. She was vaguely aware of her dad speaking about James and one of his friends doing the same. She was also aware of Freya sniffing a couple of rows behind her, as she choked back tears, but the rest of it passed in a daze. She was just grateful to have Jason there, standing next to her as he held her hand tightly in his.

After the service the family and friends chatted for a while in the car park to allow Joe, Anna and Lexi to look at the flowers and read the messages in peace, which had been carefully laid outside in the garden area. Everyone then headed back to Joe and Anna's house where food and drink was being served.

Josh found Jason out in the garden talking to Daisy and came to sit down with him. Daisy excused herself on the pretext that she needed to go to the toilet, leaving the two brothers to catch up. 'So, who's the gorgeous girl we took to the crematorium? Lexi just introduced her as Freya. Is she family?'

Jason shook his head at Josh, 'don't go there Josh. She'd just started a relationship with James and she won't welcome you trying to chat her up!'

'Oh, that's a shame. I know it's wrong on so many levels to eye someone up at a funeral, but I couldn't take my eyes off her legs in the car. Then when I eventually did, her face was just as gorgeous! She's like a young Nicole Kidman, y'know like in that creepy film Dead Calm?'

'Yes, it is wrong Josh.' Jason chuckled quietly. 'Don't let Lexi hear you saying things like that about Freya. Well, not here anyway. You'll just have to forget about her for the time being and you never know you might get the chance to speak to her another time,' he waggled his finger at Josh in mock annoyance and picked up the glass of red wine which Joe had given him a few minutes earlier in the kitchen, taking a welcome slug of it. He had to admit after the few hours he'd had he certainly needed it and he realised with a start that he felt hungry, really hungry for the first time in days. 'Right, I'm off to see if there's any food ready yet. Are you coming?' he gestured with his head for Josh to follow him inside.

Lexi was still in the kitchen helping lay the sandwiches out, along with the snacks which the local pub had prepared. She still felt extremely sad and couldn't think of James without tears welling back to her eyes, but at least the shivering, trembly feeling had gone. She assumed it must be shock and the body's weird way with coping with the stress of it all. Looking up, she saw Jason waggling his finger at Josh and smiling, and idly wondered what they were talking about - whatever it was Josh looked down in the mouth at whatever Jason had just said to him. Her eyes followed him as he got up from the patio table and said something to Josh, who nodded and followed him across the patio and back into the house. They made a striking pair she conceded, both dark haired with striking blue eyes. The main difference being that Josh was just a bit shorter and stockier built.

'Hello gorgeous!' Jason appeared behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her neck just above the collar of the sheer black blouse she was wearing. 'You ok luv?'

Lexi nodded and turned around to look at Jason, her arms winding around his neck. 'Yeah, I will be Jase. Thanks for everything you've done.'

Jason planted a kiss on her lips, catching a glimpse of the platter of sandwiches she'd been laying out. Snaking his hand around behind her back he nabbed two and quickly took a bite of one, holding the other one out to her. 'Here, eat this luv. You must be starving - you've hardly eaten the last few days.'