New York- Where Dreams are Made

Chapter 196- The Funeral

The dizzying scent of flowers flooded my nose as we trudged trough the funeral doors.

So much has happened in the past week.

But now it's time for Addie.

I can't focus on Wicked or Chris or anyone.

Just Addie.

Darren squeezed my hand when another set of doors opened.

The room was decorated all in white, which was odd because I remember Addie saying she wanted Blue for Katie.

Addie and Oak stood over the casket, tears falling from their face.

Darren parted from me, going to wrap an arm around Oak.

I pulled Addie into myself.

She sniffled, gripping the back of my dress.

I stared at the child in the casket.

How ironic that this is the second Katie I've lost this lifetime?

I clear my throat and take my seat as the preacher calls for us to sit, still holding Addie.

He speaks, but no one truly listens.

Everyone is stricken with grief.

After a bit, Addie stands to speak.

She trips over her words a bit, but soon smoothed them out to some point of recognition.

"Katie and her twin brother were my first kids. I had never been a mother before. My mother always told me how hard it was to raise a child..."

She paused.

"But she never said how hard it would be to lose one."

Darren reached over, taking my hand.

Addie took a deep breath.

"When I had Katie, my best friend was in deep sorrow still for a girl named Katie."

I took a shaky breath.

"She was her lifeboat. She kept her steady. Kept her from falling. And I appreciated that. Because without that Katie, I might not still have her. So I decided to name her Katie."

She wiped her eyes.

"Right before Katie was born, her father died."

She inhaled deeply.

"He died trying to get to me."

Some of the cast members behind me sniffled.

I turned around, giving them sad, but reassuring smiles.

"And every day, I told her about him. About how handsome he was, how strong he was, how romantic he was. And she always said, 'I can't wait to meet him.' And sure enough. That was the truth."

She stared into the casket, longingly.

"Thank you."

And she stepped down.

As she took a seat, Lin stepped up.

I awkwardly avoided eye contact with him.

"Since this isn't the only cast funeral we've been to, we decided to carry on a tradition."

I gulped, standing to take my place at the piano.

Lin, Pippa, Rene, Chris, Leslie, and Darren stood in the front of the church in a line.

Darren nodded at me.

I took a deep breath, staring at the keys with shaky hands.

God I love this song.

But I hate it so much.

It's full of so much pain and sorrow.

But it fills empty hearts.

I put my hands on the keys, slowly playing the tune I've learned by heart.

The group at the front opened their mouths and began to sing.

"525,600 minutes. 525 thousand moments so dear. 525,600 minutes how do you measure, measure a year?...."