Jack's Choice

CHAPTER 3: It's Goodnight, Not Goodbye

●SALLY●

While finishing up getting ready for the funeral. I walked out to see Jason slumped forward a little while sitting on the couch with his chin resting in his hands while his elbows were propped up on his lap.

I walked up and knelt down in front of him and placed my hand on his leg.

"How you holding up?" I asked him.

He shrugs a little bit before answering.
"I miss him."

"I know. I do to. But you know what? Remember what I told you before when people die?" I ask him.

"That it isn't goodbye, but goodnight. Because goodbye would mean I would never see him again, when I will." He says.

"Yeah. He's just sleeping." I smile at him.

"Yeah. A really looong sleep." He says while fighting back a smile.

"Exactly." I tell him.

"So he's sleeping like my dad." He says with a smile.

I swallow the big lump in my throat that has just formed as I take in a deep breath before replying.

"Yeah. Just like your dad." I assure him. Though I have no idea where his dad is but yet didn't want to have him think that he was the reason he left when it wasn't and that his dad knows nothing about him.

"Mom? Can we go please? I wanna see Aunt Kelsey." He says.

"Of course. Let's go." I tell him as I grab his hand and we begin to head out towards the car and head over to the cemetery.

Now, even though Kelsey and Tommy weren't blood related, I always looked to them, along with Ruth, my boss, as my family. For I never knew my real family and my foster family left me alone when I was younger. Ruth always took care of me and I always thought of Kelsey as my sister and Tommy as my brother. So they have always been Aunt Kelsey and Uncle Tommy to Jason.

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After walking over to Ruth's, since my car was in the shop, we headed towards the funeral and after pulling up behind Kelsey's car, we got out, as did others from theirs and we walked over towards where they had the casket.

It was an outdoor funeral. It was set up really nice and unfortunately, had to be a closed casket as his entire body was too damaged, we'll say, to be made up enough to be shown.

We walked up towards Kelsey as she was already sitting down in her chair in the front, shaking people's hands as they were paying her their respects.

Once we took a seat next to her we hugged her and Kelsey wanted Jason to sit on her lap as he did and she held him in her arms as he gave her a big hug.

Then right as the minister was about to conduct the funeral, we all stared at the casket and everyone began crying.

Throughout the entire time, I couldn't stop from crying and Jason, the gentleman he is, he handed me a couple of times, some tissue.

Then during the middle of the ceremony, while the Minister was still talking, I looked through the blurriness from my tears, and saw a familiar face. One that I never thought I would ever see again. Though he had sunglasses on, I felt as though he was looking right at me. It was him......Jack.

I quickly come back to the present as I feel Kelsey nudge my arm to let me know the Minister has just said my name for me to come up there and say something. Which was going to be difficult, especially now that I know Jack's here. Then again, I already promised Kelsey I would.

So I smile at her and Jason, take in a breath and start to get up and walk towards where the Minister was standing at at his podium.

I cleared my throat a little bit before starting.

"I would first like to apologize for my shakiness and for not being good at this kind of stuff." I take in a breath and let it out as I begin to talk. "You know, Tommy wasn't just a good man, good person. He was also, an amazing Fiance.." I said while looking at Kelsey. "An amazing uncle to my son, Jason and a best friend to me...." I said with a smile at him. "But also someone who could make you laugh and forget about any pain you're feeling. He was always good at seeing both sides to every story. He would stand up for you, even if it cost him his life." I stopped as I tried not to cry. "I remember when we were kids, we had built a two story fort, that we got help from his grandpa. And to us, that was our safe place and we would pretend that we were all grown up and married and we were all roommates." As I finish saying that last part with a forced smile, which suddenly fades away as I look up and see everyone's eyes on me, including Jack's who has take off his sunglasses and I can see his eyes are red from crying and also who I had forgotten was even here. Then I continued.

"But then we grew up. And some us stayed and some of us left. You know, something I've always told my son about when people die. It's that it's goodbye. Because goodbye means you'll never see someone again. When instead, we say goodnight, meaning we'll see them again. And I don't know, maybe I'm trying to be optimistic, but, I'd like to think that he's just sleeping and that one day, when we all go to sleep, we'll wake up, and he'll be asking us where the hell we've been, cause he's been waiting." I laugh, which so does everyone. "So in conclusion, of this long and boring speech of mine, I just want to say to Tommy, that we love you. You were one of a kind and can't wait to see you again. And goodnight." I conclude, wiping the tears from my eyes and as soon as I sit down, Jason reaches out for me and sits on my lap while we both hug each other and cry, why also, Kelsey hugs us too, as does Ruth.

After the Minister says a prayer while they lower the casket into the ground, I'm holding Jason's hand and have my arm around Kelsey to comfort her as she cries into my shoulder.

Next chapter will be posted soon! :)