Encore (Book Four of Test the Limits Series)

Surprise

"I'm glad all of you could come." A short lady with raven black hair streaked with silver smiled sadly as she greeted Felix, Jack, Mark, Marzia, Amy, and Signe at the gate to the cemetery.

"Mrs Iplier-"

"Just call me Darlene dear." The woman interrupted Mark kindly.

"Okay, Darlene. I'm sorry for your loss, it must be hard." Mark sympathized.

"I just-I wish I knew he was alive before..." Darlene trailed off as tears gradually began to well in her dark chocolate brown eyes.

"But he's with his father now." Darlene sniffed, rapidly blinking to dispel the tears.

"Are we late?"

The group whirled around to find Murphy and Smith standing behind them dressed in all black with grim expressions.

"Glad to see ya here Sean and Signe." Murphy smirked slightly as he hugged the two.

"It's nice to see you two again." Smith smiled sadly as she hugged Mark and Amy.

"You're on time." Darlene assured the two coaches.

"Follow me." Darlene instructed politely, opening the gate and leasing the eight inside of the cemetery.

There was a worn, faded, light gray granite gravestone marked Damien Iplier, loving father and beloved husband with a military insignia and blockade number.

Next to it was new shiny black gravestone marked Edward Iplier, beloved son of Damien and Darlene Iplier. His remains were kept in a sleek black coffin already in the ground with a single red rose on top

The last grave was similar to Dark's except it was marked John Schneeplestien, loving friend of Edward Iplier. In his coffin was a white rose with the top dyed neon green.

"I never knew he had a boyfriend he was living with here." Darlene whispered.

"I never knew that they were together, I thought they were just really good friends." Murphy chimed in.

"They made it rather clear that they were together when I saw them at competition." Jack spoke up.

"Competition?" Darlene repeated in confusion.

Murphy and Smith exchanged glances before filling her in on what he had done in the past year.

"I never knew....Edward ran away from home after Damien died when he was eighteen." Darlene sighed.

The group stood in somber silence for a few moments, staring into the coffins as the clouds rolled on overhead, shading them from the afternoon sun.

"Thank you all for coming." Darlene sighed with a small genuine smile that shone through her tears.

"It's the least we could do." Felix replied respectively.

Together the nine lined up as Darlene retrieved a shovel from her car, scooping dirt up and dumping it on top of Dark's coffin.

The process continued until both graves were completely buried, bouquets of flowers left on the graves by Smith and Murphy.

"What did he look like? John I mean." Darlene spoke up as they stood in front of the graves.

"Here." Signe pulled up a picture of him on her phone when they were playing Mario Kart in the hotel, his blue and green eyes shining with excitement and joy, his arm linked with Dark's as they both concentrated on the screen with Dark's mouth open mid laugh.

"Edward really loved him a lot." Darlene realized with a soft smile.

"They were pretty close." Marzia nodded.

"Well, like I said earlier, thank you all for coming so much. Feel free to leave whenever you choose." Darlene waved dismissively.

As the group walked away, Darlene went back to the grace and knelt down on the fresh dirt, bowing her head as she closed her eyes.

"I don't know what I'll do without my little light in my life. I hope that you're happy with John wherever you are." Darlene whispered before reluctantly standing up, glancing back at his grave one last time before slowly walking back to her car and driving to the airport to go home.