The Way Back

Chapter 29

TOBIAS POV

There are too many funerals to be held at a time with the whole faction involved. So while there is a general funeral meant to honor every Dauntless member who died in the war, there are also separate funerals that commemorate specific people. I have seen them taking place all around the compound this week, and I don't think they will be done anytime soon.

We hold one for Lynn.

It is pretty small, but then again Lynn didn't tend to have many friends; she used to scare everyone off with her threatening persona. It is a gathering that consists of Shauna, her mother, Zeke, Hector, Marlene, Uriah, Will, Tris, and I. We crowd into Shauna's hospital room—she is still too weak to walk—and share some of our favorite memories about Lynn.

Tris fidgets nervously while we go around the circle, and it doesn't go unnoticed by me.

"Are you all right?" I ask softly as to not interrupt the current story.

She stands on her tiptoes to whisper into my ear, "I don't remember anything. What am I supposed to do?"

"You don't have to say anything. I'm sure everyone will understand."

"What am I even doing here then?" She sighs and presses her face into my shoulder. "Isn't this rude to have me here? I don't even know Lynn. I shouldn't be at her funeral of close family and friends."

"Hey," I whisper, wrapping an arm around her waist. "You should be here. You were even closer to her than I was."

"Yeah. I was. Now I have no clue what she even looked like."

Instead of arguing with her any further, I press my lips together before simply replying, "When you get your memory back, then you'll be glad that you were here."

Because it is a matter of when and not if. Caleb has been working diligently, and I believe that after everything Tris and I can at least catch a break this one time.

Shauna hugs the urn that contains Lynn's ashes closer to her as Marlene finishes her recount. She and her mother decided that they wanted to keep it for a while until they could figure out where they wanted to bury her.

Uriah goes next, telling about the times when he and Marlene and Lynn got into trouble as kids. It makes Shauna's mother stifle a sob.

Out of nowhere, Tris asks me, "Did Lynn have short hair?"

Puzzled, I answer, "Depends on what you mean by short." If she can get this key feature right, then she remembers Lynn after all.

"Like a buzzcut. Way shorter than yours."

I smile fondly. "Yes. Yes, she did."

When Uriah finishes, everyone looks to Tris before quickly darting past her to me, in an effort to not put any pressure on her. She clearly can't share any stories, so I am about to take her turn after I clear my throat.

But I don't get to say anything because Tris pipes up next to me.

"The first time I met Lynn, she intentionally stepped on my toes in an elevator."

All anyone can do is gape at her, shocked. And I don't know if this is rude or not, but I can't help but stifle a chuckle. Luckily, everyone else joins in, and I don't know if they're laughing because it was so unexpected, or because that is total Lynn behavior, but I'm grateful that no one thinks my amusement is disrespectful. Even Lynn and Shauna's mom joins in, and she was crying a moment ago.

"What?" Tris seems embarrassed by the outburst of laughter, so I reassure her with a kiss on the top of her head.

"That's Lynn for you," I say. Aggressive, and yet loyal, Lynn.