Serenity

Funeral

Ella's POV

After we were told the body was Denises. Dwayne wanted her to be buried to bring peace to him Ava and Olivia.

We all flew back to California to make the arrangements. Denises family were flying in from all over the place. She had a large family. We thought it best if we didn't mention she had left Dwayne. Even though she left him, my brother loved her and would have done anything to have her back. Christian decided to stay back in New York to finish off some of the plans to rebuild the shipping dock and said he would be there the day before the burial.

We had a closed casket during the funeral proceedings. We were in a church with the tinted windows of a different colours, filled with family and friends who had come out to pay their respects.

Ava stood to give her eulogy of her mother
"Hi everyone, Thank you all for coming to farewell my mother today. She was a loving mother always so patient with me and my sister. Never yelled at us, was so thoughtful and kind. My fondest memory of my mother was when we went out for ice cream and I had dropped mine and cried. She looked at me and said 'somethings are no worth crying over when it can be fixed' and I looked at her with a questioning look wondering what she meant then she said 'Ava it has fallen now on the ground and you can't eat it but what can you do to make yourself happy again, crying won't help you, so what else can you do?' I looked around unsure what I could do then realized I could ask for another one which she smiled and said I'm proud of you, Ava started crying uncontrollably before Dwayne walked up and held her to him, I I I love you Mum Thank you for always teaching us theres always a solution to a bad outcome, even though your gone my memory of you will never fade I am your child and I will always cherish that, I'll miss you. Rest in love Mum" I grabbed Ava so that Dwayne could stay standing for his eulogy.

I placed Ava between myself and Derek so we could comfort her.

Dwayne eulogy "Hi everyone Thank you all to Denises family Thank you for comforting myself and my daughters during this time, her friends for always being at the house making sure we have eaten and taking care of us. To my sister, my brother and brother inlaw who were always my constant light during the darkest times I love you all. Where do I start Denise and I meet in high school we were high school sweethearts, we had the fairytale life, we both went into our choosen careers we married young we have two beautiful growing daughters. Our marriage was one of respect for each other and I loved her dearly and though she is gone I hope and pray she finds that happiness in the next life too. We will miss you Denise but you will never be forgotten your memory with us will always be with us. Rest in peace Denise love you always"

So after the funeral service we all jumped into our cars to follow behind the hearse to her final resting place. It was on the other side of where my parents were buried. We said our final goodbyes to Denises and then the family place the dirt back on top of her coffin. While I held Ava and Olivia to me.

Dwayne had organise to have a few light snacks and drinks at a bar down the road from the burial site.

We were standing around when someone tapped me on the shoulder I turned to see it was Jonathan I was so happy to see him.

"What are you doing here" I asked

"Well darling I heard about the funeral and I wanted to come see my friend and comfort her"

"Omg I'm so happy to see you how have you been" I said hugging him again

He pulled away holding my hands
"I've been good, I've started to see a new guy his name is Jayden and he is amazing he showers me with love and gifts and treats me like I'm his King" he smiles

"Oh I'm so happy for you Jonathan you deserve nothing but the best"

"Thank you darling anyway what have you been up to lately tell me everything"

"Omg I have so much drama going on in my life I don't even know where to start"

"Well come on girlie I want to hear everything"

"Well it looks like Joes assassins have been in full force lately"

"Omg I feel like we need a drink for this" Jonathan said as he dragged us over to the bar and he ordered us some drinks while we took a seat.

I had to whisper in case anyone heard

"Over the last couple of weeks we have been shot at, a bomb set off in our home and a fire at Christians shipping dock, took out most of Christians shipping dock, he's lost some really amazing employees. We've fought with assassins and have managed to come out on top. Thank god but its been a very hard few months of bodyguards everywhere even when you don't think they are there they are there"

"Omg Ella is there any indication where they are who they report too, anything"

"Not really all we know is the Assassin's are called Assassin's 3"

"Weird name for a gang?"

"Yeah I thought so to until Sam our detective working on our case told us its in reference to their tattoo"

"Tattoo?"

"Yeah apparently when they get initiated into the gang they are shown but hierarchy its of a dragon there are 3 claws 3 being you do the small jobs, 2 claws are for majority of the Assassin's they do all the jobs killing women and child anyone that stands in their way, but the leader would have 1 claw it covers their whole back, wait I have a photo of it on my phone" so I pulld out my phone and show Jonathan the photo I watched as Jonathan goes into shock

"Fuck" Jonathan said before he grabbed his whole glass and drank all the contents on the glass.

Then the next words that came out of Jonathans mouth I could not believe I was hearing this. And like a slow moving movie the light in the bar shone through the windows the air suddenly was gone and the noise of everyone around stopped, the people moved at a slow pace and I stood and moved with the rest of the room so slow I didn't know if I was moving and then I meet with his blue eyes they stared at me with concern I watched as he walked slowly to me moving people out of the way to get to me and then I felt him place a hand on my cheek and say my name

"Ella" Christian said and just like that everything went back to normal the movement of the people in the room the noise at it normal tone. But my heart rate was speedy at such a high rate. I looked at Christian

"Its Martin"