Without You

Part 17 "Heartbreaking reality"

I peel open my eyes and look up. Luke's smirking face is staring right down at me. My cheeks heat up once I realize the position I'm in, in his arms. He notices that and carefully places me back onto the ground.

"Thank you," I murmur quietly.

"You're such a silly goose Aubrey," Eli shakes his head at me. The girls laugh at that.

"Luke, Eli, this is Kelsey. She's one of my friends from back home," I introduce. They all shake hands and I notice Kelsey giving a look to Luke.

Weird?

"Well, thank you for coming but, we should really get back to Aubrey's now," Izzy thanks Luke one more time and we climb into my car.

Once we return to my house, I'm drained. Pulling myself up, onto that roof, has been my workout for the year.

The rest of the night we just lay around and watch a whole bunch of happy movies.

Tomorrow, is gonna be the hardest day of my life.

_____________________________

"Aubrey," I feel a hand brush a curl off my forehead. I open my eyes and look up at my mom.

She's wearing a black dress with 3/4 quarter length sleeves.

"It's time," she says sadly. I sigh and get up.

The day hasn't even started and my emotions are already everywhere.

I get in the shower deciding to let my hair do its natural thing.

Dad loved it when I did that.

After my shower, I put on the long, flowy, black dress that the girls picked out for me last night. I decide on no makeup, knowing that the tears would just wash it right off anyway.

I walk out my bathroom and I see the three girls sitting on my bed, in their depressing black dresses, looking at me.

They all give me sad smiles and I try and smile back.

A knock is heard coming from outside my door and I go and open it.

"Are you girls ready?" My mom asks. We nod and head down to the cars.

Izzy drives and I sit in the back, gazing out the window.

I miss you so much dad.

We pull into a parking space at the cemetery and get out the car.

In dad's will, he specifically stated that he only wanted graveside. He didn't want a funeral in the church and at graveside. He was a very straight-forward man.

"Hey Aubrey," I hear a voice say from behind me. I turn around and see Owen standing there, looking very handsome, in his fancy dress uniform. I smile sadly back at him.

I used to love it when dad wore his dress uniform.

"You okay?" He asks pulling me into a hug. I only nod. I feel like if I talk I won't be able to get through my words.

"This is Kelsey, Izzy, Olivia," I say pulling away from the hug and pointing, "and this is my mom and Rick."

"Nice to meet you all," he smiles sadly and shakes Rick's hand.

We walk to the graveyard and when we are close enough, I see many men and women dressed in their uniforms. I also see two large pictures of my father. The first one is of him smiling brightly at the camera. The second one is of him in his uniform.

I haven't seen a picture of him in quite a while.

Of course, my eyes start watering and I have to stop and collect myself.