TJL#13# Fire Girl

Time Can Heal

Natalie's POV

The funeral was supposed to take place in the church near Franquez house in Rio De Janeiro. We were sitting in the church. I looked at Leo. He was all quiet. He was looking at the coffin inside which his grandma was sleeping forever. He didn't blink just kept looking at it. The priest was saying things I didn't pay attention. All my attention was on the person who was sitting beside me, my fiance. He was looking all calm only I knew how a tornado hit him inside he was totally broken. I looked at our hands and found he was holding my hand tightly. I kept looking at him. He gritted his teeth and kept himself calm. All that time he kept looking at the coffin and I kept looking at him. He didn't say anything. Just kept looking at it.

He tried his best not to freak out when the coffin was taking away to bury it. Everything was done and people started to leave. I saw him still standing in the same place. I just sighed painfully. I found no one was left but our family. I told them to leave. They didn't want to but I assured them that we will be fine. I just wanted to help Leo.

He sat down on the ground and touched the name of his grandma written on the top.

Chelsea Gustavo Franquez

I sat beside him. I hold his hand and he didn't say anything.

" Leo?" I called him softly.

" Umm?" He said thinking about something deeply.

" Wanna stay some time more?" I asked him and he nodded.

" Ok." I said intertwining our hands.

" Do you want to stay alone for a while?" I asked him but he shook his head. I nodded.

" I never thought you will leave me like that, Grandma." He said and sighed deeply. " I don't know what I want to tell you but I love you. I know it will be hard for me but I need to be use to live my life without you. I need to get used to not getting your sweet cute scolding and those lovely colorful words you had for me. I need to change my cookies taste. I need to change the habit of having your cooking. I need to change my every habit that was related with you. I need to change a lot of things. I need to change the whole me. I need a lot of time." He said and I sighed.

" You know how important you were to me. God choose to take you away. I won't complain. I just wanted to tell you that I love you." He said and a single drop of tear found it's way toward his cheek and I wiped it. " I don't even know how to mourn. I am completely lost." He said and I wrapped my other arm around him. I tried to make him comfortable. I caressed his back. I know how to calm him down. I hold his hand and he looked at me. I gave him a small smile though I was on the verge of crying.

" You know, grandma. I was a stupid yesterday. I lost my mind totally. I was really messed. But I got a hard slap. It was too hard." He said and chuckled. I just sighed. " It worked. I already lost you, I can't lose her now. Can I?" He asked his grandma. He looked at my hand and found the wedding ring of grandma on my forefinger. He smiled a bit. I kept looking at him.

" Look, your ring." He showed it to her. " I gave it to her. Just like you wanted." He said. " I wish you could give her that by your own!!!" He said.

" I know I couldn't save you but I will make every dreams of yours come true. I will take care of your restaurant which you worked hard to found all these years. I will make your recipe book publish, I will take care of your things and Gelle too." He said. Gelle was grandma's pet cat. She loved it a lot Leo told me. When she went to the UK she left Gelle here with her sister.

" I will do everything you wanted to do for you." He said.  " Can you come back?" He mumbled slowly. " I am going to miss you every second of my life." He said. He was silent after that. I kept quiet all the time. Suddenly it started to rain.

" Leo?" I called him and he  looked at me.

" Let's go sit there on the bench under the tree. You will catch cold or else." I said to him.

" Let it be." He said and I sighed.

We kept sitting there in the rain. None of us said a word we just kept staring. He was staring at the grave and I was staring at him. His body was trembling by the cold drop of water pouring on us. Suddenly he removed his suit and put it on my head.

" What are you doing, Leo?" I asked.

" You're trembling and your lips are turning blue. You go sit there on the bench. I will just come." He said.

" I won't leave you alone." I said. He sighed deeply.

" Why are you that stubborn??" He asked me.

" I don't know." I said to him.

" Ok, let's go." He pulled me with him and we sat there on the bench. He kept looking straight at the place where his grandma was laying. I kept my head on his shoulder.

" I am going to find out and kill Elliott Pallette." Suddenly he said.

" Count me in." I said.

" Not at all." He said and I looked at him.

" Why not??" I asked him.

" You're going back to UK tomorrow morning and you're going to prepare yourself for your exams. I don't compromise with studies. I want you to top in the exam. You are banned from any kind of savage actions until you're done with your exams." He said.

" Excuse me!!! Come again!!" I looked at him disbelief.

" You heard me, right??" He asked me.

" Fu*k exams. I can attend them later." I said.

" Not at all. You are going back tomorrow. That's final." He said.

" What!! No." I said.

" Try me." He said. I gave up.

" Let's not talk about that. I want to spend time together." I said.

" We can spend time together after your exam as well." He said.

" At least let me stay with you for a week." I said. He shook his head.

" 2 days." He said. " After 2 days you are going home." He said. I sighed.

" When will you be back to the UK?" I asked him.

" I don't know. May be soon. I need some time." He said and I nodded. I can understand that. He needs to it for himself. I will give him that space and time he needs.

" Ok." I said and sighed. Only time can heal him now.