365 Days At The Swings

Sarah

That... insufferable jerk! I couldn't even describe his actions. Leo was just being a plain a*******.

He was holding onto a grudge that was way overdue, it was time that Leo forgave Little Al.

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8 years ago

"Would anyone like to say a few words about Mr. Harris?"

The pastor spoke up as he looked into the crowd of grieving people.

I always thought that funerals would be a dreadful thing to go to. Seeing your loved one in a casket, lifeless and dead.

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I am right.

It is dreadful.

But it's also eye opening.

The occasion is terrible but it forces us all to lean into one another. To get through this period of time.

But that didn't apply to everybody.

I always thought that misery loved company. I found that being true for me, but for Leo, it wasn't.

He mourned with silence. And regret.

He mourned in a way that was more powerful than the tears that people shed in Mr. Harris's funeral.

It was the horror that was stricken onto his face, that made everything else worse.

So when the pastor asked;

"Would anyone like to say a few words about Mr. Harris?"

No one spoke up. No one wanted to hear about how much of a great man Mr. Harris was.

It's because we already knew.

All we wanted to do was mourn.

Mourn with comfort.

Or in solitude.

Sometimes, that's all you can do.

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"I am gonna go now okay? But if I can do anything for you, let me know."

I mumbled to Leo as the service came to a close.

Besides, everybody was almost gone, and I figured he wanted to be alone.

Which was fine with me of course, I couldn't blame him.

As I was about to walk away, Leo speaks up and says;

"Little Al's family moved today."

Huh? Little Al never mentioned moving to me.

This caused me to stop walking and to turn towards him.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, that shitty ass family left on the day of my father's funeral. Poof! Gone! Not even "I am sorry for your loss shit."

Leo said with a sneer, standing up as he continued on to say;

"I don't even think Little Al knows he is dead. He wouldn't do that to me? Right? But I guess that doesn't matter anymore, he is gone and his coward father is gone. Gone. They left when I needed them the most Sarah."

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"Hey, are you okay? Did that bastard hurt you?"

I mumbled as I sat next to Little Al in the ground.

He was talking to a neighbor, as he gladly took an ice packet from him.

"Thank you sir."

"No problem son."

With that, Little Al turns his head towards me and gives me a goofy grin.

"Nothing a little ice would fix Rahrah."

I blushed in response, as a million memories comes to mind.

"Please never speak of that name."

"Why not? You used to say that all the time when you were angry. Like you were chanting a spell to keep me away from you. Plus, it goes with your name."

I rolled my eyes then said

"Whatever, so is there anything I can get you."

"No, Sarah I am fine. I don't need any favors."

"You got hurt, at least let me offer you a lemonade from my Mom's stand. She is still obsessed with lemons."

I said with a smile, standing up and pointing the stand from across.

"Well, that's an offer I couldn't refuse."

Little Al replied back with a grin, standing up as well.

"Okay, one lemo-."

But I never get to finish my sentence, the moment I feel my body trembling towards the ground.

The world going black in just a matter of a seconds.