The Lonely Widow (Completed) (Editing)

Chapter 7

        “We are gathered here today, to commend Private Brandon Cole to the mercy of God…”

        The priest was talking, but all Daisy could do was stare at the coffin. Her husband was laid less than 3 metres away from her, yet she couldn’t speak to him, she couldn’t see him, and she couldn’t touch him. She felt the bile rise up into her throat as Kurt looked in her direction from the pew next to her and grabbed her hand and squeezed tightly to reassure her. She broke her gaze from the coffin to look back at him, through her tear stained eyes.

        Kurt immediately noticed the anguish in her eyes and pulled her close to him, feeling the way her heartbeat crashed against his chest. He played with her hair and brushed it back with his hand as she snuggled her face into his shirt, just like she had earlier that day. Daisy could feel the hurt in her chest as she struggled to contain the tears from pouring out. She didn’t think she’d be able to stop if she let go now. She listened to the beat of his heart and closed her eyes, taking in the scent of the same uniform that Brandon wore regularly.

        “Are you okay?” Kurt whispered, placing a strand of hair out of her face and behind her ear. He was worried for her. She’d barely spoken a word since collapsing on the way to the church. She’d just been staring into space, watching as the proceedings commenced. He sighed as she didn’t answer his question verbally, yet, nodded her head ‘yes’. He kissed the top of her head and looked back towards the priest, who was continuing with his speech.

        Luke watched from the pew behind them as Kurt cuddled up to his little sister. Who was this guy? He’s just come in and all thoughts of Daisy opening up to Luke had disappeared in an instant. Suddenly, Daisy didn’t want Luke anymore; it was all about this Kurt guy. He watched as Kurt kissed the top of Daisy’s head and looked over to the priest again. The anger rose inside of him and his fists clenched as he saw Kurt’s hand rubbing up and down Daisy’s back. Who the hell did he was touching her like that? She’s just lost her husband, for God’s sake. He was going to tap Daisy on the shoulder and ‘subtly’ interrupt when he heard the priest call Daisy over and she jumped slightly and looked up from her sanctuary in Kurt’s shoulder.

        “Daisy, if you’d like to come and say a few words?” The priest repeated as the heads of other mourners turned to look at her. She looked up to Kurt and Luke shook his head in disgust and tutted. He couldn’t see the fascination in this guy. Why was she so comfortable around him so soon? He was pretty sure that Brandon wouldn’t accept such deceitfulness on his friend’s part. His wife was grieving, it wasn’t her fault! But Kurt; he was man enough to understand what was happening. And he was taking advantage of her good nature!

        The silence in the church was deafening as the congregation watched Daisy slowly walk  towards the front of the church and stop briefly beside the coffin she’d chosen to have Brandon buried in and placed her hand on top of it, finally letting a tear fall from her eye and fall onto the lid of the coffin. She trailed her finger along the top as she walked towards the priest and he placed his hand on her shoulder, whispering that she could stop and start as many times as she wished and that she could stop at any time if she felt she couldn’t do it. She nodded and turned to look around the room at all the people expecting her to start speaking. Instead, she looked into the eyes of hers and Brandon’s friends and families. She looked at all the Army personnel who had turned up and were congregated towards the back of the church. Even the snotty nosed bint from the other week was there with that smug look on her face. Daisy stared into the eyes of each and every one of them, staring them down. She wasn’t going to give in.

        She scowled at all the crocodile tears falling from people’s eyes; the ones who never took any sort of interest in Daisy’s and Brandon’s lives before today. The ones who hadn’t turned up to their wedding, but were quite willing to arrive for the funeral. The ones who were probably only here to make sure that he was dead. She looked towards Luke, whose face was beginning to show confusion as Daisy just stood there, watching everyone watch her. He looked to his parents sat next to him, who were sporting the same confused look. Just as he stood up to go to her, she spoke.