Book three of "Who We Become."
Sunset's life is far from glamorous, but when she learns that Fluttershy has it even worse, Sunset can't help but take it upon herself to solve her friend's problems and give her a safe place to live.
For Fluttershy, t...
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Everyone wanted to talk to her. To tell her that they were sorry for her loss, to ask her how she was holding up. And for each of them, Fluttershy would have to lie. She had to pretend like the world hadn't fallen from her below her. She had to put on the brave face and show them that she could be strong, even without her Mama.
All Fluttershy wanted to do was run away. The entire service, all she could think of was being back in her bedroom, where she wouldn't be surrounded by people she barely knew, and where she could at least have a wall separating her from him.
She sat beside her father as someone spoke to the crowd about her Mama. He had never known her, but he was speaking about her life and the effect she'd had on others. Of course, it wasn't like Fluttershy herself would be able to speak. All she could do was cry.
Her father sat stoically beside her, face unreadable. But Fluttershy had seen him crying the night before. For a moment, she felt empathy for him during their shared grief. Then he hit her for having seen him cry, and all she could think was that if Mama was still here, he wouldn't dare.
So Fluttershy just watched someone who never knew her mom talk about how she left behind a loving husband and daughter. Fluttershy thought differently. She'd died, and love had died with her.
After he was done, other people took to the podium. At least they had known her in some fashion, although none of them had been close to her for years. Her Mama's declining health had prevented her from being close to anyone except her daughter and husband.
But at least they'd known her, which should have made it better. But instead, all Fluttershy could think was that none of them knew her like she did. Even her father hadn't known her like Fluttershy had. Day in and day out, Fluttershy had been the one by her side. She had been her Mama's world, just as her Mama had been hers.
And now, she was gone.
When everyone finished talking, they were supposed to each take a turn walking past the open casket to say their final goodbyes. Some people had tokens they would leave with her. Fluttershy had wanted to bring a sunflower because they were her Mama's favorite. Her father had said that was stupid, so she had brought nothing.
He took the front of the line, with Fluttershy behind him. She watched his face as he looked into the casket, and saw it move from one unreadable expression to the next.
Fluttershy didn't want to look. Her Mama was gone, and her body wouldn't hear any last goodbyes. But she was expected to, and she dare not disappoint, so she stepped up after her father had left.
She looked into the casket and saw a young woman who looked very much like her Mama, but who wasn't her. She was covered in blood, and her hands gripped her stomach protectively. As Fluttershy looked down at the scene, she swore she heard a baby crying.
She was expected to move along, so she did, and she did not think of the woman who looked so much like herself again.
