Crashing Love [COMPLETE/PUBLISHED]

Chapter 4: Goodbye

When we arrive at the church, they already have her casket set into the front of the church by the altar. It makes everything seem so real. I just want to believe that someone will tell me that this all a joke. That she will tell us to come home and we will celebrate my 18th birthday, even if it is a week late. The hot tears start to stream down my face and I go to wipe my face, but someone's hand beat me to it. I flick my eyes up and I see Elijah taking his hand and wiping my tears away. He gives me a soft smile and he takes my hand. He gives me a reassuring squeeze and leads me towards the front of the church. I see Dad take a seat in the front row without going closer to Mom's casket. Does he not care anymore? We are saying goodbye to Mom and he is acting like it doesn't matter. He hasn't said anything to me the entire time that we have been here. You would think that he would be sticking with his daughter. He isn't the only one that lost someone.

"He'll come around eventually," a voice says. I turn to see Aunt Abby standing there. I wrap my own arms around my body after Elijah left to go by his parents, not voluntarily of course.

"He hasn't even tried to comfort me or check in on me. I understand that he lost his wife, but I lost my mother. He shouldn't be trying to do this on his own," I say as a whisper. I am trying to keep the tears from falling down my face. I not only lost my mother, but I'm losing my father too.

"Oh, sweetheart," Aunt Abby saying pulling me into her. I let the tears flow down my face onto down onto her chest. Time passes on and it is time for the ceremony to begin. I move to sit next to Dad and Elijah moves over from his parents and he sits down on the other side of me in the pews. The family decided on a private ceremony, so it is just our family here. The pastor steps out and walks over to the podium and begins the ceremony.

"We meet here today to honor the life of Aria Grace Carter. We give thanks for her life and wish her well now that their time in this world has come to an end.

"For Aria, the journey is now beginning. But for us, there is loss, grief, and pain. Every one of us here has been affected - perhaps in small ways, or perhaps in transformative ones- by Aria. Her life mattered to us all.

"It is important for us to collectively acknowledge and accept that the world has fundamentally changed with her passing. We are all grieving. Life will not be the same - nor should it be. Together, let us open our hearts and commemorate the impact Aria had on us.

"Members of Aria's family will be coming forward to share thoughts on her life, but first, let us listen to a song that she loved." Mom's favorite song, You are the Reason, by Calum Scott, starts to play throughout the church. Tears flow freely down my face and Elijah pulls me close to him.