WOUNDED

17. Dave Stevens

        Days had gone by quickly. The day of the burial was here and Alex could still feel the numbness. Three days after the Will was read, they were gathered at the Lee funeral home, ready to escort their dad on his last ride. Alex was tipsy. She had raided her dad's alcohol and this morning she had finished the third vodka in the house. Jenny had left to her parents place after the chaos on friday and other than to conclude on the burial arrangements Alex had not left the house.
       
They were resting his dad on the same land where his house was and the 20 minutes ride had never been longer. Alex was riding alone on the same hearse carrying his father. She needed to be close to him for just a little longer before laying him permanently on the ground. There were a lot of people than she had expected. She didn't know most of them and couldn't tell how they knew her dad.
         
The burial didn't take long. After her sisters had fainted or screamed and escorted back to the house the ceremony had continued. Jenny,with the help of a friend had read the eulogy with tears on her eyes. Alex hadn't written anything but she had a few words of her own. "I love you dad, you were my best friend, my confidant and the best father in the whole world. You fought your battles strongly with no complains till the very end. My heart is broken into pieces. I've been robbed a huge part of myself that am not sure I'll ever recover. I hope you're in a good place and not hurting anymore. I also hope to see you one day. You'll always be in my heart forever. Bye daddy".
           
After the burial had been over, people had dispersed while others lingered to offer their condolences. Alex had still not shed any tears which was starting to worry her. She had been surprisingly the calm one throughout the whole ordeal and the one to direct everything. When everyone had left or gone inside the house, she was left standing alone at the new headstone laid on his dad's grave. She could ease her shoulders at last without feeling like everyone was breathing down on her neck.

            MR DAVE STEVENS
            A LOVING DAD,
            A BEST FRIEND AND
            A LIFE PARTNER.
      REST WITH THE ANGELS"

  She read silently as the winds raged and the first rain drops fell on her. She stood there for a long time, long after her clothes were soaked to the core,long after the rain had stopped and she was cold to her bones. Only then did she go back to the house. Not wanting to bump into anyone and hold a conversation, bare foot she tiptoed through the back door to her room where she took a scorching hot shower and proceeded to bed.
     
Hours later she still couldn't sleep. Staring at the darkness she felt the first wave of sadness sink in. She could feel the first tears fall after a whole week of being strong. She could feel the constriction in her chest. Only after her dad was put to rest did she cry. She cried for being robed of her best friend, a parent and her life as whole. She cried for herself, for the emptiness she felt inside and for her life that had lost all meaning.
        
She let the tears fall silently. Today was over, she was afraid of what tomorrow had in store. She was not ready for tomorrow. The future was dark,really dark and that was the scariest thing ever.