True Colors (Sequel to Colorful) [Adopted by Emblem3]

Chapter 30: Leaving flowers on your grave

Song of the Chapter: Gone Away by The Offspring
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Ryder's POV:
(sorry if this is really religious to some of you. i'm a christian so im just putting this the way ive seen them. sorry to those who may be offended.)

"Robert E. Johnson was pronounced dead at 3:42 pm, on October 15th, 2014." I heard the television say at my dad's funeral, they were replaying a newscast about him. "After the incident, his home in Venice Beach, California for further investigation. Police reports say that a potential suicide note was found on his kitchen table. It was written mainly to his daughter and late wife." The priest the. shut the television off to complete the ceremony.

"I will now read the note left in Mr. Johnson's home." The priest started as Tyler held my hand. I read the note myself before but, I still needed to prepare myself.

"To my dearest Yvonne whom I love to the ends of the Earth and my baby, Ryder who I sincerely apologize to,

I know that I have done some things that never should've been done. I've said some things that never should have been said. Now, after many years of prison and therapy, I've had some time to think and to sober up.

I regret everything I said, Yvonne, to cause you to take your own life. I regret everything, Ryder, that I ever did to cause you physical or emotional pain. That wasn't me. I swear.

And if I come back with you as my daughter again, this letter will no longer suffice. I'll shred it, no longer to be seen, as I will have already apologized.

If you refuse, I will have no further choice but to do what your mother once did. I'm sorry. And I know, I'll be resting in the depths of Hell because, we all know, I wasn't no angel. Please, don't worry about me."

I had only shed a single tear. I had only allowed myself one. That was it. I was no longer going to cry over him.

"And now to conclude the ceremony please, join me in prayer for the soul of Robert Johnson."

After prayer, the casket was closed as my Uncles and my dad's friends proceeded to carry the casket out to the hearse.

We followed it down the hill to the cemetery where we would bury him.

I wiped underneath of my eyes with a tissue and then neatly tucking it into the shirt pocket of my dad's tux.

They re-closed the casket after placing a family photo and his note in with him.

The slowly began lowering him in six feet into the Earth as Father John began reciting a verse from the bible. I began listening to his words very intently.

"Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. -John 6.35-40"

The covered the casket with dirt before I placed the flowers and cross beside his headstone.

"Robert 'Rob' E. Johnson
1969-2014
"I wasn't no angel""

God, knows he wan't no angel.

I stood up and took ahold of Tyler's hand.

We began walking over to Father John.

"How have you been Ryder?" He asked me, greeting me with a warm hug.

"Still shaken up a bit but, I've been okay." I sighed.

"I'm praying for you all. My wife, Judith, said she would bring a dish over to your home later." Father smiled.

"Oh, she doesn't have to." I said. I didn't want her going out of her way.

"She does this quite a bit. It's best to just agree." He chuckled.

"You've got that right, Father." Drew agreed. "When your wife comes down, you come to and you guys can join is for dinner."

"We'd hate to intrude." He interjected.

"It's better to just agree." Drew pointed out.

"True. I suppose I will see you all later." Father chuckled before we separated.