A Shell In The Sand

Chapter 23-

Freya-

I sit in our college lecture room with my two girls by my side. As it is the twenty eighth of February since it's not quite summer yet nor winter so this morning i threw on a pair of dark blue denim jeans with small tear in the legs along with a blank leather bralet and black heeled ankle boots and my hair down in loose curls. Chuck or should i say Professor C Micheals has been offering extra classes as we get closer to our deadline to make sure we get our work done. With deep concentration i try and keep my focus on work knowing i need to get it finished but part of me just finds it too difficult. My mum has been riding me over the wedding with every little detail, The first week of February we focused on my dress then the second week Cameron and the boys went and got their suits sorted to which Aileen accompanied them and earlier this week me and the girls went out into town and found their bridesmaids dresses which was fantastic but during all this i'm been forgetting one important detail, who is going to walk me down the aisle?

"What you working on?" Lauren aks me as she nudges me with her elbow and i lift my head and look at ther

"My next piece" I answer her and take my pen away from the paper.

"Which is?" I hear Becca ask from the right side of Lauren

"I know it's morbid but it's about death" I confess to them and i've been meaning to do this for the past month but just not really had the time i suppose.

"Seriously? Lauren asks me frowning her eyebrows at me.

"This is one thing me and Cameron have in common that no one else does. As strange as it sounds this is mine and his thing" I share with them and it's true because yes others have seen death but for me i lost my dad and he lost the girl he loved and his baby it's just something we can talk about where as when i'm with other guys they haven't understood the pain i feel.

"That is one strange commonality" Becca points out to me which makes me laugh a little

"It's either this or nothing" I shrug my shoulders and i really haven't thought about what else i will do. "If it turns out horrible i can easily change it"

"Always go with your gut instincts girl" I hear Chuck say from behind us and i turn my head to look at him. "Even if it's telling you that a picture of cotton candy is the right route to go"

"Don't think we would get the marks for it though" Becca says shaking her head in disbelief

"You would if there was a reason behind it and a great description. It isn't just about the picture but about what people feel when they see it. You have to captivate them" Chuck explains to us and in the past i have heard him say these things before and it constantly reminds me that even if others disagree with my work in my mind i am on the right path and this is what i need to do.

"This whole year is all going to be worth it in the end" I tell them trying to think positive over it all

"Yess girl" Lauren practically shouts out in excitement

"I'll leave you girls too it" Chuck says to us before walking away and i stick my head back down into my work.

"Death is inevitable and this is what this picture means to me. Death brings us closer and it allows us to see and understand what another may be feeling, it allows us to see a different side to someone. I lost my father to death and he the person who sits at this grave lost his first love and baby to death. Due to death it allowed me to see a different side to him, a softer side where he shared his emotions with me and we really understood each others pain and the reasons we make the decisions we do. Because of those deaths here i am today happy to call that man my fiancee. Death makes us stronger, it definitely did for us."

After class at around five i headed over to Chuck's house for supper with his Port in hand. I walk through the front door and can smell the food cooking away and i take a deep breath in my nose taking it all in. I close the front door and smile having not smelt fresh homemade food like this at my mums house for such a long time and only at the Lachlan home.

"Chuck" I call out and hang my jacket off and hanging it on the coat hanger beside the door and take off my boots and leave them there too.

"Kitchen" he calls back to me and that is where i head to with his drink in hand and raise it as soon as i walk into the kitchen with a smile on my face.

"You didn't?" He says in shock seeing me standing there.

"oh i did" I smirk to him and i take the bottle out of the bag and put it down on the table.

"Why do i feel like you're about to drop something on me" He pipes up to me and i smile while walking over to help chop up the onions

"Because normally i do" I agree with him and he's right every time i buy Port it's because i have something to tell him and usually it tends to be bad with a rare occasion of good news.

"add it to the pot please" He instructs me to which i comply with and add the onions in.

After i add the onions to the pot i let it brown for a second and take a seat down at the table which Chuck serves up our mince and mashed potatoes with dumplings on the side.

"This looks delicious, thank you" I tell him with a smile as i accept the plate and put it down on the table in front of me.

"Just hope it tastes good" He replies to me and i look up at him.

"Let's crack this open shall we?" I suggest to him and pick the bottle up off the table and pour it into the two glasses. I put the bottle of port down on the table and hand him his glass and take a drink from mine. We both dig into our food and i glance up at him a few times.

"What is it?" He asks me seeing that i want to say something, i put my fork and knife on the table and look up at him. I can feel my heart starting to race and my palms start sweating.

"From the moment i stepped foot on the campus you took me under your wing and you should me the right path. You helped me out in a great time of need and i will forever be grateful for that and for you and everything you have done for me." I begin to say and take a deep breath in "After my father died you stepped in for him and raised me as your own because you knew what it was like to lose a daughter and i truly feel we have mended each other in a way others won't understand. You are the only father figure i have left in my life which is why I'm here to ask you .... if you would do me the honor of walking me down the aisle on my wedding day?" I can feel my eyes getting wet and my voice breaking as this is really difficult for me to do for so many reasons.

I see his face lighten up with a smile on his face and i see tears forming in his eyes and i pick up my napkin and dab my face with it to wipe away the tears.

"I would love that" He replies to me and i hear his voice breaking from across the table and he stands up and walks towards me and i stand up also. We share a hug together and i can feel his warmth and we both sob a little.

"Thank you" he whispers into my ear

"Thank you" I repeat back to him meaning every word i have said. I know this is difficult for him as well as special because he never thought he would get the chance to walk down the aisle with someone he loves or someone who means a lot to him. He had to accept the fact he was never going to be able to walk his daughter down the aisle and for me to ask him to walk me down the aisle it really does mean a lot to him and i can see it in his face, in his eyes and hear it in his voice and honestly i wouldn't want anyone else to walk with me other than him and i can't wait for that moment to come. Truly and Eternally grateful.