TONI POV:
I watch as Nana Rose gets buried in the Blossom gave yard at Thornhill, It's really depressing. I look over at Cheryl. "I didn't expect this many people to come." She whispers. "How are we gonna feed this many people?" She ask me. "I called Pop Tate he's gonna deliver a few boxes to your house." I whisper taking her hand. I look down trying to keep myself from crying. I take a deep breath. "You ok?" She ask quietly. "I don't know." I answer. Once the funeral is over we go back to Cheryl's house. We only allowed a few people to come over now we have a bunch of burgers. I notice Cheryl isn't anywhere to be found so I go upstairs to her room. She just quietly sitting on her bed. "Where's Jughead when we need him?" I ask eating my first of 3 burgers. "Well, we have you." Cheryl whispers. "How do you eat all of those?" She ask quietly. "I play Basketball I work out for 3 hours everyday." Cheryl nod. "True." She looks down. "You ok?" I ask quietly. "After you leave, I'll be alone." She whispers. "And I know you'll be staying with your parents!" I smile. "I'll stay if you need me to. I still have to go back to college, but I can stay here until that." I whisper. "I'll still be alone after." I look down. "What about before?" I ask quietly. "Well, the care taker that I never actually learned the name of, has been getting his shit together before he leaves and he's leaving tomorrow." She whispers lying into me. "I wish I could stay here for along as possible." I whisper. I rub her back. I really worry about Cheryl at these times. She has a history of suicidal thoughts and I don't want her to do anything that will hurt her. I look at Cheryl. "Can you promise me something?" I ask quietly. She nods. "Don't try to do anything that will hurt you." I whisper. "Toni, I'm taking my medication and I haven't had any of those thoughts in months." She tells me. "I'll be ok." I take a deep breath. "I know you don't believe in God or anything, but, do you think she's found her peace?" Cheryl ask quietly. "Yeah." I whisper. "I just kinda feel bad." She says quietly. "Why?" I ask concerned. "I just feel like she was in pain and we just let her die." I watch a tear leave her eye. "Cheryl she was gonna die no matter what. But she died at home, not in a hospital." I remind her. "You're right." She whispers. "It still sucks what happened, but it was out of our hands." I whisper. "Do you want to go back downstairs?" I ask quietly. "Yeah." I take her hand and we go downstairs.
"How's Cheryl?" Mom ask quietly. "I think reality has set in now." I tell her. "I think she has a little guilt. Honestly I don't think she's going to be ok." I whisper. "Can you check in on her every once in a while?" I ask quietly. "Yeah! Of course. Have you guys figured out what you're doing for Christmas?" Mom ask quietly. "Yeah, I'll be here since I come home early, so we'll spend sometime here than once she's off we're gonna go on a road trip to Maine where her family cabin is." I explain. "So this is your first Christmas way. Wow you've grown up." I smile. "Mom?" I look at her. "Yeah?" She smiles. "Why do you have to be like this?" I ask quietly. "Because you'll always be my little girl. And I know you're getting older and you're starting a family soon, but you're still my little girl." She whispers. I smile. "You and Cheryl are gonna have children, right?" I laugh quietly. "Yes! I don't know when or how or who! But we are going to have kids because Cheryl won't let us not have kids." Mom laughs. "Good! I want grandchildren!" I nod. "Won't that make you feel old?" I ask quietly. "Yeah, but I've been waiting for you to have kids." I sigh. "I haven't yet." She smiles. "A woman can dream." I take a deep breath. "I have to go check on Cheryl." I whisper. I grab my jacket and my key, I leave the house and go to my truck. I drive to Cheryl's house. I take a deep breath and go inside. "Cheryl! I'm here!" I yell. "I'm in here!" She yells back. I follow her voice and see her in Nana Rose's room. "You ok?" I ask quietly. "I don't want to clean this place out, but if I don't, I don't think I ever will." She whispers looking at me. "Do you want me to help since there is no talking you out?" She nods. We spend about 3 hours putting things into boxes. I pick up a picture of Cheryl and Jason as little kids. "Aw!" I smile. "What?" She ask quietly. "You and Jason as kids." I show her. She takes a deep breath. "How old were you guys?" She smiles. "6 maybe 7." She thinks. "This was at a 4th of July party my parents made us go to. It wasn't fun. They never let us be kids." She tell me. I sit in front of her. "I wish he was here." She whispers. "I know. I don't know what it's like to be in your shoes right now but I'm here for you." I whisper. "When do you go back?" She ask quietly. "Tomorrow morning." I tell her. "My mom will come over to check on you." I whisper. "Why?" Cheryl ask. "Because, I'm worried about you." I say. She looks down. "I'm fine." She gets pissed off. "Cheryl, you just lost one of the most important person in your life. I wouldn't be ok if I was you." I tell her. She looks down. "She'll be over to check on you, and again you can call her when you need to." I whisper. "Ok?" I ask quietly. "Yeah." She whispers. "I just want you to be ok." I whisper pulling her closer to me. "I love you." She tells me. "I love you too." I kiss her. "I just want you to be ok." She smiles. "Do you know why?" I ask quietly. She shakes her head. "Because I love you." She smiles. "I love you more." I look at her. "You sure? Because I love you more." She hums. "No! No! I love you more!" I shake my head. "No! I love you more than anything else in the world." I say back. "More than burgers and milkshakes?" I smile. "Depends, how hungry am I?" She both sit there laughing for a few minutes. "Speaking of burgers... do you want to go to Pops?" I ask quietly. "Sure." She smiles. I stand up and take her hand. I help her up and we go to Pops.
