What if..

Chapter 33

When he woke up Robert got up leaving Andy to sleep and went to look for his photo album as he promised. He searched the various boxes he had in the attic but eventually found it. when he returned to his room Andy was still asleep, he put the album on his bedside table and then went down to prepare breakfast for when she woke up. Once he finished preparing breakfast, he put it on a tray and took it to Andy's room. In the meantime she had woken up, sat up in bed and started leafing through Robert's photo album.

R: "Good morning"

A: "Good morning"

R: "How do you feel? Are you hungry?"

A: "I feel.. boh, I don't know. And yes, I'm very hungry"

Robert put the tray on the bed and sat down next to her. While they were having breakfast they continued to see the photos and from time to time Robert stroked her belly. Those were the only moments in which he saw her smile a little.

A: "I wish our baby looked like you, look how cute you were when you were little"

R: "And now I'm not?"

A: "Now you are much better"

R: "He'll look like both of us, he's our baby"

Andy continued to leaf through the album: "Were these your parents?"

R: "Yes"

A: "I have something to ask you, I need your help"

R: "Ask me anything you want"

A: "Will you help me with the funeral? I don't think I can do it alone"

R: "There was no need to ask, it is obvious that I will help you. Will you give the praise?"

A: "Thank you. I have to do it, or at least I try"

R: "You know we will all be there for you for anything"

A: "I know" Her phone started ringing for messages that were coming to him. "Can you hand me the phone? It never stops vibrating, I don't dare to imagine how many messages there are"

R: "Everyone's worried about you"

Andy nodded and then started reading the messages. They were mostly messages from her friends asking her how she was doing and if everything was okay with the baby. She replied that everything was fine even though it wasn't true. They let her know that then in the afternoon if she wanted to come to their house because they had something for them. Andy agreed, having her friends with her for a few hours might have distracted her from thinking that her father was no longer there with her and would have postponed writing the eulogy even if sooner or later he had to. They spent the morning trying to organize the funeral, the Fire Chief had provided them with everything, Pruitt was just a Captain but he was one of the most respected firefighters during his years of service and what he had done was it was a heroic act. The parade of bagpipe trucks would start from station 19 all the way to the church. In one morning they had managed to organize everything, except one thing. It remained to choose who would wear Pruitt's helmet during the parade. Andy would have liked to take it but did not know if he would have made it.

A: "I don't know if I'll be able to carry it, I'd like it but it's too much. But I'm afraid that if I didn't, I would be disappointed in myself"

R: "Hey, don't say that. It will be a tough and difficult day especially for you. We will carry it together, I will be by your side all the time"

A: "It seems perfect that way. Another thing, the bell.. I would like it to be rung together with everyone, it seems to me the right thing to do"