could this be happening? I leaned down onto the hard surface, almost hugging it to me. Liam stepped up behind me.
“Marissa and I are going to step outside and wait for Mom and Dad, and Nate’s parents. We want you to have a few minutes alone with Nate.”
I nodded, still staring at the box that would forever hold the love of my life. The creak of the door let me know that I was alone. Alone was something I needed to get used to. I was going to be alone for a long time.
Without knowing what else to do, I started talking. “Nate, I miss you so much,” I whispered. “I don’t know what to do without you. All of the plans we had are gone and I feel so… empty .” That’s when the whispers turned to sobs. “You were supposed to come home…you weren’t supposed to leave me. I love you more than life itself. What am I supposed to do now?”
That’s when I heard footsteps and strong arms wrapped around me from behind. Liam picked me up off the casket and turned me into his arms, the cries shaking every part of my body as another pair of hands rubbed small, comforting circles on my back. I could hear the tears. The sound of a pain as strong as mine led my gaze to the back of the chapel where Mr. Lewis held his wife as she screamed and cried, the tears streaming unchecked down his face. The room was filled with grief. No words that would end our heartache.
“That’s it, honey, let it all out,” my mom said softly.
Once I had calmed slightly, Liam led me to the seats behind us where my dad was waiting. The moment I sat down, his arm wrapped around my shoulder and he pulled me to him. “I’ve got ya, kiddo.”
Eventually Mrs. Lewis took the seat on the other side of me and, reaching over, she covered my hand with hers as we stared simply at the source of our grief. We sat there for what seemed like hours, no talking, just the sniffles of tears that had been shed. Chaplain Hayes came in to check on us, letting us know that everything was set for the morning and there was nothing for us to worry about.
The pins and needles in my feet let me know that we had been sitting for a long time. Trying to shake off the feeling, I stood up and began pacing the room. Mrs. Lewis stepped into my path during one pass and pulled me into a hug. “Nate loved you more than life itself, and you will always be my daughter,” she whispered in my ear, setting off another round of tears.
“I miss him so much.”
“I know you do, sweetheart. So do I.” She let go of me and took a step back, turning to her husband. “Paul, it’s time for us to go.” Mr. Lewis didn’t argue. I could tell he didn’t want to sit and stare at the coffin anymore either. She placed a kiss on my cheek and covered her mouth with her hand before bolting from the room, Mr. Lewis following quickly behind her.
When Liam came up and suggested the same, I bristled at the idea. “I want to stay.”
For a moment he looked like he wanted to argue, but thought better of it. Instead he went over to Mom and Dad and left me alone with Nate, convincing them to go and assuring them that he would stay with me.
“Danielle?” Marissa whispered as she crouched down in front of me. I looked at her, but said nothing. “We can’t stay here. We need to get some food in you and some sleep for tomorrow. It’s going to be a long day.”
“It’s going to be a long day, no matter what. Does it really matter if I forgo sleep to stay with Nate one last time?”
That’s when Liam’s head snapped around. “What do you mean forgo sleep? You can’t stay here all night.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, well used to being defiant when it came to my brother. “Oh yes, I can. Unless you plan on dragging me out of here kicking and screaming, I’m staying.”
Liam looked at Marissa, maybe hoping for help in convincing me that it was a bad idea, but nothing they could say would change my mind. Plus, I wasn’t worried about not being allowed to stay—I’d already
“Marissa and I are going to step outside and wait for Mom and Dad, and Nate’s parents. We want you to have a few minutes alone with Nate.”
I nodded, still staring at the box that would forever hold the love of my life. The creak of the door let me know that I was alone. Alone was something I needed to get used to. I was going to be alone for a long time.
Without knowing what else to do, I started talking. “Nate, I miss you so much,” I whispered. “I don’t know what to do without you. All of the plans we had are gone and I feel so… empty .” That’s when the whispers turned to sobs. “You were supposed to come home…you weren’t supposed to leave me. I love you more than life itself. What am I supposed to do now?”
That’s when I heard footsteps and strong arms wrapped around me from behind. Liam picked me up off the casket and turned me into his arms, the cries shaking every part of my body as another pair of hands rubbed small, comforting circles on my back. I could hear the tears. The sound of a pain as strong as mine led my gaze to the back of the chapel where Mr. Lewis held his wife as she screamed and cried, the tears streaming unchecked down his face. The room was filled with grief. No words that would end our heartache.
“That’s it, honey, let it all out,” my mom said softly.
Once I had calmed slightly, Liam led me to the seats behind us where my dad was waiting. The moment I sat down, his arm wrapped around my shoulder and he pulled me to him. “I’ve got ya, kiddo.”
Eventually Mrs. Lewis took the seat on the other side of me and, reaching over, she covered my hand with hers as we stared simply at the source of our grief. We sat there for what seemed like hours, no talking, just the sniffles of tears that had been shed. Chaplain Hayes came in to check on us, letting us know that everything was set for the morning and there was nothing for us to worry about.
The pins and needles in my feet let me know that we had been sitting for a long time. Trying to shake off the feeling, I stood up and began pacing the room. Mrs. Lewis stepped into my path during one pass and pulled me into a hug. “Nate loved you more than life itself, and you will always be my daughter,” she whispered in my ear, setting off another round of tears.
“I miss him so much.”
“I know you do, sweetheart. So do I.” She let go of me and took a step back, turning to her husband. “Paul, it’s time for us to go.” Mr. Lewis didn’t argue. I could tell he didn’t want to sit and stare at the coffin anymore either. She placed a kiss on my cheek and covered her mouth with her hand before bolting from the room, Mr. Lewis following quickly behind her.
When Liam came up and suggested the same, I bristled at the idea. “I want to stay.”
For a moment he looked like he wanted to argue, but thought better of it. Instead he went over to Mom and Dad and left me alone with Nate, convincing them to go and assuring them that he would stay with me.
“Danielle?” Marissa whispered as she crouched down in front of me. I looked at her, but said nothing. “We can’t stay here. We need to get some food in you and some sleep for tomorrow. It’s going to be a long day.”
“It’s going to be a long day, no matter what. Does it really matter if I forgo sleep to stay with Nate one last time?”
That’s when Liam’s head snapped around. “What do you mean forgo sleep? You can’t stay here all night.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, well used to being defiant when it came to my brother. “Oh yes, I can. Unless you plan on dragging me out of here kicking and screaming, I’m staying.”
Liam looked at Marissa, maybe hoping for help in convincing me that it was a bad idea, but nothing they could say would change my mind. Plus, I wasn’t worried about not being allowed to stay—I’d already
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