Picture Perfect

Chapter 44

I stare at my somber expression in the mirror as Nina fusses over my black dress. Today there will be no smiles, only tears of sorrow.

"Are you ready?" Nina finally asks stepping in front of me. She knows just how sad today is, it's the day my mother died all those years ago. Every year my dad and I go to her gravestone and pay our respects. At first it was incredibly difficult, but now I think of it as the only time when the three of us are actually a family.

"Yes, I'm ready." We leave my bedroom and go downstairs where my dad is waiting, dressed also in a black tux. When he see's me his sad smile falters but he opens his arms wide and I rush into them.

"You look so much like her kiddo." I cry lightly against his shoulder but quickly wipe it away when I step back.

"Let's go Dad." He nods and we leave out the front door to the waiting car. We get in the backseat and ride the way in silence.

It's a week since Drew's romantic/goofy way to ask me out. Our first date was at a drive in movie. At first I was nervous because that was exactly what happened in my dream with Zack and the mirrors and the cameras, but nothing like that happened. No, Drew had brought Popeyes Chicken (which was delicious, I can't remember the last time I had something that good) and we snuggled in the bed of his truck with blankets and chicken and it was beautiful. Sometime during the movie I had turned to Drew, something floating on my mind.

"Drew?"

"Yes, baby?" Tingles!

"I know you want me to be happy."

"More than anything."

"And I want you to be happy."

"Mm."

"So I want you to take up photography. Like take classes and volunteer and just make your photography known. Because your amazing."

"I want to but with my mom's bills and Darbi already in college my parents just can't afford college for me. A scholarship is my only way."

I chewed my lower lip thinking. "My dad could pay for you."

"No way. I'm not taking advantage of you like that."

"It's not taking advantage if I insist."

"It is to me. Now Ashley, as cute as you are when your concerned, can we please just watch the movie?"

I batted my eyelashes at him forgetting our earlier topic. "You think I'm cute?"

He smiled down at me. "Maybe just a little."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Well you aren't so bad yourself. But you'll talk to your dad about quitting?"

"For you? Anything." Than we kissed. Like a lot. I never found out how the movie ended.

We now pull up to the graveyard and I can feel my stomach doing three-sixties. It doesn't help that the sun is shining and there isn't a cloud in the sky. The weather is practically taunting me yelling 'hey! We're going to make everyone around you happy with our nice weather while you feel horrible.'

When I get out of the car Dad grabs my hand and we follow our normal route to her stone. A route I could travel in my sleep. I watch Dad for a moment and know he's putting on a brave face. He loves Elise but he loved my mom too. He practically worshiped the ground she walked on. My mom had him wrapped around her finger.

When we reach her stone, the floodgates start pouring as Dad wraps his arm over my shoulder.

"We love you." Dad whispers to the grave. "I still see you in very thing we do. You'll always be in our hearts." He lays the flowers he had brought on the ground by the stone and steps back.