A never before ever after

Chapter 20: Goodbyes are hard

There I saw my father on the floor, his eyes open. I knew what this meant but I stood there, shocked for five minutes straight. Every voice in the room was muted.

"Dad...hey wake up..." I say but there's no response. His body was stiff and he wasn't moving or breathing. Keith holds me from behind, hugging me tight. I shrug him off due to the shock and get my hands on my dad,

"NO! DAD? DAD? DAD PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME DADDY! NOO!!" I cry and Keith hugs me tight again, I don't move this time. Instead my hands go on his as he holds me.

"No..dad..."

I stay there in shock on the floor, watching as my mom and brother try to call the ambulance. Keith was holding me in his arms. I couldn't say a word after I was done crying. After a few minutes, the ambulance arrived and took my father's body away. I watched my dad leave me, forever. My mom hugged me but for some reason, my hands weren't going around her.

In two days, they had the funeral for my dad. My mom, Adam, Keith and Sierra were sitting with me. Adam was hurting too but he was always much closer to his mom and didn't have much of a connection with our dad. He was crying but Sierra was able to give him the love and support he needed. It was finally my turn to say something about my dad. I get up and stand in front of everyone.

"Hi...thanks for coming. My dad...um... I lived all my life with my mom but that didn't mean I loved my dad any less. He was a great man and a great father. I wish I had longer with him. I'm way too young to lose him and I will miss him forever. He's gone but will never be forgotten. I will love him forever and I pray that someday he'd be proud of me." I say and get back.

Once the funeral was over, we all went back to my place but I wasn't interested in being around anyone. I head upstairs and lie down on my bed. Keith knocks as he walks in.

"Hey baby... I'm not going to ask how you're doing because that'd be a really dumb question at the moment. I just want you to know that as your husband, I'm right here for you, you can count on me. You're my life." Keith says as he sits beside me, stroking my hair. I turn around on my back and look at him as I smile small. He smiles back at me and lies down next to me, taking me in his arms. That was the only time I felt a little happy, in Keith's arms. We hear a knock and I see Logan. I didn't know he had traveled down here to Chicago.

"Logan?" I ask, in shock.

"Hey... sorry if I'm interrupting anything. I just wanted to be there for you. I didn't know your dad so well but I knew you loved-love him a lot. I'm sorry for your loss Stace." Logan says as he walks in with some flowers. He had bought my favorite flowers-roses. Keith looked at him and smiled.

"Thanks man, I'll take that for you." Keith says as he takes the flowers from Logan and goes downstairs but not before kissing me on my forehead. I scoot over for Logan to sit.

"Thanks Logan." I say and he smiles as he hugs me.

"If you need anything at all, call me okay." he says, smiling.

"How are you doing?" I ask him as I wipe away the tears from my cheeks.

"I'm okay. I applied for a leave from work as soon as I heard. I'm so sorry for your loss. I remember the first time you met you dad after a long time. It was the night of his accident a few years ago. That time you and I... we were together. So, I know he's proud of you, always Stace." he said and I felt better hearing that.

"Thanks Logan...and thanks for being here." I say and he smiles. We speak for a few more minutes before he leaves.

Keith comes up with some cake and sits beside me. He tries to feed me some but for obvious reasons I didn't want to.