Stay (I Missed You)

Seven

Zeus wished they had a car in Kneebone. The walk to the funeral home was painful, but especially for Hera. She kept her face down the entire time, her eyes glued to every step on the ground. The children trailed behind their parents with their hands tucked in their pockets. Zeus knew Hera wasn't crying, but only because she refused to. He prepared himself to console her when she inevitably shuts down.

Twelve days after Hera's sincere talk with her mother, she passed away in her sleep. Unfortunately, Hera was the one to find her body. Her ear piercing scream and sobs confirmed for Zeus and the children that Rhea had passed in the night. Although Hera was preparing herself for this moment, the realization was still a shock. Her mother couldn't swallow food, control her bowels, or communicate. Nevertheless, the anticipated moment was a cacophony of sorrow, and Hera felt that she would never recover.

Rhea's funeral had about forty attendees, which was not too small for such a tiny town. Many of the people there were not close to their family, but just knew Hera or Rhea from passing by them in town. Even the much disliked Ixion was there. Some other people around Hera's age were the same ones who tormented Rhea with slurs. Wonder when they had a change of heart.

The entire funeral was a blur. Hera couldn't remove the ringing in her ears. Or the white in her vision. She wanted to shut down and have her entire mind blanked. She was snapped out of her inattention when Zeus elbowed her. She looked up to see everyone staring. He leaned over and whispered "eulogy" in her ear.

She nodded and got up, afraid that her trembling knees would give out. Standing up at the podium, Hera saw for the first time many faces she thought she would never have to encounter again. Some of them, she could tell, were analyzing her. It was only expected of them. To see someone who managed to escape Kneebone and have a completely new life in a big city like LA, they felt a disdain but also fascination to see her again.

She cleared her throat, ready to speak. "My mother, Rhea, was the best mother anyone could ever ask for. She was caring, kind, compassionate, and she was perfect the way she was. She had bravery and a passion for life, and she always put me first..." When she finished her eulogy, Hera silently returned to her seat. Now that she was done, she wanted to be alone to cry. Of course, there was still a burial ceremony and a wake to see. She discreetly wiped the tears forming and stared at the wall blank-faced.

When they finally arrived to the house, Hera entered her bedroom and sat down. The kids figured they should leave their mother alone and went to the backyard to grieve. Hera traced her outer thighs with her hands, rubbing them to get rid of the numbing feeling in her legs. Even when she was by herself, she struggled letting the tears come out. Right when she thought her eyes were about to burst, she felt a lurch in her stomach. She rushed to the bathroom and hovered over the toilet, filling it with her vomit. The acrid burn in her throat oddly soothed her pain only for a moment until the tears poured out. Hera could feel her head about to explode when a hand stroked her back softly. Zeus knelt down and pulled her close to him. She felt a tad embarrassed that he had to see her vomiting, even though he had tended to her morning sickness before when she was pregnant with the children.

"Shh, it's okay."

She shook her head. "No, no it's not."

He shushed her again. "It will be though, I know it."

After that day, Zeus decided it was probably best for them to stay a little bit longer. He rescheduled their flight and told the kids to be gentle with their mother for the time being. Hera slowly started to build back the wall that guarded her emotions. It was only expected, for this was Hera's way of coping. She barely talked, and everyone left her alone in silence. When Zeus slept with her by his side at night, she kept her distance by staying on the farthest side of the bed. He didn't take it personally. He knew that she just needed some physical space at the moment. However, once it became one week since Rhea's death and Hera had not improved, Zeus started to worry.