Dry Your Tears

Seven

"He won't eat, again." Jonathon's eyes removed itself from the gaze they had on Elias' back garden and instead rested on Amelia, who held a tray in her hands, sadly still filled with untouched food. Jonathon sighed, placing the gun he hadn't even realized he was holding in his back pocket and moved to take the tray from his wife and set it down on the kitchen table. His wife, yes his wife. Before everything had descended into chaos, the brief moment of happiness between Elias and Olivia finally making amends after Amsterdam and the fateful day that put a seemingly constant gloominess over them, Jonathon and Amelia had eloped, quickly but lovingly getting married in a small church near Brighton, it was a spur of the moment decision and they had eagerly awaited the moment they could tell their dearest friends, sadly that moment never came. 

Now, staring at the simple gold band around Amelia's finger, he could feel but a ghost of the happiness they all once had, the overbearing pain of loss and death weighing heavily on all of them. 

"He has to eat Jon, he can't go on like this." Amelia whispered softly, her voice small and frail, her usual aura of cheeriness, gone, buried within the rubble of the house that was once her home, her sanctuary, loved by people who were more than just her employees, they were her family and now they were gone just like that, not a moment spared to even say goodbye. 

"I know, darling, I know he does and he will. We j-" Jonathon's words were interrupted by the sound of a car entering the compound and instinctively he pulled the gun out of his back pocket and told Amelia to get behind him as he slowly approached the kitchen window. He pushed the curtain aside gently, staying hidden as he peered out to see if they were in imminent danger. He sighed in relief when the car door opened to reveal Adam and he put the gun away, kissing Amelia lightly on the forehead, telling her he'd be right back.

"How is he?" Adam asked as he approached Jonathon, who was standing at the entrance of the Van Dyke household. It took every part of him not turn and look at the property next door, the property that was once the beautiful Gray household, but was now nothing more than piles of ashes. 

The funeral for Olivia grandparent's hadn't been a grand affair but it had been attended by the entire town, who also believed Olivia had perished in the fire, the love the community had for the Gray family was evident as the whole town mourned the loss of great, loving members of their community and even now, a little over a month since their death, the outside of their bookshop, Gray's books and co, was  covered, the shop almost unrecognizable, with flowers and tributes, a memorial to their untimely death. Deaths that everyone believed was caused by an unfortunate house fire, however they knew the truth, and they were all suffering the consequences of knowing it. 

"Terrible, Adam, he hasn't left Aaliyah's room, barely eats, hasn't showered. I tried my best to get him out the room but last time he put a gun to my head. Amelia is the only one who can get him to eat every once in a while." Jonathon responded as he followed Adam, Sander and James into the house. They entered the living room, a room that was once filled with so much joy and laughter but now just held memories of a happier times, times that they would never get back again. 

"And how is she? How is Amelia doing?" Adam asked and Jonathon sighed, rubbing his tired eyes with his hands.

"She cries a lot, has nightmares and blames herself for everything. I think she's suffering from survivors guilt. She was at the market that day, when everything was going down and I told her not go back just to go straight to base that I'd meet her there, if I hadn't done that, then she would have been dead by now. If only I could have done the same for Mr. And Mrs. Gray, for Olivia." Jonathon's voice cracked and Adam put a comforting hand on his back. 

"It wasn't your fault Jonathon, it's nobody's fault. I've had weeks to think about what happened and all I can say now is that we can't change the past, but we can save the future. Olivia and Alexia, we're going to get them back and we're going to make the bastard pay." Jonathon nodded firmly at Adam's words, although still slightly  doubtful. He bit his lip, wondering whether now was a good moment to tell them about the wedding but ultimately chose against it, now was not the time.