This Love

One Goodbye

Nina's POV
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I step out of my closet holding my dress for the funeral. Ian steps out of the bathroom in his suit. "You look nice." I say and smooth out his collar. "I just wish we were dressing up for something..not so depressing." I sit down on my bed. "Come here." Ian pulls me into his lap. "Today is going to be hard, I know this. But remember I'm here for you. I won't leave your side." He kisses my cheek. "Thank you Ian." I squeeze my arms around him tight, hugging him. I stand up and pull my dress over my head. "Can you zip me?" I turn around. I feel his hands on my back as he zips my dress. "Okay, where are my shoes?" I look around my room. I bend down and look under my bed. "There they are." I hear Ian say. I start to stand up. "Sit, I'll put them on." Ian grabs my foot. "I can put my shoes on." I smile but he ignores what I said. He grabs my other foot and slides that shoe on. "Okay, ready?" He asks and pulls me up off the bed. "Ready as I'll ever be."

We meet my mom and dad at the funeral home. My brother is standing beside them. "Hi sis." He hugs me. "Hi A." I hug him tighter. "Hey Ian! Nice to see you again!" They high five each other. "Nina you and Ian can go have a seat right there okay? Everyone will be showing up soon." I nod and take Ian's hand. "Ian, my cousin Lux, she kind of has an obsession with you." I start laughing. "So when she gets here im just warning you she might not stop talking to us just so she can be near you." Ian starts to laugh now. "It will be fine." He says. He puts his arm around my waist and I rest my head on his shoulder.

My family piles into the funeral home. Mom and dad greet everyone as they come trough the door. I look behind my shoulder to see everyone. My aunt waves at me and I wave back. My little cousins run up to me and hug me. "Nina we miss you! A lot!" "Aw guys, I miss you more!" I smile at them. Madelyn, who is 9, comes up to me. She leans into my ear. "Is that Damon from the show you are on?" She whispers. I smile and giggle. "Yes. That's Ian. He's my boyfriend." Her mouth drops and then she smiles. "He's cute!" She says and runs away. "Looks like my other cousin finds you cute." I grab his hand. "I guess all the women in your family do." He points to a girl a few feet in front of us. "Is that Lux?" He asks. "Yes that's her." I wave at her and she waves back. "If everyone will please find a seat, we will start the service." My dad announces. I scoot closer to Ian and he puts his arm around me. "I love you." He kisses my head. I look at him and smile. "I love you more." I kiss his cheek.

"Thank you everyone for coming this evening. My mother, our mother..." My dad points to his sisters and brothers. "She would have loved to see every single one of you one last time. So I hope if she is here with us tonight, that she is smiling and happy with all the love she has in this room. Before she left us, I was sitting with her in the hospital room. She was telling me how lucky she was to have 5 kids of her own and so many grandkids. She always wanted a big family. And that's just what she had. I was blessed to call her my mom. She worked hard as a single mother after our dad died,to raise all of us and provide us with everything and to let us a have a wonderful childhood. We never seen her giving up. She always had a big smile. That's one thing I will never forget. Her smile."

After the funeral we all headed back to my house for dinner. A few of my aunts and cousins came along with us. "Nina how is the show going?" My aunt sits down in front of Ian and I. "Great! We head back to LA tomorrow and then we will head to Atlanta to continue filming." "Good! I love watching you guys." She smiles at us. "Why didn't lux come with you?" I ask her. "She had a birthday party to go to. She told me she was sad she wouldn't get to see you before you leave." "Aww. Well tell her I'll be back soon! Maybe I can fly her out to Atlanta when she goes on fall break and she can stay with me for a few days!" "I bet she would enjoy that Nina!" My aunt hugs me. "Well I'll let you guys finish eating." She waves goodbye.

After everyone leaves my parents house my parents get ready for bed. Goodnight mama goodnight dad." I kiss them both before they to their room. "We will see you both in the morning before you head out." My mom hugs me. "Are you ready to go lay down?" Ian asks and moves my hair behind my ear. "Yes. I'm so tired." We head upstairs to my room. I walk into my room and shut the door behind me. I open my dresser and pull out pajamas. "Crap." I put my finger in my mouth. "I smashed my finger in the drawer." Ian kisses my finger. "All better?" He says. "All better." I kiss him. I pull my dress off and put my pajamas on. I feel Ian wrap his arms around my waist. "You are so beautiful Nina." He kisses my neck. "But you are more beautiful." I turn around and kiss him on the lips. I walk to my bed and lay down. He lays down after me and pulls me into his chest. Wrapping his legs into mine. I let out a big yawn. "Goodnight baby." He kisses me again. "Goodnight love." I snuggle closer into him. Laying my head under his chin.