Wish You Were Here - Part 2

Chapter 10

I gasp as three photographers circle us and Liv shelters her face with her handbag. 

"Guys! Please!" I shout, "I'm going to a fucking funeral!"

I pull Liv quickly towards the church but they don't ease up.  I hear Liv screaming into the back of her throat, clearly already distressed enough before this happened, as they block our path.

"Sorry mate, justa coupla you holding 'er hand," one of them say and I don't know what else to do.

I reluctantly drop her hand and I hear her whimper before I yell at her to go inside. She scampers around the photographers who stay focused on me.

"You should be fucking ashamed of yourselves," I say as soon as Liv is out of ear shot and push past them into the privacy of the old building.

I jog quickly to catch up to her as I see her making her way down the aisle. 

"Baby, I'm so sorry." I apologise frantically but we are interrupted when we are faced with a guy who is a shell of the man I met in New York.

"Jax." Liv breathes out before embracing the devastated guy who has just lost the love of his life, merely weeks after asking her to marry him.

A shiver runs up my spine when I think about it and I shake his hand before pulling him into a quick hug and patting his back. 

"I'm so sorry, mate."  I tell him and it sounds so inadequate for the pain he must be feeling and the sympathy I have for him.

"Thank you, mate, and thank you for all this." He says and I quickly shake my head in dismissal, not wanting Liv to hear.

We pay our respects to Emma's parents who look as sleep deprived and worn out as Liv and I notice Bec, Nathan and the Liv's parents walk in just as the priest urges us to please take our seats.

I try not to acknowledge the whispers about me that I can hear from some of the congregation and know Liv notices as her head snaps to a group of girls being anything but subtle.

"Ignore them." I whisper in her ear and she absently nods before taking a seat with me in the front row, next to Jackson.

She takes in a sharp breath as her eyes focus on the polished timber casket, thankfully closed, in front of the altar.

"You're ok, darling," I whisper, "I'm sorry I let go, I needed to get them away from you." I tell her, taking her hand in mine on her lap and sigh in relief when she lets me.

The service is as lovely as a funeral service can be and half way through I swap our hands so I can wrap my other arm around Liv who is desperately trying to keep it together.

Before we know it, it's the time we have no doubt both been dreading and I tuck a curl nervously behind my ear.

"I'd like to call on Olivia Bailey to say a few words," the priest announces and Liv lets go of my hand to take out the eulogy she wrote from her bag. My arm wrapped around her pulls her into me briefly and I plant a quick kiss to her temple before she stands up and walks to the small lectern.

I hold my breath as I watch her trembling hands unfold the piece of paper in front of what I think must be a couple of hundred people and smooth it out. 

In terms of all the things that Olivia hates most in the world, everyone looking at her and speaking about her feelings are pretty much as high up there are you can get.

I begged her to practice on me yesterday but she shook her head, telling me it was too painful to read and re-read and she just wanted to get up there and do it, which I have to say I admired, but I've never been more nervous for anyone in my whole life.

"Umm," her shaky voice starts and as her eyes meet mine I wish I could send her all my strength via our gaze. 

"I-I have been friends with Emma since we were twelve years old," I watch her take an unsteady breath in and look at the casket in front of her.

I lean forward on the uncomfortable wooden pew and sit my elbows on my knees, my fingertips press together and rest against my lips as I try subconsciously to get as close to her as possible.

"I'm not really one to ever talk about anything emotional or my feelings, actually the only person who I have ever really let in, outside of my family was, Emma... until recently." She says as her eyes flick briefly to me.  "So, if you don't mind, I've written this to her."
She swallows roughly.

"Emma, we couldn't have been more different. You were the calm, artistic, peacekeeper and I was the anxious, practical, stubborn brat. We were unknowingly paired together in science class on our first day of school together and were inseparable from that moment."  She says, slowly finding her voice growing a little stronger.

"As we grew up, when most kids are experimenting with their look, trying new hobbies, rebelling against their parents, you didn't need to.  You were always so aware of who you were and where you belonged.  You were the most authentic person, never needing to prove anything and always so sure of your path in life."

"We finished school and travelled around Europe together, embracing being young and free, getting into a SMALL amount of trouble but only enough to look back on and laugh, knowing they were some of the best times of our lives."

Liv sniffles and I sit up straight.  I pinch my bottom lip as I watch hers quiver, fighting back tears and swallowing the lump in her throat.

"You were always everything I wish was." She croaks. "Open to everything and everyone, creative, breathtakingly beautiful and the most accepting, loving person I've ever met."

"Emma, you were happiest in the last few years after meeting the man who made you complete.  Jackson, brought love and light into your life and you would have been the most amazing bride, wife and mother." She pauses to compose herself but that's enough to break her momentum.

She looks up at me and shakes her head so slightly I'm sure I'm the only one who would have seen it before she looks back down at her pages resting on the lectern and the tears start falling from her eyes. 

My heart rips apart as I watch her sob in front of everyone, knowing this is her worst nightmare and when her hands fly up to cover her face I know she won't be able to continue.

Without thinking, I get up and walk to her, wrapping my arms securely around her. She struggles to take in a breath through her tears as she puts her forehead on my chest without needing to look out of her hands to know it's me.

I remove one hand and pick up the paper, scanning it to find where she got up to and twist the microphone up so I don't have to lean as far down away from her to speak into it.

"Emma," I continue for her. "You were Liv's conscience, her confidant, her shoulder to cry on, her living, breathing self-help book," I pauses as people respectfully chuckle through their tears.

"She doesn't know what she's going to do without you but she will continue to try and be as positive as you always told her to be and she..." I read the last line and hold on to the broken woman in my arms a little tighter.

"She wishes you were here."

A/N:

*Sobs* - did everyone survive that chapter?

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Wishing everyone a great week ahead!

Love Ruby xx