Tigger Warning for this chapter, for mention of panic attack, grief, death, a whole lotta stuff. This chapter will deal with some heavy things, if you want to skip no one will say anything about it. If you do skip I will give a brief summary at the end of the chapter. This chapter will be longer than most, like really long, most authors would break it up into chapters but I wanted this to be fully one part even though it is terribly long.
As always comments are appreciated.
Lizzie's POV
March 11, 2019
Jade has just finished directing her two episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and loved every minute of it, and I'm super proud of her. The end of the second week she went to LAPD to report the one who not be named and they have since called the Atlanta PD and they are gathering evidence for the case currently. I'm a little upset that I wasn't the one to go with her to report it but I am glad she didn't go alone and Chloe was there to support her.
It was early in the morning on a Monday meaning Jade was bringing the kids to preschool. Madi was loving it at the preschool, she loved the teachers and the atmosphere and the fact that people were nice with Alex. Jade wrote a children's book about Autism back when she was in college and got it published, so when we enrolled the kids in the preschool the director made it imperative that each classroom at the preschool got books on Autism so the kids at the school would know what it is. Which I'm not sure if she did that out of good faith or the fact that Jade and I are celebrities and one wrong move we could quote unquote destroy the school and its reputation, but as a mom I hope it was out of good faith.
"Honey, I'm home." I hear Jade call through the house as the front door opens. "And I brought a present." I perk up in my position on the couch. "You are spoiling me." I tease when she walks into the living room. "Is there something wrong with spoiling my beautiful wife who is carrying my son?" She asks sitting down next to me. "Plus my girl deserves to be treated like a queen." "No nothing wrong with that." I smile with a blush tinting my cheeks.
She hands me a gift bag, I take it carefully placing it beside me as I pull out the tissue paper, underneath all the tissue paper was a necklace box. I take it out of the gift bag and slowly open it. My jaw drops, inside was a 14k gold necklace with a heart shaped pendent inside was a heart shaped dark purple 5 carat amethyst. The necklace alone is a $1,000, not to mention the price of the amethyst. "Jade." I whisper softly tears collecting in my eyes. "I know I didn't have too, but I had to match the bracelet I bought the other month. You've stuck by me through a lot of shitty things that have happened, and I just thought you deserved a great gift for always being there for me." She whispers softly leaning over to press a kiss to my lips.
"Jade, getting loved by you and the girls is enough of a gift within itself. You taught me how to truly love someone, taught me how to overcome adversities, how to overcome anxieties. That within itself is a gift. I don't need flashy jewelry to know that you love me or that to say thank you for sticking by you through shitty stuff. That is proven day in and day out by how much you love and care for me, and I the same. You are truly amazing and everyday I fall in love with you again for how much you love and care for me and the girls." I search her eyes to see nothing but love in them. "And before you say anything I do love the gift. Can you put it on?" I hand her the box as she slowly nods taking it out of my hand. She pushes my hair out of the way with the softest touch my breath hitches as goosebumps form. God I know that I need get laid, but stupid doctors orders of making sure my heart rate doesn't go up. At least I'm off 'bed rest.'
She carefully clasps the necklace gently letting it go so it hits my neck. I look down at the necklace resting on my shirt. "It's beautiful." I whisper turning around to face her. "It is." She whispers back but as I look up she was looking at my face making me blush. God damn is she still the same smooth talking charmer she was when we first starting dating and the girl that made me blush like a school girl at our wedding. It was so obvious that in some of our wedding photos you can see my blush.
"Do you need anything from the kitchen?" She asks suddenly, "what?" I ask shaking my head to snap out of my stupor, "I said I needed a glass of water then asked if you wanted anything, are you okay?" She asks concernedly eyes scanning over my face. "Yeah sorry, I was just thinking about something. Can you get me some avocado anchovy toast?" I ask with a smile. "Of course, anything else? Something to drink?"
"Juice?" "You got it." She smiles standing up pressing a kiss to my hairline. I watch her as she walks towards the kitchen. I lean back in my seat on the couch going back to what I was watching on the tv.
I faintly heard Jade's phone ring and her pick it up with her famous way of saying hello. I tune out the tv just in time to hear glass shatter against the ground. My eyes widen as I quickly as I can get off the couch and waddle into the kitchen. There before my eyes was my wife cowering in the corner her head tucked between her legs as she rocks back and forth slightly, glass scattered all across the floor from when she dropped the glass that must've been in her hand. Her phone was still on the counter with her father on the phone. I pick it up. "Hello?" "Oh thank god Lizzie." The man sighs in relief. "Where is Jade?" "How about you tell me what is going on first?" I ask pressing her phone between my shoulder and ear as I walk to get the dust pan and broom to clean up the glass so I can carefully get to Jade.
"My dad was rushed to the hospital last night where he was put on life support from lung failure. This morning I was informed that he was pronounced brain dead within hours of him waking up for the day from lack of oxygen to his brain. I called Jade to tell her that just a few minutes ago we decided to pull the plug on his life support." Marcus explains over the phone. I nod slightly grabbing the broom and dustpan out of the closet. "And you decided that telling her over the phone was a good idea?" I ask rhetorically as I start to sweep the glass away from Jade where she hadn't moved a muscle from where she was, maybe all that changed was now there were tears streaming down her face.
I heard Marcus sigh over the phone. "I know that you are still learning about Judaism, Lizzie that way you can understand Jade, but I couldn't just call her to come home and then tell her when she got here. In the Jewish faith one must bury you're loved one within 24 hours of death. Meaning she needs to come home on the first flight she can get. In Christianity there is a wake then followed by a funeral usually within the week. There is no chance of that here. I realize telling her over the phone was not ideal but it was what needed to be done. I'm sorry." He whispers before hanging up. I place Jade's phone on the counter before sweeping the glass into the dustpan throwing it in a paper bag to be dealt with later.
I take a deep breath before sitting next to Jade. I don't reach out to her, knowing when she needs the comfort she will reach out. Touching her in this sort of state scares her.
Jade's POV
I slightly hear Lizzie on the phone with my dad but I barely register it. My grandfather was dead, he was sick for months and no one had the audacity to tell me. No one. Not my dad, my mom, my grandma, my sister, Savannah, absolutely fucking NO ONE!
Everyone else got to say there goodbyes last night while I was blissfully unaware of the fact that my grandfather was dying. No one thought that I deserved to be able to say goodbye to him and tell him that I loved him one last time. He never got to meet the twins fully, he will never get to meet Max.
I stand up slowly in a fog as I walk towards my room in a haze of unknown. I get to the stairs and take each single step one at a time as if I was learning how to use stairs for the very first time again. I walk in silence past the twins rooms. I walk past what will be Max's nursery and room when he is born. I pause slightly looking at the Winnie the pooh themed room. I take a shaky breath before continuing my journey to my room.
When I finally get there I head to the closet grabbing out a duffle bag and pack in a haze of things I will need for a week back home in March. I hear Lizzie walk into the room a little after I start packing. She doesn't try to speak, she just sits down on the bed folding the clothes that I throw in the duffle bag.
Once I was finished packing I zip up the duffle bag and sit next to Lizzie on the bed. She still hasn't tried to say anything knowing that right now I just need to think. She mindlessly stands up walking over to the bedside table to grab her laptop that was sitting there charging. She opens it and waits for it to boot up. Once it was booted up she walks back to the edge of the bed sitting down next to me once again, she silently gets up an airline buying a ticket for me to Bradley International Airport a nonstop flight on Jet Blue airlines. She does something else that I don't see before closing her laptop. "The flight is in 2 hours." She whispers quietly letting me digest what time I have to be flying back to my home town to say goodbye to my grandfather. I nod letting her know I heard her. "I'm going to call an Uber and head there now and get through TSA and everything." I whisper softly standing up. She nods standing up with me. We both quietly walk down the stairs to the living room. I drop the duffle bag by the stairs before heading back to the kitchen to grab my phone where Lizzie placed it when she was done talking to my dad. I grab it and stuff it in my pocket before heading back the way I came.
I stop at the door where Lizzie was waiting with my duffle bag in her hands, "I already ordered your Uber, it should be here in about 3 minutes." She whispers softly. I nod grabbing my duffle out of her hands, I drop it to the floor pulling her into a tight hug. "I love you so god damn much Elizabeth Olsen." I whisper softly pressing a kiss to hair line as I pull away from the really long hug as my Uber pulls out in front. "I'll see you when I get back." She nods slightly watching as I leave to head to get into my Uber. I get in silently.
The ride to LAX was completely silent, thankfully my driver could see my mood and knew I wasn't in the mood for talking. I got out and made my way through the airport security thankfully without anyone noticing me and realizing who I was. I quickly made my way to where my gate was to wait there so I wouldn't miss my flight.
I decided to sit down and lean my head against the chair not even ten minutes later I felt someone standing over me. I open my eyes to see Lizzie holding Madi in one hand and a carry on in the other, Alex was gripping Madi's other hand. "Did you really think I would make you go through this alone?" Lizzie asks softly sitting down next to me. I smile softly, of course she did this, it's a total Lizzie move. Alex crawled onto my lap and gave me a big hug. "I luv you Mommy." She whispers pressing a sloppy kiss my cheek. "I love you too princess." I whisper wrapping my arms tightly around her.
We all wait for our boarding number to be called, to keep the twins busy we play a game of I-Spy. Lizzie and I know that we could very easily give them something to watch on one of our phones to keep them occupied, but we don't want them reliant on technology to entertain them. Especially because in the summer in LA there can be a chance of a rolling blackout and we don't want them to freak out about having no way of entertaining themselves when they get bored. 45 minutes later our boarding number is called and we quickly grab everything and head to where we get on the plane.
((Bare with me here, I've never been on a plane before, so I have no idea how anything works, I just know from movies and tv shows, and they don't really paint everything. With that being said I do apologize if anything is wrong, or how I seem to be skipping a bunch of stuff but that's because I don't know what that stuff is.))
We are ushered onto the plane putting our stuff in the little overhead bin as we sit down. Before Lizzie sits down though she takes out a Black Widow doll and a Wanda Maximoff doll. I try not to laugh at the irony of Black Widow being Alex's favorite character while she definitely a mama's girl.
She sits down and buckles herself and Madi who was next to her up, while I buckle Alex and myself, thankfully Alex didn't put up much of a fight as she usually did. We bought two rows each out that way we wouldn't have to worry about all of us being separated. I mean Lizzie is two seats ahead of me, but you get the idea.
Once the flight was underway I leaned back in my seat as Alex who didn't sleep well the night before drifted off to sleep.
Italics are flashbacks as always, Bold Italics are the year and Jade's age.
August 1993 (4 year old Jade)
I was sitting down on the counter swinging my feet as my grandpa cooked on the stove. He had a towel swung over his shoulder like Emeril Lagasse did on his show. "BAM!" I smile throwing the salt into the water the way Emeril did on his show.
I look up at grandpa with a big smile on my face missing front teeth. "Did I do it right?" I ask softly, "you did kiddo." He smiles ruffling my hair, I let out a giggle fixing my hair. "Grandpa?" I ask tilting my head to the side. "Yes?" "Can I have a towel like Emil too?" I ask cutely. He laughs softly nodding grabbing another dish towel folding it so and places it on my shoulder just like his. "There perfect." He smiles ruffling my hair again. I see a flash and I turn to see my grandma holding a camera up, "there now the moment is captured forever." She smiles softly putting the camera down.
December 1993 (4 year old Jade)
"Grandpa!" I scream the moment I walk through the door to my grandparents house for the last day of Hanukkah, "Hiya Kiddo." Grandpa smiles bending down to pick me up in his arms. He spins around with me in his arms tickling me, I let out little giggles. "Let me go." I plead trying to wiggle out. "Nope, you're stuck." "Fine I stuck." I huff with a smile before my eyes widen and I start to tickle my grandpa back as he laughs trying to get me to stop. "I stop when you let me go." I reason with him. "Deal." He smiles placing my back on the ground.
"Thank you grandpa. Happy Hanukkah!" I give him a regular hug this time. "Love you lots." "Love you lots too kiddo." He smiles placing a kiss to my head as before I run off to go play with my cousins.
September 1994 (5 year old Jade)
I wait outside at the car line for grandpa to pick me up. It was the end of my first day of school! I met this boy named Ryan and already know he's going to be my best friend for life. He's the best. We have the same favorite color, we both love sneakers, we both dislike broccoli. I was standing outside in my pink cat shirt with grey leggings with a pair of sneakers on. They were my favorite sneakers.
"Grandpa!" I cheer when I see his car pull to the front of the line. I carefully walk to the door opening the door getting in taking my backpack off placing it in the seat next to me. I buckle up in my booster seat. "Ready kiddo?" "Ready." I answer squirming slightly in my seat.
"How was your day?" He asks as he pulls out of the car line bringing me to his house since my parents don't get out of work until later.
"It was awesome! I met so many cool people. There was one boy Ryan who is my bestest friend in the whole wide world!" "Hey, I thought I was your bestest friend in the whole wide world?" Grandpa asks making eye contact with me through the mirror. "You are!" I exclaim quickly, "You are my bestest best friend, he is my bestest friend. There is a difference." I quickly fix. There was no better best friend then my grandpa. There was no better bestest best friend then him.
"Grandpa?"
"Hmm?"
"Can we go fishing while we wait for mommy and daddy to pick me up?" I ask sweetly with my famous puppy dog pout and eyes.
He seems to think for a second. "I don't see the harm." He answers and I squeal out a yay with my legs kicking happily. When we get to his house we go inside to put my backpack inside. "Sweetie, Jade and I are going fishing." "Okay." I hear grandma call back as grandpa goes downstairs to get the fishing polls for us and his tackle box. Once he grabs all that he needs he heads back upstairs. "Ready?" He asks when he sees me. I nod enthusiastically with a smile on my face. We head back outside and load up the trunk with our stuff. He helps me into the back seat of the car buckling me up before heading to the front to start the car.
We make the short drive to Heritage Park not far from the house. He parks and turns the car off. He pops the trunk before getting out to let me out of the car. We slowly grab everything out of the trunk and make the small walk to the pond. We find his favorite spot and unload our stuff.
Once we were all set up grandpa put a worm on my Barbie fishing poll and casted it out for me before handing it back to me as he got his poll ready. I stand there bouncing on my toes as I've always done when I get super excited. My grandpa calls me a golden retriever. After a few minutes of waiting around I notice my bobber go underwater meaning there was a fish on my hook. I quickly set the hook as my dad and grandpa taught me. Which is pull the poll slightly back on your dominate side. Setting the hook is making sure the fish still wants the wormy. When I notice the tug on the line when I pull back I start reeling in as fast as I can. And soon there is a fishy connected to my hook out of the water. "Grandpa I caught a fishy!" I smile running over to him with m fish still connected to my poll. "Whoa there kiddo, you're going to give the fish whiplash." Grandpa jokes with a smile carefully taking the fish off my hook and looking at it.
"You got yourself a trout. Do you want to touch it?" He asks holding up the fish, I nod carefully raising my hand to touch the fish. I squeal as I feel the slimy scales. "It's slimy." He lets out a laugh nodding, "yes it is slimy. Now lets put him back in the water." He squats down placing the fish back in the water carefully. He wipes his hands on a towel before ruffling my hair, "I'm getting out fished by my own granddaughter." He jokes with a smile, in return I just stick my tongue out at him while he outs a new worm on my hook, he looks up just in time to see my tongue out before I pull it back in. He sticks his tongue out at me making me giggle. Grandpa is the best.
July 1995 (6 year old Jade)
Today I was turning 6! We were having the party at my house, the party was princess themed. My dad even set up the blow up pool for my friends and I to have fun. It was close to party time and mom was finishing up putting my hair in the classic Belle look, not from the dance scene though, mommy said that would annoy me since it was hot out.
Some family were already here since they helped set up the party. "Hurry up mommy, my friends are going to be here soon." I exclaim trying to wiggle out of my seat to go greet my friends. "Just a few more touches, and there." She states stepping away from her handy work on my hair. "Thank you." I smile giving her a hug before rushing outside to greet my friends at the gate.
Ryan was the first to arrive wearing a Prince Charming inspired outfit. He fit the theme! I smile running to give him a hug. "Jay-Jay!" He screams handing his mom the gift rushing to me to give me a big hug. "Ry-Ry!" I scream back running as fast as my little legs will take me. We immediately start talking about things that had changed since the last time we spoke on the last day of school this year. We weren't in the same first grade class which kind of sucked, but I got to meet some new friends which was fun.
Ryan and I waited for more of my friends to show up, soon grandpa and grandma showed up. "Grandpa!" I yell excitedly seeing my favorite person in the entire world show up. "Happy Birthday kiddo." He smiles squatting down so I could run into his arms when I finally got to him. "How is the birthday girl on her birthday?" He asks picking me up in his arms.
"She's good, she's happy that her favorite person is here." I smile throwing my arms around his shoulders to give him a hug. He sets me back down after a few minutes so he can head to the back yard and I can continue to wait for my friends.
I wait.
And I wait.
And I wait some more.
And some more.
Waiting...
Waiting....
Still waiting...
I invited all of my friends to come, maybe they are late.
So, I wait some more.
And a little bit more.
A little longer.
Where are they?
I start to tap my foot anxiously and play with my fingers wondering where my friends are. Come on.
With hope I see a car pull onto the road, so I stand up straight waiting for the car to come up the road only to pass my house and I deflate once again.
I hear footsteps behind me. "Hey kiddo." I hear my grandpa say from behind me. I turn around and fling myself into his arms crying. Why was no one here? Did my friends not like me?
"They aren't coming." I hiccup out burying my face in his neck. "I'm sorry kiddo." He whisper softly just holding me while I cry. "They are missing out a really cool party with an awesome special kid." He whispers as he starts to rub my back.
"Who needs friends when I have the bestest best friend in the world right here." I whisper out trying to convince myself. "It's okay to be sad Jade. Sometimes life gets sad and it's okay. And friends are going to come and go, but you want to know something?" I peak my head out from where it was hiding in his neck. "What?"
"The people that truly love you will find their way to you and they will hold on. The best people in the world are the ones that deserve the amount of love that you have. Everyone that is here today loves you so much and I hope that you will always know that type of unconditional love."
April 2002 (13 year old Jade)
I had just gotten done with play rehearsals that went a bit longer than usual but that's because it was getting close to opening night. I give a hug goodbye to one of my best friends, Caitlin, who was also in the play with me before I start my trek up the hill from the school to my grandparents house. It was better if I went there after school since it was closer and if something happened I wouldn't be completely alone. Plus, I didn't mind the time I got to hang out with my grandpa.
I unlock the door with my key stepping inside as I close the door behind me. Grandpa was napping on his recliner with the tv playing. I carefully walk by to head into the dinning room to start on homework. Since I had a lot of English homework to do, and since the school no longer thought I needed support for my disability since I caught up on reading level, writing essays were extremely harder to do as I no longer had my support to bounce ideas off of. I wasn't even leaned off my accommodations and support, just one day had it, the next, boom, gone.
But my disability had little to no correlation with my ability to read at a different level, the reason I read slow and at a different level was because I couldn't understand what was happening. I struggled with comprehending things that had to do with communication. Whether it was reading a line in a story, reading a question on a test or quiz, someone verbally saying something to me. It even impacted the way I spoke. But the stupid school system didn't care that my test grades started to decline after I wasn't allowed to take tests in a controlled environment where there was a paraprofessional that understood how to accommodate the question in a way that would make sense to me.
I pull out my notebook and my essay prompt from my backpack the moment I sat down at the table.
"Under the Rice Moon" tells a story about a caged bird and a sickly young girl who understand one another. Read the story. Then write an essay discussing the story's theme, or message, and how the author uses the bird and the story's characters to express the message. Be sure to include examples and details from the story to support your ideas. Do not merely summarize the story. Remember that your response will be evaluated in two ways—on your understanding of the story and on the quality of our writing.
I sit there and reread the prompt over and over again not understanding a single word of it. And this damn thing was due tomorrow. Thinking I missed something in the short story I go back and reread it only to be more confused as the time passes.
I sit there rereading and rereading until I feel a presence behind me. "You've been staring at that page for 20 minutes, I don't think what's on the page will change. Have you had a snack yet?" I hear grandpas voice from behind me. I shake my head no, as I haven't had anything to eat since lunch and I was starving. "Okay then, let's get some food in you and see if that helps brain function if not, the break from staring at the paper might help you think about it better."
I stand up slowly following him into the kitchen to get a snack. "So, how was school today kiddo?" He asks leaning against the counter as I eat some grapes leaning across from him. "Well, I had Science which was really interesting today we learned about the different types of clouds, there is cumulus, stratus, and nimbus." I answer popping another grape in my mouth. "We were also put in pairs for a project and we got to pick our partners, so of course I chose Caitlin since she is one of my best friends, and Ryan isn't in my science class." He just nods letting me continue. "Did you know baby rabbits are called kits?" I ask looking at my grandpa.
"I did not, where did you learn that?" "Caitlin, she learned it from her dad." I answer easily. "Cool. What else did you learn today?" "Caitlin and I had a great conversation today during our break in Chorus." "Oh?" "Yeah, she told me I'm her favorite person, but I told her that you are my favorite person and she seemed to be upset by that. But when I told Ryan that he didn't care."
Grandpa raises an eyebrow at my statement. "But then I said I was kidding and told her that my favorite person was her. And she seemed to brighten up, it was weird." Grandpa just nods listening to what I was saying. "Now I have a couple questions for you." "Okay."
"Do you smile more when you are with Caitlin?" I think for a moment then nod my head, "she always makes me smile and laugh the most."
"Do you always try to give her hugs, or loop arms whenever you can?" I tilt my head thinking over his question, do I? I mean I gave her a hug goodbye earlier when normally I would wave to my friends. "I guess."
"Do you seem to say her name often?" "I mean she's one of my best friends..." "Let me rephrase that, are you often thinking of her?" I raise an eyebrow at his question. "Yes."
"Who is your go-to person?" "Caitlin. Why are you asking me all these questions?"
"Jade, sweetie, I don't think you see Caitlin as one of your best friends." Grandpa says carefully.
"What is that supposed to mean?" I ask leaning forward scared of his answer. "I think you like her, as more then a friend."
August 2005 (16 year old Jade)
I figured out something last year, and it's a little terrifying to think about. A few of my friends know, but from that experience Kenzie found out, because of Cruella. All because Lizzie couldn't keep her damn mouth shut. Now, the bitch was threating to tell my family. I haven't even thought a way to come out to my family, let alone my grandparents.
I don't think my grandpa will have a problem with it as he helped me figure out that I had a crush on Caitlin when I was in 8th grade. But grandma, she was an unknown variable. She was raised Christian which as we all know, there is no hate like Christian love.
I knock on grandpa's office door. "Come in." I hear him answer through the door. I open the door carefully and slowly close it behind me.
"Grandpa, I have something to tell you." He sits up in his office chair and turns to me. "What is it kiddo."
I take a deep breath looking at the ground while playing with my fingers. "I like girls, I'm gay." I mutter as soft as a whisper. The silence in the room is almost deafening as the milliseconds tick by. "Okay, do you want to go fishing?" He asks looking up at me. My jaw drops, "I'm sorry what?" I question.
"I asked if you wanted to go fishing." He restates slowly and carefully. "Kiddo, are you okay?" He asks me standing up, he walks towards me gently placing his hands on my shoulders which prompted me to look up at him. "I-I." I open my mouth to say something but nothing comes out. "Jade, if you are worried about if I care that you like girls, I don't. You have always liked girls, all that changed is that you became aware of it and learned the term and told me. There has never been any moment in time that you haven't been you. Okay?" "Okay." "So, do you want to go fishing?" "Yes." I answer with a laugh as I pull grandpa into a hug happy tears running down my face.
Later that evening I had come out to my entire family and they were all supportive surprisingly. I'm really glad that they were, don't know what I would've done if they weren't.
December 2007 (18 year old Jade)
I brought home Ashley for the first time ever to meet my family. Since she also celebrated Jewish holidays and Christian holidays I thought it would be a great idea for her to come back in December and not in November for Thanksgiving.
You see her mom is Jewish but her step-dad and step-brother were Christian and her mom and step-dad have been married since she was 3 they taught her both traditions but she mainly follows that of Jewish holidays because her mom is Jewish.
"I'm actually quite nervous." Ashley whispers next to me holding my hand as we walk up the walkway to my grandparents house since it was the last day of Hanukkah. "You have nothing to worry about babe, they will love you." I smile pressing a kiss to her cheek.
"You say that now, but you can't be sure." She whispers pulling me to a stop. "Maybe this was a bad idea."
I smile shyly shaking my head. "Baby, they know how happy you make me. To them that is what matters the most. Whenever I call home to chat I talk about you, don't be so scared you got this. I met your parents already and they loved me."
"That's because you're you, who wouldn't love you. I'm me..." "Exactly, you're you, and there is no one else like you, and you are the most important person in my life. They will love you, you have nothing to worry about."
"Babe..."
"No, nothing to worry about." I smile pressing a kiss to her lips making her blush before pulling her along on the walkway continuing our trek to the door. When I get to the door I knocked carefully. Grandpa opens the door with a shit-eating grin on his face. "I was wondering when you two would decide to finally knock, your car pulled in ten minutes ago." He teases me, I narrow my eyes pulling my hand from Ashley's to playfully hit him. "Shut up." I whisper a blush tinting my cheeks.
"Now who is this lovely lady?" He turns to Ashley who seemed to curl into herself the moment my hand fell from hers, I quickly grab her hand squeezing's softly in reassurance. "I'm Ashley, sir." "Please don't call me sir, that makes me feel old." He dismisses her, "but it is very lovely to meet you, Ashley. Jade here talks about you all the time. Like so much it's all she ever talks about. I can't even get her to tell me how she did on a project or soccer game because she only ever talks about you." He teases me sticking his tongue out. "I do not." I try to defend myself. "Uh, yeah you do." He states back as if he was a sassy little kid. My jaw drops open. "Wow, I'm hurt grandpa." I tease him. "Oh well." He shrugs with a laugh getting Ashley to let out a small giggle hinting at the fact that she was getting comfortable.
"Can we come in? It's kind of cold out here?" I shiver to add emphasis to my statement. "You didn't seem to mind the cold when you were out there canoodling with your girlfriends here." He points between us teasingly. "Oh my god." I hear Ashley mutter softly as both of our faces turn bright red. "You were watching us?" I ask flabbergasted.
"Oh my god, it's not like you literally weren't just making out in the front for the whole world to see." He sasses out like he was a little girl making it very hard to stay mad at him and not giggle. "How Rude." I huff out like Stephanie Tanner, which just made him laugh and move aside to let us both in. Only my grandpa would make my date laugh so she wouldn't feel uncomfortable. At least laugh in the way of which he was doing.
July 2012 (23 year old Jade)
Since filming for my very first movie that I am the cinematographer better known as the Director of Photography was filming in New York I decided to go visit home before heading to New York to start filming. As I'll be on set for my birthday. Just a few days ago I moved into the apartment that I'll be renting and it is across the hall from the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. You probably know her sisters from Full House.
I knock on my grandparents door waiting patiently for them to open the door. Okay more of impatiently as I was bouncing on my toes as I do. Soon the door opens and there standing in front of me is my grandpa. My absolute favorite person in the entire world. "Jade?" "Hi grandpa." I smile as he pulls me in for a hug. I squeeze him back before letting go. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to visit, I am filming a movie not that far from here." He raises his eyebrow, "seriously it's only in New York. Anyway, I thought I'd drop in and say hello."
"Come in, come in." He stands to the side letting me into the house. "Honey, Jade is here." He calls out to my grandma. I watch as she comes from the kitchen. "What?" She stops and drops her dish towel before walking over to me to pull me into a hug. "Don't you ever stay away for that long again." She swats at my chest. I nod slowly, "yes grandma. I'm sorry."
I've been avoiding coming home since the whole break up with Ashley. I didn't exactly want my family to see how I've been acting lately since she broke my heart. They don't even know we broke up, they just think that for the past year and a half she went home for her own family's holidays. "I've got a cake in the oven why don't you and Isaiah sit down and catch up." She pushes me slightly towards the couch. I nod sitting down while grandpa sits down in his famous recliner.
"How's Ashley?" Was the first question he asks, "um, she's good." "She didn't want to come visit us today, again?" "She's busy, busy. She's actually just graduated and is currently trying to find a job." "Right. Is she staying in your apartment while you are filming?" "She's in Rhode Island trying to find a job, so no." I answer sweetly, "she wants to stay close to home." "Right..." He trails off giving me a weird look.
"It's sort of weird that she wants to stay close to home and in Rhode Island while you currently live in LA." "You're absolutely right, she's looking for..." "Ashley and you broke up almost two years ago." He cuts me off.
"What....? No... That's crazy." My voice going up an octave as I try to lie, he raises one eyebrow at me and I crumble. "Yes, okay we broke up." "And how are you dealing with it?" "Can we talk about something else please?" I plead with him.
"Sure, any new girls we should know about?" He asks and I immediately blush. He raises an eyebrow, "tell me about her, I want to know all the details."
"I literally haven't even had a conversation with her, but I know that she is probably the sweetest person in the world. She lives across the hall from me in the apartment I am renting during filming. Her name is Elizabeth. She is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen in the entire world, her smile is breathtaking, it could light up a room. And don't get me started on her laugh, I heard her laugh the other day, and it was like music to my ears, I swore in that moment that I would do anything to hear that sound again and to be the cause of it..." I trail off because I can hear him laughing. "What?"
"Sounds like miss too cool for school has a crush." He teases with a smile. "Oh hush." I pick up the pillow next to me throwing it at him making him laugh more. "Children! You better be behaving in there." Grandma calls out from the kitchen making both of us stop. A 'yes dear' and a 'yes grandma' were called out at the same time, we both look at each other before bursting out into laughter. I forgot how much my grandpa could make me laugh while I was away.
I ended up calling him not that many days later to tell him that I got Elizabeth to laugh and we had quickly become friends. A month later I called him up again to tell him that Lizzie and I were officially dating. He teased me for days by saying 'I told you so.' Because he was convinced the girl liked me back, but I wasn't so sure, but since she asked me out first he never gets tired of telling me that he knew just from the fact of what I would tell him over the phone.
October 2013 (24 year old Jade)
I had just officially proposed to Lizzie three nights ago. I'm getting married to the love of my life. We were going to visit my grandparents today to tell them the news. Lizzie knows how important my grandpa is to me. She understands the fact that she and him share the pedestal of my favorite person/most important person. Ashley never understood that, but Lizzie she does. Another reason that I know that she is most definitely the one.
I grip onto Lizzie's hand that is in mine as we walk up the walkway to my grandparents house. Lizzie knocks on the door since in my other hand is a gift bag inviting them to the wedding.
Grandma opens the door. "Hello you two, we didn't even know you were in town." "It was meant to be a surprise Grandma." I smile accepting the hug she was offering. "Isaiah, Jade and Lizzie are here!" She calls out behind her. "I'll be right out." I hear him answer back as grandma pulls back from the hug offering Lizzie a hug as well who of course accepts the hug. "Come in, come in." Grandma moves out of the way letting us enter the house, she looks down at the gift bag in hand. "Who is that for?" She asks curious. "For you and grandpa, but you have to wait for him before you can open it." I answer her question. "Mysterious." She smiles sitting down on the couch leaving Lizzie and I standing.
Soon grandpa joins us in the living room. He walks over to give me a hug than gives Lizzie a hug.
"Now, I know you don't just come home for no reason anymore, so what is the occasion?" Grandpa questions as soon as he pulls away from the hug with Lizzie. "Must there be a reason?" I ask raising an eyebrow. "With you, there always is."
"Sit." I say softly pointing to the couch. "Okay...?" He gives me a weird look sitting down on the couch next to grandma. I hand them the gift bag in my hand quietly.
Lizzie and I watch silently as they open the gift. Obviously, I know that my grandparents adore Lizzie and the way she treats me, but she is always cautious afraid that they are just faking it.
Grandpa even told me that when I brought her home for the first time he told me that she was the unconditional love he was talking about back when I was 6 years old. Someone who will love you for exactly who you are. He could just tell by the way she all but clung to me whenever we were sitting down, and how she always sought me out when we were in a conversation with different people, always had the biggest smile on her face when talking about me, or even the biggest smile when I was holding her hand.
And when he told her that he was my favorite person and the most important person in her life she went 'I know, and I don't want to take that spot away from you.' He came over to me and told me what she had said, he told me 'That girl, that is your forever.'
I take a deep breath as they pull out the tissue paper that surrounds the gift, it's basically just a vinyl of their wedding song, my aunts wedding song to her first husband, my parents wedding song, my uncles wedding song, and I found out what my great grandparents wedding song was too and we put it on the vinyl. On the vinyl was added, 'Lizzie and Jades TBD' underneath all the rest with the date we decided we are getting married.
Grandpa was the first too look up at us. "You're getting married?" He asks standing up. "We are." I state confidently looking at him. He immediately pulls Lizzie and I into a tight hug, "I'm so happy for you two." He congrats us while grandma puts the vinyl down to pull us into a hug as soon as grandpa pulls away.
"Look at you, all grown up." He smiles softly, there was no denying the big smile on my face as we all sat down and talked for hours.
January 2016 (26 year old Jade)
I call my grandparents as Lizzie is sleeping after just giving birth to Madi and Alex, the two most precious things in the world. "Hello?" I hear grandpa ask over the phone.
"Grandpa it's me." I answer him. "Oh, Jade. Sorry I still haven't figured out how to use caller ID." Such an old man. "What's up? Why are you calling at this time of day?"
"I have something to tell you and grandma."
"What is it?"
"I'm officially a mom now." I exclaim quality trying not to wake my sleeping babies or my sleeping wife. "Lizzie had the twins early this morning. We named them Madison Mae and Alexandria Grace."
"I'm so happy for you guys, tell my congratulations to Lizzie when she wakes up of course." He answers sincerely over the phone, "now come visit with the twins when you can as your grandmother and I aren't getting any younger and we want to meet our great grandbabies." "We will grandpa." "Sounds good kiddo. I'm going to let you go so you can get some sleep yourself. Love you." "Love you too."
"Jade." I feel someone poking me. "Jade." I hear my name this time. I blink my eyes open to see beautiful green eyes boring into mine. "Welcome back to the land of the living babe. We will be landing in Windsor Locks in about 30 minutes."
The rest of the flight goes by in a blur and so does the ride to our hotel room that we got for the few days we were going to be here.
I barely eat dinner at the hotel restaurant before going upstairs to bed. Knowing tomorrow would be the longest day of my entire life.
The next morning I wake up groggy with little feet in my face because Madi and Alex shared a bed with me and Lizzie last night.
I tickle the little feet that were in my face as I hear a giggle come from my oldest. I continue to tickle her feet before she pulls them away and sits up underneath the covers. I let out a soft laugh. Madi crawls her way out from under the covers to where she's sitting next to me. "Mommy?"
"Hmm?"
"Why are we back in your home town?" She asks innocently, I suck in a breath sitting up and pulling the girl onto my lap. "Well Mads, someone really important to me went to a special place and we are here to celebrate their life and what they stood for." "Where is that special place? Can we visit them?"
"The special place is a place where no one feels any pain or doesn't get sick. And no sweetheart we can't go visit them, the special place has a time for when every person is supposed to join that special place. One day, very, very far into the future we will be able to visit them in the special place. Okay?" "Okay mommy."
A few minutes later Lizzie woke with a groan. "Damn baby sitting on my bladder." She mutters slowly sitting up and getting up to waddle to the bathroom. I try not to laugh at her bed head knowing that if I do, I will end up getting a pillow to the face.
Ever since she cut bangs in her hair the bed head that she wakes up with is priceless. But I still think she looks beautiful.
When Lizzie exited the bathroom she looks directly at me. I could read what her eyes were telling me. It was the same look my grandpa used to give me before he would tell me it's okay to cry and to be sad.
Slowly I get ready for the funeral as Lizzie wakes up Alex from her slumber. The young loved her sleep as much as the next guy. Once I was ready I help Madi and Alex get ready while Lizzie gets ready. This is the one thing that I never wanted to have to do. But, I knew at one point it had to happen.
The drive to the Jewish funeral home where the funeral was to be held was long and quiet while Lizzie held my hand.
When we finally arrived I was surprised to see Scarlett and Colin waiting just outside. When the car was parked and Lizzie and I got Madi and Alex out of their car seats is when Madi finally spotted Scarlett. "Aunie Scar!" She runs to her from where we were parked, thankfully she wasn't very far so Lizzie and I weren't worried, and she didn't have to cross the parking lot. She was literally standing on grass.
Alex grabs my hand while my other hand finds Lizzie's seeking comfort. As we walk up to Scarlett she looks up at me and Lizzie. "Lizzie called on the way to the airport, thought you could use some support." She whispers pulling me into a hug. I try not to cry at the fact that she drove all the way from New York just to give me some moral support.
We quietly enter the funeral home and I take a deep breath trying not to crumble just yet. I need to be strong for my cousins. Colin looks confused when a worker hands him something. "It's a yarmulke, you are supposed to put it on to like the back of your head... here give it." Scar takes it from his hand placing it where it needs to go. "There."
I feel a tugging at my pant leg. I look down to see Madi, "mommy can I wear what Uncle Colin is wearing?" "Madi, sweetie I know it seems cool, but it is only for the men to wear...." She gives me her puppy dog eyes. I look at the worker who handed Colin's who just smiles softly handing me one. I place it on her head with a small smile. "There."
Lizzie gave me a weird look, "Scar?" I look to her to answer for me, "women aren't required to wear one like a man is, but if they want to they can. Simple answer." I nod agreeing with her answer. Scarlett gives my hand a squeeze before heading into the area where the service will be held while I still wait outside. Lizzie looks around confused, "right, you've never been to a Jewish funeral before, when guests arrive they go wait in the area while the immediately family waits together to go in together."
We wait until everyone arrives and the workers give us a black ribbon. Lizzie looks down at it confused. "Just before the funeral, close relatives of the deceased observe the rite of k'riah, making a small rip in the clothing you are wearing if you don't want to rip your clothing the ribbon is for that." "Why?" "K'riah is like ripping open a bag of grief to allow the tears and strong emotions to fall out." I explain quietly. "I know that this is extremely hard for you, but I appreciate the time that you take to explain things to me so I will know what is going on."
The rabbi walks into the room where we were all gathered I drop Lizzie's hand that I was holding knowing what was about to happen. "Adonai natan, Adonai lakach, yehi shem Adonai m'vorach." He says as everyone starts to rip the ribbon that was pinned to our shirts. I squat down helping Madi and Alex rip there's before standing back up and grabbing Lizzie's hand again. "God has given, God has taken away, blessed be the name of God." I mutter in her ear so she knows what the rabbi had just said.
Soon everyone that was coming has arrived and we are ushered us inside leading us to the front row. Before the ceremony begins Lizzie taps my shoulder. "Yeah?" I whisper looking to her. "Why is the casket square?" "In Jewish culture the person is buried in a biodegradable casket made out of wood not even nails, my grandma just chose a simple pine casket that happened to be square." I answer in a whisper, Lizzie nods squeezing my hand softly, I squeeze back.
The opening prayers begin as soon as the rabbi was set at his podium. After what felt like years it was time for the eulogy. I listen as the rabbi talks about my grandfather and all that he was and who he was as a person and I try not to cry. He read a short eulogy paper that was written Savannah which made me crack. There were stories of our childhood and him bringing all of fishing or to the auction house. Lizzie just squeezed my hand harder knowing that right now that was all she could do for comfort.
El Malei Rachamim was chanted which is the closing prayers before it is time for the family leaves to go back to the room that we were waiting in before as the pall bearers remove the casket. Traditionally family cannot be pall bearers.
I wait in silence after getting my tears in check. Lizzie sits next to me just holding my hand, Madi and Alex talking with Aiden somewhere in the family room. The rabbi knocks on the door once the pall bearers had carried him all the way to the hearse.
The walk to the car was quiet as we got the Twins situated in the back of the car before getting in and following after the hearse to the graveyard. At the graveyard will be the hardest thing that is going to happen at this funeral. Something that I have dreaded since I heard what my dad said over the phone.
When we get to the gravesite we wait for all the attendees to arrive, once everyone is there the pall bearers which are my uncles on my moms side and a few other family members on my dads side that carry the casket stopping 7 times. I watch as they make their way over to the grave. They place it next to it before making their way to their spots.
Prayers occur then the pall bearers walk back over to the grave and grab the casket lowering it into the ground. Lizzie squeezes my hand knowing I need more comfort in that exact moment. She may not understand what is happening and why he is getting lowered during the funeral and not after is beyond her, but she doesn't need to understand to comfort and I appreciate it.
We get ready to say the Mourners Kaddish at the gravesite for the first time which is usually recited everyday for the 11 months following the burial and on the yahrzeit which is the yearly anniversary.
"Yitgadal v'yitkadash sh'mei raba b'alma di-v'ra
chirutei, v'yamlich malchutei b'chayeichon
uvyomeichon uvchayei d'chol beit yisrael, ba'agala
uvizman kariv, v'im'ru: 'amen.'
Y'hei sh'mei raba m'varach l'alam ul'almei almaya.
Yitbarach v'yishtabach, v'yitpa'ar v'yitromam
v'yitnaseh, v'yithadar v'yit'aleh v'yit'halal sh'mei
d'kud'sha, b'rich hu,
l'eila min-kol-birchata v'shirata, tushb'chata
v'nechemata da'amiran b'alma, v'im'ru: 'amen.'
Y'hei shlama raba min-sh'maya v'chayim aleinu
v'al-kol-yisrael, v'im'ru: 'amen.'
Oseh shalom bimromav, hu ya'aseh shalom aleinu
v'al kol-yisrael, v'imru: 'amen.'"
Lizzie raises her eyebrow slightly I lean into whisper what the translation as the rabbi is saying it.
"Glorified and sanctified be God's great name throughout the world
which He has created according to His will.
May He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and during your days,
and within the life of the entire House of Israel, speedily and soon;
and say, Amen.
May His great name be blessed forever and to all eternity.
Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored,
adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He,
beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that
are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.
May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for us
and for all Israel; and say, Amen.
He who creates peace in His celestial heights,
may He create peace for us and for all Israel;
and say, Amen."
Now, came the part I was dreading the most. The part of the service that I refused to want to have to do, but before it happened I quickly look down at Madi and Alex, they were too young to see this particular part. I notice Aiden walk over. "If you want I can take them to the back of everyone and distract them?" I nod not being able to talk at this point, Madi and Alex go carefully with Aiden behind everyone where I can see still see them but they can't see the grave.
Grandma, despite how old she is, goes up first as the Rabbi recites "Al mekomo yavo veshalom." She picks up the shovel and uses the back of the shovel to pick up some dirt shoveling it into the grave, the sound of the dirt hitting the wood for the first time will forever haunt me in my dreams. She picks up more dirt with the shovel side throwing it into the grave. She places the shovel back into the dirt heading back to where she was standing.
Lizzie tugs slightly on my hand. "Mourners use the back of the shovel at first, to demonstrate reluctance. Helping to fill the grave means you have left nothing undone. The echo of earth falling on the wooden coffin is the terrible and haunting sound of finality. After you have emptied a shovel onto a loved one's casket, there is no denying death–which makes it possible for healing to begin." I explain to her why this is happening at the funeral when most times this sort of stuff does not happen at many other types of funerals.
My dad and Savannah went up next to use the two shovels , when my dad was done Uncle Wyatt went up. When Savannah was done Aunt Mary went up. It kept getting closer and closer to when it would be my turn. I know that if you don't feel comfortable to do it, you don't have too, but I know if I don't do this I may just regret it even more.
Went it came time for me to go up I slowly picked up the shovel it felt like it weighed 100 pounds, I took a deep breath picking up dirt with the back of the shovel which felt like it added 1,000 more pounds to the already heavy shovel. I placed it over the grave slowly pouring it out watching as the dirt fell from the back of the shovel.
I took another deep breath turning the shovel the right way picking up more dirt, suddenly the shovel didn't feel as hard as it felt like someone was helping me guide the shovel to the grave dumping the dirt onto the casket. A warm gust of wind blew past me as I placed the shovel back in the ground to head back to Lizzie, it smelt like mesquite, one of my grandpa's favorite woods to barbeque with, most especially if I was barbequing with him. I let out a very small sad smile, it was my grandfathers way to tell me that he was there and that he loved me. When I get over to Lizzie I squeeze her hand as soon as it found mine.
Once everyone from immediate family was done, it opened up to any guests that wanted to participate could. What had felt like hours the final person had gone up and it was time to leave to go where the shiva was to be observed. It's a week long mourning period. Usually you aren't supposed to leave the house where it is being observed, like everyone in the immediate family in one house for a week... long time. My grandmother no longer lives in a home, as she is in a nursing home since she is getting up there in age, and my aunt has a condo, and my parents house wasn't that large, and Uncle Wyatt didn't even live in this state anymore. So, that wasn't exactly happening which was okay, since when my great grandfather died my grandfather didn't observe shiva either.
So, instead of that we were to go to some restaurant that was owned by a family friend to make the meal of seudat havra'ah which was the 'meal of comforting.' Lizzie pulls my hand to head back to the car but I stop her. Aiden walks back with Madi and Alex who grab both of our outstretched hands as Aiden walks to Nick and Savannah. Lizzie gives me a weird look but I just point to where everyone who came got into two parallel lines. "Creepy." Lizzie mutters, I stifle a laugh, "customary in religion in some communities who practice Judaism." I whisper back into her ear. I watch her nod her head slightly meaning she understood now. I pull her slightly through the two lines, "HaMakom yenachem etchem b'toch she'ar avalei Tzyion V'Yirushalayim" was recited as the family walks through the two lines. "May God console you with all who mourn in the midst of the Gates of Zion and Jerusalem." I whisper what the words mean in English. I really should've prepared her last night, but it was late when we got in due to the time difference. Once finally back at the car where we help the twins into the car before getting in ourselves.
We wait until everyone is back to their cars as we head to the restaurant. Once everyone was in their respective cars we follow my dad's car to the restaurant.
When we get to the restaurant Lizzie and I help Alex and Madi out of the car and towards the restaurant holding their hands in the parking lot. I usher them to the bathroom Lizzie raising an eyebrow. "Custom to wash hands." I state quickly not wanting to explain the whole it is custom to wash yourself after a funeral, or visitation to a cemetery to purify yourself, if you cannot completely cleanse yourself at least washing your hands is better than nothing.
Once we all washed our hands we head to the spot where the rest of my family was waiting. This could very easily be misinterpreted as what happens after a Christian service where you celebrate the person who passed by reliving memories, because through out the entire time that is exactly what we did.
I tap Lizzie's arm halfway through the meal. "Yeah?" "Maximus Anthony." I mutter almost inaudible. "Hmm?" "Maximus Anthony." I state this time slightly louder for her to hear better. "To remember your grandfather?" She questions softly while I nod. Isaiah Anthony Davis was my grandfathers full name in English. His Hebrew name was something different. "Maximus Anthony it is." She whispers pressing a quick kiss to my pouting lips.
The meal quickly turned into a day of reembrace as we each shared stories of grandpa. Lizzie spoke up to share a memory. "This was back when Jade and I started dating, back when I was afraid I wasn't good enough for her. She brought me home for Thanksgiving." She didn't need to explain for the fact that it was my moms side of the family that celebrated thanksgiving. "The day before she brought me to meet her quote 'favorite person in the entire world.' I was nervous that he wouldn't like me, since this would be the first time I meet anyone from her family. It was a pretty big deal. I wanted her family to like me. When I was greeted at the door he pulled me right into a hug saying that he knew that this would happen. I was confused until he explained that Jade would call every night after we hung out and tell him everything. I of course blush. Over the rest of the day he never once made me feel like I wasn't included, he made me feel like I was already family. When it was time to leave he pulled me into another hug, before pulling away he whispered to me. 'She adores you more than you could ever believe, you think you that you aren't good enough for her, but I have never seen someone as excellent for my granddaughter as you.' I remember pulling away from the hug trying not to cry at the fact that he barely knew who I was but took the time to tell me something that forever changed my life. May peace be upon him." She whispers out the end, which makes me smile sadly.
She must've... "I looked up what to say because I didn't want to say anything wrong." I nod softly leaning down to press a kiss to her nose.
When everything was done we quietly make our way back out to the car and the twins were absolutely exhausted as was I. The ride to the hotel was quiet, when we got back both of the twins were asleep and I quietly carry both to the room.
I place them on the second queen bed and cover them up. "I'm going to shower." I mention to Lizzie who nods as I start to get ready to shower. I turn the water on and wait for it to get warm. When the water was finally the temperature that I wanted it I step into the shower standing under the stream of water. The moment that the water starts to stream down my face I break letting out the tears that I have been holding in since the start of the funeral service. Once I started crying there was no end to the tears that were flowing.
My best friend, my favorite person was gone. There were to be no more surprise phone calls or visits to him anymore. He wasn't going to pick up anymore, and I'd probably get arrested if I showed up at his house for trespassing.
He was gone and he wasn't coming back. I let out a scream as I fall to the ground which alerts my wife who was just in the other room. "Jade?" She whispers opening the door, "oh honey." She whispers rushing over to the shower as quickly as she could, she quickly strips getting into the shower pulling me into a standing position and pulling me into a tight hug. "Let it out." She repeats as I cry into her neck. "He's gone." I repeat the more I cry.
Okay, that was a long one huh? Over an hour to read... yeah sorry about the length of the chapter. Anyway sorry about the time it took to get this update to you, writing this particular chapter brought up a lot of emotions for me regarding my own grandfathers funeral so it was a doozy to write.
As always sorry if there is any spelling or grammatical mistakes, especially for this chapter as it would take a long time to reread and find any mistake.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter as always.
There is a hint about what is happening with Lizzie in this chapter, it may be hard to find or easy depending on how observant you may be.
The next chapter will be the Endgame premiere. Lots of stuff happens that night so buckle up.
Also I did create a Spotify playlist for this story. It is in my conversation thread and I will post the link here as well,
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qWPXqJNEtA1wd6tqiTorz?si=f167c0f7f3684958
If you guys want to add songs that make you think of this story or this couple you can comment here and I can add them or you can comment on the conversation on my page and I can add them, either way I hope you like the playlist.
Okay that is all, I hope you enjoyed the chapter,
Until Next Time,
For Now,