Hello! I'm so sorry that this was a late update. I haven't been on wattpad in a while because we moved and our internet hasn't been hooked up yet! Good news: It will be hooked up on the 28th. So, now I have to use public wifi that pretty much sucks... :/ So bare with me please! :) I hope you all enjoy this. <3
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Ariella’s POV
I fell to my knees. Shock overcame me and my body parts became limp. The only noise I heard was the sound of the sheriff’s voice on the phone.
“Hello? Ariella Rayne? Are you there? Can you hear me?”
“How?” I croaked.
“Your mother was sick for a long time,” He said.
“Was your mother a smoker?” He asked.
“Y-yes, and she drank as well,” I whispered.
“Her lungs and kidneys couldn’t handle it, sweetheart. I’m so sorry. Would you like to make funeral arrangements?” He asked.
“No, my mother always told me she never wanted a funeral. She thought the idea of a dead body on display was ridiculous…” I said.
“Alright, ma’am. Would you like her to be cremated or buried?” He asked.
“Cremated; It’s what she wanted,” I said.
“We will have the ashes sent to you, ma’am,” Sheriff Stokes said.
“Goodbye,” I choked.
When I hung up, the phone fell to the floor. I didn’t even notice Niall putting his arm around me.
“Your mum…she’s-”
“Dead,” I answered.
“I’m so sorry, babe,” Niall whispered.
His arms picked me up off of the floor. Zayn, Sally, Harry, and Nicki were still sitting on Niall’s couch. Their expressions were stunned.
“I’m going to take her to my room,” Niall told the others.
No one spoke. They only nodded their heads.
When Niall brought me to his room, he placed me gently on his bed and then closed his door.
“I shouldn’t have yelled at her when she visited me,” I said.
“Don’t do this to yourself, Ariella,” Niall said.
“Stop telling me what to do!” I yelled.
He put his hand on my lower back and placed his forehead against mine.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered to him.
“It’s fine. You’re distraught. You can’t think straight,” He said.
“I still feel horrible even though my mother and I were never close. She was still my mother,” I said.
“So, no funeral?” He asked.
“No, my mother always hated funerals and she told me that she would come back from the dead and haunt me if I gave her one. She always said that she never wanted to be remembered by her past,” I laughed a little.
“Do you want anything?” Niall asked.
I shook my head.
“You know, Niall, she’s in a better place. She doesn’t have to worry about Steve. She’s finally stress free. I know she wouldn’t want me to be sad,” I said.
“I definitely know she doesn’t want you to mourn over her death,” He said.
“But wouldn’t you do the same?” I asked him.
“Yeah, I would,” He said.
“I’m not going to let this ruin my life. I know she’s probably calling me a fool right now,” I said.
Niall smiled sadly and kissed my forehead.
“I think I’m going to sleep now,” I said.
“Alright, I’ll let the others know,” He said.
Niall left the room and I sighed. It was almost like a part of me didn’t even believe my mother was gone. She had been lost her whole life, and I suppose now she’s been found. That was the thing about my mother; she was never afraid of death. I imagine she embraced it with open arms.
I heard Niall’s door open and I smiled at him as I saw him walking toward me.
“The others went home. I told them that you were going to be fine,” He said.
“I hope they don’t worry,” I said.
“Oh, but you know they will!” Niall said.
“I know.”
Niall climbed into his bed beside me.
“Can I take a shower?” I asked.
“Of course,” He said.
Niall jumped up and walked over to his drawers. He opened one and pulled out a pair of panties. I raised my eyebrow at him.
“Wait…are those mine?!” I asked.
His face turned bright red. “Yes,” He squeaked.
“Why do you have them?” I asked.
“Well, the last time you took a shower here you left them, so I washed them and kept them for the next time you spent the night here…” He said.
“Thoughtful,” I said.
I took my underwear out of his hands and then stole one of his shirts and a pair of his shorts and ran to his bathroom. I started the shower and then took my clothes off. Once I stepped in, the hot water greeted me. I closed my eyes and let the warmth take over.
I washed my hair and my body and soon got out. I put on my underwear and my bra. Next, I put on Niall’s shirt and shorts. I didn’t bother doing anything with my hair. Once I walked back into Niall’s room, I saw him with nothing on but a pair of boxers. I sat on his bed and he joined me. I got underneath the blankets.
As my eyelids were getting heavier, I heard Niall whisper, “Everything will be okay…”