The Funeral

The preacher walked up to the podium and laid his bible down.  The image of him in his black silk robe gave Shae the chills. Edkin took her hand and hold it in his. He smiled at her and nodded.

“Family and friends, we are gathered here to commemorate the life Jeffery Marshall. It is sad that we must gather here to say good bye. But at this time we must also remember his achievements…” The preacher paused and sighed. He took a moment to take off his glasses and squeeze his nose where the spectacles once sat. Shae turned her head towards Edkin who also looked a little confused.  Turning her attention back to the preacher, she noticed he was rubbing his eyes. He then took out a white handkerchief and rubbed his fingers on it.  

Is he crying? She wondered.

“I apologize, folks. Now, where was I? Jeffery was to be the valedictorian of his high school graduation class. He also, we scheduled to attend MIT in the fall.” The preacher paused again. “We shall now hear from his mother.”

The room’s attention then turned to a middle-aged woman standing up. Though Shae’s sister had dated Jeffery since they were in sixth grade, Shae had never once seen Jeffery’s parents. His mother was short and thin. Her hair was a firey red and hung just below her chin.  She had already been crying, long before she got to the podium. Still she climbed the three wooden steps and placed her page onto the desk. Sniffing she struggled to push the words out of her throat.

“Jeffery was… a won….wonderful… boy. He loved... he loved his friends… but loved the court… even more. As a son… he did all he could… to make the family happy. And as a brother… he was protective of his three…younger sisters.” Her hands fell to the desk as she lifted her head to the ceiling. “Jeffery, if you could hear Mommy, I miss you. You always said that you wanted to grow up and be a hero. Well, baby, you got what you wanted... I just wish that it had not cost your life." The woman then lowered her head and went back to her seat. 

Edkin patted Shae on the hand and stood up.

"Is it your turn already?" Shao asked.

"Yep," Edkin whispered as he made his way to the podium. Shae bit her lip and inhaled. You can do it Edkin. Just dont cry.

Edkin looked at the audience. His face was still. He sighed and faced towards the closed casket that sat to his left. "Jeffery had, in my opinion, the perfect life. He belonged to loving family. He was popular. He had a beautiful girlfriend. He loved his life... and he loved the court. He lead our team to multiple victories and it was because of him that our school won nationals last year. Mr and Mrs Marshall, you have every reason to be proud of him. I know I speak for the whole basketball team at Emberks High when I say 'We are going to miss you, Jeffery.'" 

As Edkin walked back to his seat, the members of the basketball team stood up and began to clap. Slowly more students joined them, until everyone was standing and clapping for the man who laid in the casket in front of them. Shae fought back tears for the sake of Edkin and Simone. She knew that if they saw her crying, nothing would keep them from doing the same. 

The Arrival

Shae and Edkin walked to the funeral home, hand in hand. The snow had began to fall, making the sidewalk slippery. Shae slipped a few times and fell, butt first, to the ground. Each time Edkin would laugh until he too fell over.
By the end of the walk Shae's butt was so soar that the idea of sitting on it made her groan in discontent. However, she was happy that she was able to make Edkin smile along the way.

Edkin held the door open for Shae and placed his hand on the small of her back as to push her into the building. Shae noticed his intentions; she was not the one that needed pushing, he was. When they both made it inside, she grabbed his hand and smiled at him.

"I need to take my coat and gloves off," Edkin pronounced. Shae blushed and pulled her hand away.

"I'm sorry... I wasn't thinking."

"Of course you were, just not with your head." Edkin smiled as he took of his winter clothes and turned them into the coat check in. Shae looked him up and down. The sight of Edkin's toned frame in a suit was stunning. His sun-tanned skin and handy-man muscles were hidden under the black fabric. However, anyone could tell that he was fit and muscular from how he held himself. "Shae, do you need help?"

"Whah?"

"You are standing there just staring. Do you need help taking your coat off?"

"No, I got it thank you." Shae turned as to hide the fact that he pale skin was turning a bright red. She leaned her head down and began to fidget with her zipper.

Suddenly, Edkin's hands touched hers, "Let me," he whispered softly into her ear. He pushed her hand down, bringing the zipper down with it. His hands then slid majestically up her arms up to her shoulders and pulled her jacket off.

"Here you go," he said to the clerk as he handed Shae's jacket over.

"You didn't have to do that. I was fine," Shae said shakily.

"Of course I did. When you blush your hands shake. And what kind of a man would I be if I was not there to hold my love as she shakes?" Edkin asked as he turned Shae around and lifted her head so they could see each other eye to eye. "You are still blushing."

Shae bit her lip. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It is perfectly normal." Edkin held her and placed her head on his shoulder. She could feel his breathe shift from a calm pace to almost nothing.

"It is going to be okay," she said the moment she noticed that he was about to start crying.

"Of course it will," he replied. "There is no need to cry, my Shae-ness."

She sighed, "Sure, whatever, Eddy."

Edkin pushed her away gently. "Don't call me Eddy. You know I hate that."

"Don't call me Shae-ness. 'You know I hate that.'" Shae replied slightly mimicking him. Edkin laughed and then grabbed her hand. "Touche. Let's get this over with."


As they walked into the funeral room they were greeted by Heath, whom was leaning against the wall with an apathetic look on his face and a tooth pick in his mouth. Edkin tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. Heath turned his head to Edkin, placed his hand on Edkin's shoulder and shook his head.

"Its going to be hell finding another point guard, man," Heath joked, though his facial expression did not change. Edkin gave a smirk.

"He indeed was a good player. Our basketball team lost a good player indeed."

Heath turned his attention from Edkin to Shae. He face went from apathetic to sour.

"What is it?" she asked. Heath tilted his head towards the pews. Shae looked towards that direction and saw her sister in the first row with her head down. Her black hair was up a bun.

"She has been asking for you. She refuses to talk to anyone else." Heath said.

Shae turned and looked at Edkin. He nodded and let go of her hand.

"Go to her."

Shae walked down the aile towards the first row. Simone was hunched over with Jeffery's jersey in her lap. Her fingers gently rubbed across the letters on the top. Her mind was plagued of his memories and though she fought back the tears, she refused to let go any of the visions she had, though they made her want to cry.

Shae slide next to her sister on the bench and softly places her hand on Simone's shoulder. Simone slowly lifted her head and looked into Shae's eyes. Shae was filled with fear as she saw Simone's spring blue eyes had turned a distant white.

“Simone?”

“Shae,” Simone forced a smile that lasted only a second. She turned her attention back to the jersey. “Heath gave this to me when I got here. He said that Jeffery was going to give it to me before the next game anyway.”

Shae stayed silent as she watched her sister break in her melancholy stage. Over time people began to fill the pews. A few students from Simone’s class came to comfort her, but she did not break her gaze from the jersey. Shae could understand Simone’s pain, in a sense. She has been in class with Simone since she was able to go to school and she had witnessed Simone’s relationship with Jefferey from the moment it was born. Simone’s sadness was understandable.

“Shae, I can’t love anyone else,” Simone said, breaking her silence.

“No one expects you to right now,” Shea replied. Simone shook her head.

“I mean ever. I can’t see myself loving someone else. I don’t want to love someone else.” Tears began to swell up in Simone’s eyes. Shea reached over to her sister. Before her hand reached Simone’s back, Simone collapsed into Shae’s chest and started crying. Her sobs were heavy and violent, yet quiet.

“Jeffery would not want you to be sad, Simone. He always said that tears never suited your beauty.”

“Just let me cry. I can’t hold the tears in anymore. It hurts too much.”  Simone raised the jersey up to her neck and hold it as if she was holding Jeffery. “I miss him.”

“I know,” Shae whispered as she rubbed her hand on Simone’s hair. “I know”

The Freezing Wait

Shae stood next to the bulletin board near the common area, like she did every morning during school. The walkways of her outside high school were empty. The absences of the students made the mid-winter breeze seem even colder as it blew across her fair skin. She shivered and places her hands in her coat pockets.
"Ok, I am here," she mouthed, "Where are you?"

She looked around. There was still no sign of Edkin anywhere. She guessed this was a good time as any to go to the restroom one last time before she went to the funeral. It would be very rude to have to leave in the middle of the service just to pee.

The air in the girl's bathroom was nippier then it was outside. Shae took no time doing her business due to her fear that he butt might freeze to the cold metal toilet seat if she sat there long enough. She flushed the toilet and scurried quickly to put the clothes back on properly.

"AH!" she exclaimed when she felt the relief of her body heat radiating inside her fur coat. As she began to walk out of the bathroom, she checked around in her purse for her hand sanitizer. To her surprise, it was gone. "Simone must have taken it. Oh no, I hate having a sister who takes all my stuff." Shae groaned as she turned around and walked to the sinks.

Touching the metal of the faucet was painful to her joints. She did not look forward to the pain that the icy water would cause. As she waited for the water to come flowing out in to the sink, she looked up into the mirror at her reflection. Her straight, coal black hair framed her thin, pail face. She did not share the same beauty that her sister did, though they were twins. Her sister was gorgeous. Her black hair was wavy and full. It hung down her back so perfectly. Her eyes shined with the color of spring water that any person could get lost in. Her skin was the color of a peach ready for the picking. The feel of it was as soft as a baby's bottom. Unlike Shae. Shae's skin was the color of printer paper, and it was cold to the touch. Her eyes were a dark, unforgiving blue that tended to turn purple when she cried. She sighed and washed her hands, cringing at the pain that the cold water caused her.

"Shae!" she hear from outside. It was Edkin's voice. "Shae, I am here, where are you?"

"I am in the restroom. I will be out in a sec." She turned off the faucet and dried her hands in a single movement. As she threw away the towel she ran outside the bathroom and towards the sound of Edkin's voice. He stood near the bulletin board where she originally stood, his dirty blonde hair hanging over his eyes.

"Edkin, I am here," she said. Suddenly Edkin pulled her into a tight embrace. Shae could tell that he was crying. "Edkin?"

"He wasn't suppose to die. He wasn't suppose to die like that."

"What?"

"Jeffery... He... He was too young. It wasn't suppose to be like this!"

Shae held Edkin as he cried on her shoulder. His warm tears fell on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he whispered after a while.

"Why?" she replied gently.

"I just... I needed to get that out before the funeral. I am suppose to speak anyway. I don't want to be seen with tears in front of the whole school."

Shae touched Edkin's cheek as he lifted his head and wiped his tears away. He smiled and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"Lets get this over with. Then you can let everything out afterwards."