The Joy in Sadness
Writer
The air was stiff as the smell of flowers could be smelt around the place. Everyone was in their black outfits the morning of the death of Aiden. Friends and his family were present, all bittered by the loss of a friend and family.
One by one people stood up going to his coffin dropping a flower while they said a few words to him. His family stood up and shared memories of his kindness and sense of humor and how he loved with an open heart without judgment and Ethan and Christian could completely relate to that.
Christian got onto the stage and talked about how he found a friend back in college and as the years went on he realized he found a brother instead. He sang praises of Aiden, talking about how he tried to be the reasonable one amongst the both of them and how he loved unconditionally. The stories that were shared by everyone here brought both laughter and sadness as the congregation thought about the man they had lost.
Ethan sat far from the whole scene, his eyes dried up and his face held no expression whatsoever. He recalled the painful experience, the sound of the gunshots, his yell to save him instead. He remembered it all, how he was killed right in front of it, he remembers their conversation earlier on before the little misfit.
“Maybe if I had cared more,” he thought to himself, sighing heavily.
The service ended with prayers and people shared their condolences and started to leave the place.
Mandy watched him from the front row of the crowd and started to walk in their direction. She had promised to avoid him completely even though she had Christian’s promise to make him available today but she felt excited seeing him as she wanted to speak with him.
She moved her gaze from Christian who seemed to understand what was about to happen and quickly rushed to her.
“Don’t do it,” he pleaded like he could read through her now. “Please, Mandy. You picked me,” he held her hand standing in front of her and hoping to stop her right there in her tracks.
“I’m just going to say hello,” she narrates even though she knew she had just lied.
She might state she wants him with her mouth but her body clearly says otherwise and the same with her soul.
“Christian,” she glared at him, staring at his hands, which he immediately took off and left her path.
“I’m sorry, but Mandy thinks about Riley,” he said to her and she nodded and walked quickly to him.
“Hey,” she said immediately she got there and without getting a response she engulfed him in a tight hug, one of its first openly.
“Are you happy to see me as a kitten?” He said immediately they pulled away and she nodded her head like a child which made him smile warmly at her.
She loved the way he called her kitten. She briefly stared at the K tattoo on her hands looking at him with a smile, when she noticed he had the same tattoo on his finger too, like a bond being sealed for life.
“Well I got something for you,” he said and brought out a piece of paper that had a little blood stain on it and handed it over to her.
“What’s this?” She looked up to stare at him.
“Read it alone,” he winked at her, and she stared at the piece wondering what was inside.
“But, I” she lifted her head to speak to him when she found out he left already.
“Ethan,” she called, turning around to find him amidst the crowd but it was to no avail. It was like he disappeared into the thin air and just like that, he vanished.
I wanted to pour out my Emotions to him. I wanted to make it clear that I didn’t see him as the villain. I wanted to hold him in my embrace longer than I did, but instead, he left, I had already pushed him away with my response from the torture room. I had given him so many reasons why he needed to leave. And when he actually did do it, I felt the most horrible.
Maliah
I smiled warmly into my laptop as I gave instructions in the Zoom meetings to a few of my workers. I looked at the time and sighed immediately we disconnected from the call.
I felt really tired for a while since we got back to NYC and that was most unlike me… I couldn’t pinpoint any reason why I should be feeling so down. The trip to meet Edward’s parents didn’t go exactly like I planned, but I most definitely caught their attention…
I smiled thinking about Nicole, his stepbrother, and how relaxing it was there. Though I had a little breakdown hearing about Mandy’s issues, now I feel better.
However, I couldn’t say the same for Mandy. I tried to have some soup but the smell of its aroma hit my nose making me run to the sink and I threw up in there.
“Love,” Edward shouted immediately after he got into the apartment.
“Amore,” he said and walked in on me throwing up on the sink.
“The soup smells shitty,” she tells him, keeping a disgusted face while looking at the soup.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.
“I think you need to go check yourself up,” he smiled as if already having suspicion.
“No,” she retreated, and he laughed.
“Yes,” he walked to her and carried her in bridal style, taking her downstairs as she giggled like a child.
**
They arrived at the hospital and Maliah explained her symptoms to the doctor who smiled and took notes. He didn’t say anything and ran a test on her while they sat and waited.
“You’re good,” he asked her, as she laid her head on his neck… Immediately the doctor opened the door with the rest of the result in his hands. He walked over to them, took the results of the envelope, and gave it to him.
“Congratulations Miss. Hector and Mr. Powers,” Maliah raised her head looking confused.
“What?” She says in a hoarse voice.
“You are having a baby?”
He broke down the news and Maliah’s face was priceless. She looked at Edward who happened to be pretty excited and stared at her like he would kiss her and immediately he did, pulling her and kissing her gently while the doctor’s eyes bawled as he left his office awkwardly.
“I love you Maliah Powers,” he said and kissed her forehead, then her nose and her lips while she looked at him blushing hard.
“I love you Edward Powers,” she told him, feeling a bit more confident with the news.