I'll Kiss You as My Final Goodbye
Well I Was There On The Day
7 years later
London, England
“Hannah, could you please give this to Anthony?” I asked the younger girl.
She nodded and got the folder from my hands. I smiled gratefully at her. She returned the gesture before turning around and leaving me alone. I gathered my things and slung my bag over my shoulder. I grabbed my chocolate frap and headed out the office door.
I smiled at Leslie, the receptionist, and then pressed the button for the elevator. I tapped my foot against the marble floor and ran a hand through my hot pink hair.
The elevator door opened and I was about to enter until Leslie called my name.
“Kaiden,” she said loudly. “Phone for you,”
I walked to her desk and smiled at her before answering the phone.
“Hello, Kaiden speaking,” I said into the receiver.
“Hi Ms. Stewart, this is George McAnthony, your father’s attorney.” The person on the other end said. I sucked in my breath and didn’t let it out. I haven’t heard anything about my father in seven years, what’s with the sudden call?
“I am sorry to tell you this but your father passed away last night.”
I fixed my sunglasses so that they rested atop my head. I scanned the papers that held people’s names, looking for my own.
Mr. McAnthony, my father’s attorney, had said he would arrange for someone to pick me up from the airport but apparently no one was there waiting for me. I slid my sunglasses back on, ready to find a cab until someone threw a piece of paper at my head.
I turned around and bent down and picked up the crumpled paper. I looked around for anyone who might have thrown it. When I saw no one who looked suspicious, I slowly opened the paper. I was about to decipher the messy handwriting until someone rudely pulled it out of my hand.
I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow before even looking at the person who pulled out the paper from my hands. I pushed my sunglasses back and then looked at the person who grabbed the paper.
“Sorry about that,” he said as his green eyes scanned my body. I rolled my eyes, especially grossed out by the fact that he didn’t even try to hide it.
“No problem,” I said trying to get away as soon as possible.
He opened his mouth as if to say something but was cut off when someone yelled my name rather loudly. I ignored the green eyed man and looked around to see anyone who would have yelled my name.
I spotted a man standing on the chairs while holding a piece of paper with my name printed on it. I grabbed my bags and said a quick goodbye to the man who was trying to talk to me. I am not even sure if he heard me. I pushed through the crowd and stopped in front of the man. I pulled on his white shirt and he looked down at me.
“Are you Kaiden Stewart?” He asked. I simply nodded and showed him my British driver’s license. He smiled at me and jumped down from the seats. “I am Matthew, Mr. McAnthony sent me here to pick you up. I am sorry about my punctuality and all. It was more traffic than I expected.”
“Oh, I don’t mind.” I said politely.
He got my duffel bag and pulled it behind him. He led me to the black car in the parking lot and let me go inside before putting my bag in the trunk. He entered the driver’s seat and pulled out of his parking space.
He made some small talk but most of the ride was quiet. I looked out the window and let the feeling of familiarity settle in my body. I watched as the streets and stores passed by. I looked at the street signs and noticed some new things.
It’s been awhile since I’ve been here.
We eventually stopped in front of a very familiar house. I sighed and slowly got out of the car. I stared at the brick house, memories flooding in. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to suppress the memories. I felt a hand on my shoulder and quickly turned around.
Matthew stood there with a worried expression. I just smiled at him and got my duffel bag. He let go of the bag and returned the smile.
“Goodbye Ms. Stewart, Mr. McAnthony says he’ll call you to see how you are settling in and will see you on Thursday for the funeral.” Matthew informed me.
“Thanks Matthew,” I said before going up the path of the house I grew up in.
I opened the door with the key Mr. McAnthony sent me and entered the house. I took a deep breath, prepared to be met by the smell of beer but instead met with the smell of soap. I let go of my bag and dropped my purse on a nearby table.
I walked around the house, its layout still stuck in my memory. I passed the familiar furniture and the aging pictures. I looked at the pictures and smiled at them. He never changed the pictures after mum moved to England, that’s why they were all still the happy photos of them when I was younger.
I closed my eyes, reminiscing those times. I opened my eyes again and faced reality. I ran a hand through my hair and started moving around the house again. I stopped right outside the kitchen door, mentally preparing myself.
I slowly opened the door and went inside. It was clean, sparkly clean. It smelled like soap just like the rest of the house. I brushed my fingers over the table and everything else in the kitchen. I sighed and closed my eyes. I would not cry.
I got out of the kitchen as quickly as I could. I got my bags from the hall way and brought it up the stairs. I opened the door to my old room and saw it, exactly how I left it. I dropped my bags and lay down on the familiar bed covered in my purple bed sheets.
I rolled over and took in the scent of my bed. It smelled like my old shampoo and soap. I wrapped myself in my blankets and took in the scent. When I moved to England, I couldn’t find the shampoo or soap anywhere. I missed it, especially how it made my hair nice and smooth.
I untangled myself from my blankets and left the comfort of my room. I passed an empty room and bathroom until I reached the door at the end of the hall. I slowly opened the door and saw my father’s room. Ever since mum moved away, I haven’t been inside his room. He always preferred to do his business in my room or somewhere else in the house.
It was surprisingly neat. The cream colored linen was neatly tucked and the pillows were neatly aligned. The frames were on the bedside tables and were all smiling pictures of us, the perfect family. I walked around the big room and opened the closet on the other end.
His clothes were neatly hung including his suits that he hasn’t used in years. His shoes were neatly aligned on the bottom and were nice and shiny. I picked them up and remembered how when I was younger I would get his shoes and run around the house while wearing them. I would trip everywhere though but it was fun.
I sighed happily and put back the shoes. I left the room and was about to head back to my room to unpack and whatnot when I heard a loud crashing sound from downstairs. I quickly rushed downstairs and stared at the intruder who broke a lamp.
Oh shit…
London, England
“Hannah, could you please give this to Anthony?” I asked the younger girl.
She nodded and got the folder from my hands. I smiled gratefully at her. She returned the gesture before turning around and leaving me alone. I gathered my things and slung my bag over my shoulder. I grabbed my chocolate frap and headed out the office door.
I smiled at Leslie, the receptionist, and then pressed the button for the elevator. I tapped my foot against the marble floor and ran a hand through my hot pink hair.
The elevator door opened and I was about to enter until Leslie called my name.
“Kaiden,” she said loudly. “Phone for you,”
I walked to her desk and smiled at her before answering the phone.
“Hello, Kaiden speaking,” I said into the receiver.
“Hi Ms. Stewart, this is George McAnthony, your father’s attorney.” The person on the other end said. I sucked in my breath and didn’t let it out. I haven’t heard anything about my father in seven years, what’s with the sudden call?
“I am sorry to tell you this but your father passed away last night.”
I fixed my sunglasses so that they rested atop my head. I scanned the papers that held people’s names, looking for my own.
Mr. McAnthony, my father’s attorney, had said he would arrange for someone to pick me up from the airport but apparently no one was there waiting for me. I slid my sunglasses back on, ready to find a cab until someone threw a piece of paper at my head.
I turned around and bent down and picked up the crumpled paper. I looked around for anyone who might have thrown it. When I saw no one who looked suspicious, I slowly opened the paper. I was about to decipher the messy handwriting until someone rudely pulled it out of my hand.
I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow before even looking at the person who pulled out the paper from my hands. I pushed my sunglasses back and then looked at the person who grabbed the paper.
“Sorry about that,” he said as his green eyes scanned my body. I rolled my eyes, especially grossed out by the fact that he didn’t even try to hide it.
“No problem,” I said trying to get away as soon as possible.
He opened his mouth as if to say something but was cut off when someone yelled my name rather loudly. I ignored the green eyed man and looked around to see anyone who would have yelled my name.
I spotted a man standing on the chairs while holding a piece of paper with my name printed on it. I grabbed my bags and said a quick goodbye to the man who was trying to talk to me. I am not even sure if he heard me. I pushed through the crowd and stopped in front of the man. I pulled on his white shirt and he looked down at me.
“Are you Kaiden Stewart?” He asked. I simply nodded and showed him my British driver’s license. He smiled at me and jumped down from the seats. “I am Matthew, Mr. McAnthony sent me here to pick you up. I am sorry about my punctuality and all. It was more traffic than I expected.”
“Oh, I don’t mind.” I said politely.
He got my duffel bag and pulled it behind him. He led me to the black car in the parking lot and let me go inside before putting my bag in the trunk. He entered the driver’s seat and pulled out of his parking space.
He made some small talk but most of the ride was quiet. I looked out the window and let the feeling of familiarity settle in my body. I watched as the streets and stores passed by. I looked at the street signs and noticed some new things.
It’s been awhile since I’ve been here.
We eventually stopped in front of a very familiar house. I sighed and slowly got out of the car. I stared at the brick house, memories flooding in. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to suppress the memories. I felt a hand on my shoulder and quickly turned around.
Matthew stood there with a worried expression. I just smiled at him and got my duffel bag. He let go of the bag and returned the smile.
“Goodbye Ms. Stewart, Mr. McAnthony says he’ll call you to see how you are settling in and will see you on Thursday for the funeral.” Matthew informed me.
“Thanks Matthew,” I said before going up the path of the house I grew up in.
I opened the door with the key Mr. McAnthony sent me and entered the house. I took a deep breath, prepared to be met by the smell of beer but instead met with the smell of soap. I let go of my bag and dropped my purse on a nearby table.
I walked around the house, its layout still stuck in my memory. I passed the familiar furniture and the aging pictures. I looked at the pictures and smiled at them. He never changed the pictures after mum moved to England, that’s why they were all still the happy photos of them when I was younger.
I closed my eyes, reminiscing those times. I opened my eyes again and faced reality. I ran a hand through my hair and started moving around the house again. I stopped right outside the kitchen door, mentally preparing myself.
I slowly opened the door and went inside. It was clean, sparkly clean. It smelled like soap just like the rest of the house. I brushed my fingers over the table and everything else in the kitchen. I sighed and closed my eyes. I would not cry.
I got out of the kitchen as quickly as I could. I got my bags from the hall way and brought it up the stairs. I opened the door to my old room and saw it, exactly how I left it. I dropped my bags and lay down on the familiar bed covered in my purple bed sheets.
I rolled over and took in the scent of my bed. It smelled like my old shampoo and soap. I wrapped myself in my blankets and took in the scent. When I moved to England, I couldn’t find the shampoo or soap anywhere. I missed it, especially how it made my hair nice and smooth.
I untangled myself from my blankets and left the comfort of my room. I passed an empty room and bathroom until I reached the door at the end of the hall. I slowly opened the door and saw my father’s room. Ever since mum moved away, I haven’t been inside his room. He always preferred to do his business in my room or somewhere else in the house.
It was surprisingly neat. The cream colored linen was neatly tucked and the pillows were neatly aligned. The frames were on the bedside tables and were all smiling pictures of us, the perfect family. I walked around the big room and opened the closet on the other end.
His clothes were neatly hung including his suits that he hasn’t used in years. His shoes were neatly aligned on the bottom and were nice and shiny. I picked them up and remembered how when I was younger I would get his shoes and run around the house while wearing them. I would trip everywhere though but it was fun.
I sighed happily and put back the shoes. I left the room and was about to head back to my room to unpack and whatnot when I heard a loud crashing sound from downstairs. I quickly rushed downstairs and stared at the intruder who broke a lamp.
Oh shit…
