The Connection

No words, no letters, no speeches, no condolences could compare to what raw emotion was felt on the day of the funeral. It was as if the closure they needed was here, but it was not what they necessarily wanted. Everyone greeted each other with a sad smile and a week “hello”.

Leanna’s face was cold, and her heart shattered. Although deep down, she knew the man that lay in the casket would forever remain in her heart, parting with his body suddenly seemed to hit her. Her eyes had long dried of tears, so she internally wept.

Val stood by her husband, his arms wound tightly around her. Silent tears falling down her cheeks. She could almost feel Matt’s heart breaking. He was losing his best friend.

Brian’s stomach wound tightly in a knot. It seemed so fake, yet a dream that was too real. A dream they were not to wake from. He wanted Jimmy back more than anything. He wanted him to be there for his wedding with Michelle in a few months, he wanted their kids to grow up together. Yet all those desires were suddenly ripped away.
He tightened his hold on his fiancée’s hand, and for the first time in a long time, he said a prayer for Jimmy.
Zacky was frozen as the minister spoke kind words of his good friend. He wished he could cry, but the time just did not feel right. Liss tightened her grasp on his arm, and he melted to her touch. He looked around and saw Leyna with her fiancée, and other friends that had come out for Jimmy’s funeral, and all the fans out there who sent their support. Then suddenly as teary eyes began to meet, and as they glanced at each other, the same emotion washed over everyone. Jimmy had brought everyone together.

***
“Don’t leave,” Zacky whined into Liss’s neck as she tried to maneuver her suitcases into his car.

“Baker,” she sighed dropping her arms from the luggage and tangling them around his neck, “We have been over this. I told you sooner or later we would have to face the music, you can’t put off reality forever.”

“I know, but I don’t want to be without you for that long.” He whispered, “Summer is just so far away.”

“Well if you are not willing to come live in Manhattan with me and I cannot leave my job and live in Huntington than what the hell are we going to do?” Pulling back, Liss finally pushed her suitcases into the trunk.

“But it’s so damn cold in New York! And I can’t leave the band! Why can’t you just relocate your job here to Huntington?”

“Because my job is my life! Stop being so selfish! Can’t you see? We are having the same fight we had five years ago!” She had spun around to face him flailing her arms dramatically.

“I don’t want things to end the same way.” Zacky mumbled unable to meet her gaze.

“Then come with me.” She stated placing her hand on his cheek gingerly, yet when Zacky did not respond she nodded her head in understanding and turned away from him, and pulled her phone out of her pocket, which had just rung.

“Hello?” Liss answered

“Hey it’s me.” Matt said, “What are you up to?”

“Getting ready to head out to the airport in a couple hours while Zacky bitches, why?”

“Leanna wants you to come by her house, we are all meeting there, and she says she wants to talk.”

“Okay,” Liss said leaning against the car. “I’ll be there in a minuet, should I bring Scrooge?”

“Yeah,” Matt laughed “Bring Vengeance too.”

*

Liss sat next to Leyna waiting for everyone else in the group to finally settle down. Zacky sat across the room starring at her with a sad look, which she tried to avoid.
Brian noticed the tension between the two, it is a never-ending bitch fest with those two, he thought. Wrapping a comforting arm around Liss’s shoulders and his other arm around Michelle, he waited for Leanna to speak. Johnny and Lacey were the last to arrive, which sent the whole group into an uproar on why they could not get here on time, just like every body else.

“I have needs.” Johnny smiled falling onto one of the black sofa’s earning a light punch in the ribs from Lacey. “Ow, babe.” Johnny whined.

“Can it Seward.” She snapped and all attention shifted Leanna who sat between Matt and Val.

“Thanks for coming you guys,” She weakly smiled squeezing Val’s hand. “Its just I really wanted to thank you for all being here for me, and helping me out so much. I really love you guys.” She paused fighting the tears while the group offered her sympathetic smiles. “Well there is something I wanted you all to be here for, when I announced it,” She smiled placing her hand on her flat stomach.

“I'm two months pregnant.”