If It Means a Lot to You

“Is this it?” Rachel asked, looking out of the window of the rental car. I checked the address.

“Yeah, this is it,” I confirmed. “And that’s how we know. Alyssa just got here.” I saw the familiar woman get out of a car and hurry down the lawn. Jeremy pulled into the parking lot of the cemetery. It took a moment to find a parking spot. All of the guys and Rachel climbed out of the car. I smoothed the wrinkles out of my simple black pencil skirt, taking a moment to collect my thoughts. My door opened and a hand appeared in front of me. I looked up and saw Jeremy standing there. I wordlessly took his hand and stepped out of the car. Kevin gave my other hand a brief squeeze. I smiled up at him.

“Ready?” Alex quietly asked me. I nodded, taking in a deep breath. I lead the way towards the grave site. There was a mix of family members, friends of my parents, and people Alex and Alyssa had invited. There were a few murmurs and stares as I led Rachel and the guys to seats in the very back. A few minutes later a minister started his speech. I paid no attention to his words as he spoke. I kept a tight hold on Jeremy’s hand, fighting the tears of anger that were threatening to fall.

“…and now two of her children, Alex and Alyssa Frumos, will give a short eulogy,” he finished. A crying Alyssa walked up with Alex.

“I can see how they’re related,” I heard Kevin whisper to one of the guys. Alyssa and I had the same hair and same jaw line. As for Alex, he and I shared the same nose and shape of eyes.

“Melissa Frumos was a wonderful mother,” Alex started, looking as if he were about to cry himself. “She cared for each of her children, giving us more than we could ask for. She worked tirelessly to provide us with necessities. Each night she told us she loved us and that we meant the world to her. She supported…” I tuned out the rest of his words. I fought the urge to leap to my feet and expose the lies he spoke. Alyssa spoke a few shaky words, too overcome with tears to speak long.

“This is bullshit,” I muttered darkly. Jeremy gave my hand another squeeze. The people in front of me tossed me a glance but said nothing. Alex and Alyssa stepped down once they finished. We all watched in silence as my mother’s tomb was lowered into the ground. Once the casket was out of sight, everyone started getting up and going to comfort one another.

I stood up and started weaving my way towards my siblings. I didn’t look back to see if Rachel and the guys were following me.

“Rose! You came!” Alyssa exclaimed in a watery surprise when she saw me.

“So the ungrateful girl came,” Alex commented wryly. His eyes fell on the guys. They lingered on Jeremy the longest. “Care to introduce us to your friends?”

“Jeremy, Kevin, Neil, Josh, and Alex,” I stiffly replied, pointing to each as I said their name.

“Why’d you decide to show up? Came to your senses?” I narrowed my eyes.

“I didn’t give her any respects. I came to see her off just to prove you wrong. I did come but I came on my own terms. I’m not giving her anything she doesn’t deserve.”

“She raised you!”

“She did not! All that you said in your eulogy? Bullshit!” There was a collective gasp from the family members around us.

“Too think I was glad to see my sister,” Alyssa said in a voice full of contempt. I glared at her.

“Nice to see you too, sis,” I snapped her.

“No wonder your mother avoided talking about you,” one of my aunts commented. “Treat your own blood like dirt.”

“You should be respectful of your mother, young lady! She worked six days a week for years to support you and your siblings!” an uncle chided.

“She didn’t support me! I supported myself!” I yelled at them.

“Clearly not well enough if you’re a whore now.” At the sentence, Jeremy, Kevin, and Josh stepped in front of me. Neil and Alex stepped closer, creating barrier between everyone else and me and Rachel.

“A mother who throws out her own fucking daughter doesn’t deserve any kind of fucking respect from anyone!” Jeremy snarled.

“We’re her family! She should show us respect in the first place!” Alex said.

“We’re more of a family to her than you ever were,” Kevin snapped.

“Family to a girl you don’t even know.”

“We probably know about her in the month and half we’ve known her than you know about her in your entire lifetime,” Josh told him in a matter of fact tone.

“She’s irresponsible-”

“Rose? This girl right here? Are you sure we’re talking about the same Rose? Because this Rose is far from irresponsible. She’s the one who makes sure we get enough sleep, we eat, we get where we have to be on time, everything,” Neil cut off.

“She’s a whore,” Alyssa continued for our brother.

“You say about the girl who’s in a committed relationship right now,” Alex shot down.

“Give it up. You five are better off if you just cut her out of your lives. She just drags people down. She’s never going to get anywhere in life.”

“That’s it,” Jeremy muttered before launching himself at Alex. Several girls screamed when Jeremy tackled Alex to the ground. The guys jumped in when they saw that some of my cousins had jumped in not to separate the two but to help Alex.

“Jeremy!” I screamed as Rachel yelled, “Neil!”

“Josh, Kevin, Alex, stop!” I desperately tried.

“You guys!” Rachel shouted, sounding near tears. Rachel and I exchanged a glance, unsure of what to do. I saw the worry in her hazel eyes and the panic on her face. No one around us were making a move to try to stop the men from fighting.

“Guys, please!” I said, near tears myself now. That seemed to have done it. Jeremy started to try to pull himself out, throwing a few extra punches and kicks here and there.

“Guys, back off!” Jeremy told the rest of the guys, his voice hoarse. With some effort and help from one another, Neil, Kevin, Josh, and Alex managed to separate themselves from my brother and my cousins. Neil took one look at Rachel before rushing over and pulling her into his arms. Jeremy wiped the blood away from the corner of his lip as he threw my brother a glare.

“Leave Rose the fuck alone or you’ll have us to answer again,” he spat before turning around. He took my hand in his and stalked away. I fought back the tears that had welled up.

“Are you guys all right?” I quietly asked once we were in the car.

“Just a couple of bruises,” Kevin answered just as quietly. I nodded. There was a sniffle and I knew Rachel had let loose her tears. I glanced back and sure enough Neil had her pulled close. The rest of the ride was silent as we returned to the hotel. Jeremy told the guys something about going out to eat in a few minutes; I paid no attention, heading straight to our room. Jeremy came in not too long after me. I looked at him for a moment, disregarding his bruising cheek bone and his bloody lip. I went over to him, still looking at him. He returned my gaze.

I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck as he pulled me in close. The tears that had been waiting to fall started cascading down.

“Sh, it’s all right, Rose. Everything’s okay,” Jeremy cooed, rubbing my back soothingly.

“Everything not okay though!” I cried. “I went to the funeral thinking nothing would happen and this happened! Now you and the guys are hurt and… and… and…” My voice faltered.

“The guys and I are fine. We weren’t going to let them talk shit about you that wasn’t true. I wasn’t going to stand there and let them say those things about my girl.” I shook my head, burying my face in his chest.

“Things haven’t changed after ten years.”