You Never Let Burn Out

All the faces in the cemetery were filled with remorse. Both some men and women had light tears spilling past the lids of their eyes. The blonde looked while cringing just gazing around the room. His pictures were everywhere; it was as if they were taunting her.

Josephine watched as there were no words being said. Some gave her their condolences, but she knew the truth behind the words. They didn't give a thought about her and what had happened. There were only thirty people attending the funeral which seemed to make her feel worse. Eric deserved to have more people

Tears fell down from her face when she decided to look at his lifeless corpse. It would be the first time she'd seen him in over a month and now he was dead. There had been so many things that she wanted to say to him before.

"You must be Josie Reynolds, I'm Barron Fields. Eric had told me so much about you and let me say that his words do you no justice. You are prettier than I could have ever imagined. I've come to regret not meeting you earlier, but there's just been no time." the man said.

She smiled at the older man, but didn't say anything back to him. She'd been working with him for a year or more and still didnt know her .Barron appeared to be in his late thirties and she didn't appreciate the looks he was giving her. The curve of his lips caused Josephine to shift uncomfortably.

The look of relief became evident as she heard the pastor call attention to the crowd. Josie took her place closest to the casket.

"Dearly beloved we are gathered here to celebrate the life of Eric James Halvorsen. He was a great man. He always seemed to bring a smile to the faces of others. Every obstacle that had been thrown his was overcome, except the deadly one." It irked Josie that his words weren't genuine. No one knew Eric like she did. For quite a while, she had seen nothing in him, but in those last few months she knew he was something special; he'd always been something special.

Everyone's head was bowed in respect as they listened to the pastors words fill the air. The only thing Josie could do was look at his face. She smiled lightly as more tears fell down her face. How could she have been so selfish and uncaring to the man who loved her?

Looking around at all the guests, Josephine saw someone she hadn't seen in a long while. He looked at her for a second and then grimaced freely. She had deserved it. "John, how are you?"

John O'Callaghan the fifth looked at the younger woman while frowning. Eric, Halvo, as he was once nicknamed, was one of his greatest friends. They had known each other since junior high. It had been painful for him, having the thoughts of knowing his best friend was now dead.

"I'm not that great, no help from you. He was the best person in the world and you took advantage of him. Why are you even here Josephine?" There was a fire burning into his words. His bright green orbs were filled with anger and sadness.

As calm as John usually was, he couldn't help what he had been feeling these past few days. He still hadn't dawned himself that his best friend was dead. In the back of his mind he visioned Eric jumping out of the coffin and saying that it was all a prank, but he knew the sad truth that it wasn't a joke.

His harsh words had struck to the center of her heart. "Who are you to say how I feel about Eric? That would be none of your business. You may be his best friend, but you don't have the right. I love him, that's why I'm here."

Josephine tried not to let her aggression take over, but she just couldn't help it. The only thing running through her mind was that Eric wouldn't want her to be angry with John. She thought of the only sensible thing she could do and that was to walk away

The Pastor had ended the ceremony and asked if anyone had wanted to know if anyone would like to speak before the young man was buried. Josephine raised her hand and let a small smile pass on her lips. He nodded his head at the young woman.

People seemed to back away from the girl. They all knew about her relationship with Eric, well some of it. Some looked at her with pity and others just didn't bother. Josie could feel John's eyes on the back of her head as she gazed directly into Eric's lifeless orbs. She let out a deep breath before she began to speak.

"You, Eric James Halvorsen, are the best thing that has ever happened to me. Before I met you, I'd not known anything about the world. You showed me that love comes in all forms and I took advantage of that. I took advantage of the sweet caring love you gave me." She looked down from his eyes to his lips and then back to his eyes.

"All I seemed to care about were worthless items; they don't seem to make me feel better now. Growing up poor just made me want to have a better wealthier life and you gave me that. I'd gone overboard when I'd met you. My thoughts were clouded with selfishness and greed. I don't even know how I could wake up in the morning and look at myself in the mirror." The truth of her own words caused the tears to fall down her face.

There was a slight silence as Josephine just looked at the man she loved. A breeze blew strands of her hair in her face and she began again. "You were perfect in every single way and I'd taken advantage of that. I was blinded by the money that you possessed. It took me a long time to realize how bad I actually was. You had every right to be angry with me."

"You didn't deserve to die, I would have rather died in your place. You didn't have that much support growing up, I know, but that doesn't mean I still cant support you now. I love you Eric and it took me too long to realize. You know how they say that you don't really love something until its gone, well that's what happened with me." she smiled happily when she felt a little breeze in her direction. There was a feeling in her mind that Eric was talking to her.

Oh, guess what Eric? You're going to be a father. Its going to be a little boy. I've already named him too. His name is going to be Eric James Halvorsen the second and hes going to know all about his father. I love you Eric, it took me a long time to realize it but I really do." Josie said with a small smile on her face as she closed his eyelids.

Josephine looked around the cemetery with a smile on her lips and tears rolling down her face. She could see the figure of Eric just standing there smiling at her and she knew now that everything was going to be fine and she was doing the right thing.