Accidents Happen

REALLY IMPORTANT: Please take a look at A Captured Heart, Stitches, and Effed Up. I'm trying to figure out which one to start next after this, since it's nearing the end. Please vote for whichever one you like best!

It’d been a week since Gideon’s death, and it was time for the funeral. I was asked to come along so that everyone could pinch my cheeks and congratulate but pity me. I wasn’t sure how to feel about the entire thing and I wasn’t sure anyone else was either. I could tell Gavin and his parents were torn between mourning him and wanting to bring him back just to slap him.

Gavin bought me a black dress, which I promised I’d pay for, and I wore it. It was getting warmer out though, which was a terrible time to wear such dark colors. Luckily, we didn’t have a movie scene funeral where it was at the cemetery burial site, but at a church. And while I was Atheist, I couldn’t debate the fact that the service was almost heartwarming and everyone was very nice.

“You okay?” Gavin leaned down to whisper in my ear, rubbing his thumb along the back of my hand.

“I’m fine.” I assured, giving a small smile. We both turned our attention back to the front of the room where people placed individual flowers by the closed casket. But I realized how selfish I was being. And though Gavin hadn’t shed a tear through the whole ordeal, I felt like he needed to. “Are you okay?”

He hesitated a moment before nodding, keeping his eyes up front. I tugged on his hand, trying to get his attention.

“Are you sure?” I asked. He looked down at me, green eyes shifting from mine to the floor. “It’s okay to miss him. I would understand.”

“He hurt you, Fiona. He caused so much damage, not only physically, but emotionally.” He burst out in a loud whisper. “I just can’t forgive that.”

“I’m not saying you have to forgive him.” I corrected, squeezing his hand to let him know I wasn’t angry. “I’m just saying that it’s okay to miss the Gideon that you used to know. Like losing an old friend. Because if you don’t let it out now, it’s only going to fester and get worse.”

“Fester is such a gross word.” He remarked like he was trying to change the subject. I gave him a flat look. “I mourned when I first found out. But once I found the letter, I was done.”

“If you’re sure.”

“Stop worrying.” He smiled.

“I care about you, it’s what happens.” I replied. I worded it carefully, not wanting to drop the big L before I was positive, which I wasn’t.

“Well-,”

“You must be Fiona.” A middle aged woman said, cutting Gavin off. I couldn’t help but realize how beautiful she was, even at her age. It didn’t come as a surprise though; both sides of the family had movie star good looks. I was very envious of how most of the people around me were just naturally beautiful people.

“That I am.” I nodded.

“I just wanted to give some… congratulatory sympathy.” She explained.

“No sympathy.” I corrected. “Have you read the letter?”

“I have, but I still don’t think it excuses what he did.”

“Well I think a beautiful thing is going to come out of this. I can hardly take sympathy.” I explained.

The women turned to Gavin, smiling a knowing smile. “She’s a keeper.”

“Oh, trust me. I know.” He agreed with a chuckle.

“Well, I have to be going.” She told us before scurrying off in her heels and figure hugging skirt.

“She was so nice. Why couldn’t I have met her earlier?” I asked, elbowing him lightly.

“She’s an important business woman.” He shrugged, then elaborated, “she’s my aunt. She works for the same company as my dad. It’s my grandpa’s company.”

“What is it, exactly?” I asked.

“My grandpa invented the rape whistle.”

My jaw dropped open. “Really?”

“Yep.” He answered, looking uncomfortable.

I couldn’t believe it. The serendipity of the situation was staggering. The man who created the tool that could’ve saved me from this entire mess was my boyfriend, and rapist’s, grandfather.

But like I said, this was a good mess in a way. A perfect disaster; that’s how I liked to think of it. If Gideon hadn’t disappeared that night, I probably wouldn’t have met Gavin before Julia got to him.

That day, I met so many of Gavin’s family members. It was really nice, too. I tried to pack as many names into my brain as I thought I could handle, just for future reference. And while most were extremely good looking, they were also mostly extremely nice.

***

“What do you think of Blade?” Landon asked. He and Asher were snuggled into one end of the couch. They were so cute together, I gushed the first time I saw them holding hands. And it was such a good feeling to see him so happy and lit up with an actual good guy. Albeit still in high school, Landon was good for Asher.

Gavin and I were in the arm chair, me in his lap with my legs draped across one of the arms. I clutched a notepad and pen in my hands, writing down any appealing names we could come up with. We didn’t have many.

“I don’t know. Seems kind of…,” I trailed off, not knowing anything to say that wouldn’t hurt his feelings.

“Alexander?” Asher suggested, then smirked. “Asher Jr.?”

“No, Ash.” I replied. “What about if it’s a girl? You’re only giving me boy names.”

“It’s a boy. I can feel it.” He argued.

“Shut up.” I scoffed. “Girl names?” I reiterated.

“Please don’t suggest we combine our mother’s names like in Twilight.” Gavin pleaded. I smiled at him.

“I promise I won’t.”

“How about Sadie?” Asher asked.

“Gross.” Gavin and I replied simultaneously. We shared a looked before bursting into bubbly laughter.

“Maria?” Landon asked.

“I don’t want a really old fashioned name.” I explained. “I want something unique, but not weird.” He nodded.

“Lissette.” Asher said. It wasn’t a question.

I actually liked that one. It was exactly to my specifications; I didn’t like it, I loved it. I wrote it down.

“Good one.” I replied coolly, so he didn’t get too cocky.

“What about Xavier?” Gavin contributed.

“Another good one.” I smiled, writing it down on my pad.

“Yeah!” Gavin exclaimed, high-fiving Asher. I smiled at the two.