Chocolate Eyes

James and Holly Kent flew from Broken Bow, Oklahoma to see their daughter be buried in the ground after a semi had taken her from this world. They stood near the casket in the church, their hands each touching the wood that encased their daughter's body. They hadn't seen her in years and regrets were weighing heavily on their minds as friends of Claudia's entered the building, people they'd never met.

A man with dark hair walked in, holding the hand of a dark haired child. They knew his name and they'd talked to him on the phone before. Jacob Taylor had married their daughter. They'd sent a wedding gift and congratulated the duo over the phone. Jake Taylor saw them at the head of the church and pulled his son with him to meet them.

"Holly, James," he greeted solemnly, tears already coming to his eyes, "I'm glad I could finally meet you." He let go of his son's hand as his mother-in-law pulled him in for a tight hug, the woman crying already.

"This must be Crispen," she said with a smile, looking down at their step-grandson, "It's so nice to meet you." She leaned down and hugged the crying child as his eyes focused on his step-mother's casket. It was closed but he knew exactly who was in there and why nobody could see her.

Jake shook hands with his father-in-law and then lifted Crispen up. The four of them stood together as James and Holly asked questions about Claudia and Jake's life together. He told them that they'd met at a school board meeting about the boys. Crispen and Evander had been playing together during recess, even though they were years apart, and when the two saw each other for the first time outside of class, they introduced their parents.

The mention of Evander's name brought a whole new wave of pain through the family standing at the casket. They were waiting for the little boy to arrive with a man they'd never met before, never even heard of.

"Claudia never told us about him," Holly said softly, raising her hand to her mouth like she wanted to shield the words and stop them from coming out of her mouth, "She never told us that she slept with another man. We always just assumed that her high school boyfriend was the only one."

The older woman sighed and licked over her lips as if this story was a hard one to tell. She glanced to her husband, Claudia's father, and then continued. "She was only 24 and she called us upset one day," she spoke softly, "She was always a very put together girl so when she called us in tears, James and I knew something was wrong."

James took his wife's hand. He was usually a strong man, but at the retelling of his daughters only transgression, he struggled to keep tears from emerging. He squeezed his wife's fingers as she explained their only child's story. "She told me that she had messed up and now she had a life growing inside of her, and she didn't know what to do because she wasn't married and the biological father would never agree to settle down."

"At the time, she wouldn't tell us a name," James interrupted softly, "We didn't know he was in a band or that he was famous, but she still wouldn't tell us even his first name."

Holly nodded. "She only told us that he wasn't the kind of man who she wanted a family with, a child with." She let out a breathy sigh. "So I, we, encouraged her to have him sign over his custody so that she could raise this child her way.

"When he was born we wanted to fly out but we couldn't. Claudia told us not to and we respected her wishes. She sent us a new picture every week, his hair blonde and his eyes blue like all newborns and like Claudia's. But then they changed, they got darker and darker until Claudia realized that they were the same color as his father's. It really bothered her. Even though Evander looked so much like her, she couldn't handle the fact that every time he looked at her, she saw his father in his eyes."

The Kents looked at Jacob Taylor with an open expression of pain and sadness. They looked at Crispen Taylor with a longing. When they lost their daughter they assumed that their only grandchild would be coming to them. They were hopeful that life would be okay because of the four year old who was going to bless them. They thanked God and finally Claudia's transgression made sense. If God needed Claudia at such a young age, he had left someone behind for her parents.

It was the call from Victoria Rochotte that sent their hope spiraling downward. She called, like they'd been waiting, but instead of making arrangements for Evander to come to them, she informed them that the boy's father still had a say in what happened to him, even though he'd relinquished his rights years ago.

They fought it, but Victoria assured them that there was nothing they could do if he decided he wanted his son for the first time. So James and Holly prayed that God would grant them custody of their last living relative. Then the call came when time was almost up. The man, the unknown father, wanted Evander Joaquin. The Kents felt as if they'd lost their daughter and now their grandson was gone, too.

As they stood by Claudia's casket her friends continued to walk up to Jacob and give him their condolences. Jacob nodded and shook their hands before he introduced them to her parents. Claudia didn't have many friends, but people from work who knew her as hardworking and very bright showed up to grieve and to explain how sorry they were that she was taken by a drunk driver who happened to be behind the wheel of a fully loaded semi-truck when she was on her way home from work.

When Brian walked into the church with his wife and his son, he was incredibly nervous. He knew instantly who Evander's grandparents were by the way they stood in front of the casket with their fingers brushing the wood every few seconds. Jacob Taylor and his son stood next to them, the dark haired little boy in his father's arms as he held back the sadness.

Brian lifted EJ into his arms. "Are you okay?" he asked softly, watching his son look around the large church and at the people who sat in the pews, facing the hidden body of his deceased mother.

Evander sniveled and nodded in reply. He wanted to be strong, just like Jake had taught him.

"It's okay to be sad," Brian whispered as they walked up the center aisle of the church. Brian wasn't sure if he was supposed to take Evander up to meet his grandparents now or if he should wait until after the ceremony, but their eyes were on him and his nerves grew. "Do you want to go see Jake?" Brian asked, catching the dimmed attention of EJ.

"He's here?" the child asked quietly, looking at the people who were sitting around the church.

Brian nodded and pointed to the front. Evander followed his gaze and was slightly surprised to see his step-dad standing next to two older adults that he slightly recognized from pictures that had his mom had showed him over the years.

Bri didn't wait for an answer, instead he headed in the direction that he really didn't want to go. Within minutes he was standing in front of the family that he'd taken Evander from. He held moved to hold Evander with his left arm, and held the other one out to Jacob.

"Jake Taylor," he said in greeting, unsure of what else to say at a funeral, "Good to see you."

Jake set his son on the ground and nodded. "Thanks for coming," he spoke, shaking Brian's hand. "Let me introduce you to Claudia's parents." They both turned to face the two blondes standing next to them.

"Holly, James, this is Evander's father, Brian Haner Jr.," he introduced quickly.

Brian held his hand out to her father. "Nice to meet you finally," he spoke before setting EJ down and resting his hand on Michelle's back, "This is my wife, Michelle."

Holly and James looked over the man in front of them. When Claudia first told them she slept with a man years ago, they had pictured someone else entirely. But once Jacob enlightened them that he was a guitarist in an American heavy metal band (according to Google), they'd pictured someone similar to who was standing in front of them. A man with a scruffy look and tattoos with a gorgeous blonde wife who was California sun-kissed, although the woman by his side was less tan and more pale.

James Kent stared at the tattoos that covered Brian's fingers and hands and he wondered what the letters across his knuckles spelt. He reached out and took the man's hand anyways. "Thanks for bringing Evander," he said, glancing down at the child who was peering up at them with the same eyes in the skull of the man in front of them. The little boy was timid, holding onto a fistful of his father's jeans.

Brian cleared his throat. "No problem," he murmured, "It's the least I can do."

Holly Kent didn't speak directly to Brian, instead she reached out for her grandson. "Evander," she said softly, "Do you know who I am?"

Evander looked up to Brian nervously. Brian nodded and rested his hand on his son's back reassuringly. EJ looked back to Holly and nodded timidly.

She smiled. "Who am I, Sweetheart?" she asked again.

Brian frowned and pulled Evander from the floor. The little boy wrapped his arms around his dad's neck and stared at her, not really wanting to speak as his eyes trailed over the casket behind them. Brian caught onto what he was looking at and instantly pressed the child's face into his shoulder, cutting off his view from the casket.

"We can do this later," Brian spoke firmly, "We can go out and get something to eat afterwards, but I don't think right now is the best time for introductions."

Holly Kent was about to protest when her husband spoke for her. "He's our grandson," he stated, "We have the right to tell him that at his own mother's funeral."

Brian still kept his hand on the back of his son's head. The little boy tightened his grip around Bri's neck when his grandpa's words met his ear. "I don't think so," Brian replied, shaking his head, "Not while we're standing in front of his mom's casket."

Holly frowned deeply. "Don't refer to our Claudia," she demanded, "You did not know her."

Brian stared at the woman and then nodded. "You're right," he said softly. He turned to Michelle and handed Evander to her. "Will you go sit down?" he asked politely, "I'll be with you in just a minute."

Michelle nodded and soothed the upset boy by running her fingers through his thick blonde hair. "Okay, Bri," she agreed softly, "Come sit with us when you're done." She patted the child's back as she walked away from his family, knowing that Brian wanted to have a conversation that he didn't want Evander to hear.

Brian turned back to Holly, James, and Jacob when she and EJ were out of earshot. "You're right," he repeated, "I didn't know your daughter very well, or at all really. But we have a son together so for the little bit of time I interacted with her, she's going to be a large part of my life."

"She didn't want you to have, Evander," Holly spoke vehemently, "He should be with us, Mr. Haner."

Brian sighed and shook his head. "Well, I'm sorry you feel that way," he said softly, "But he's my son, Mr. and Mrs. Kent and I intend on being in his life from here on out."

James Kent shook his head. "That's talk for our lawyers, Mr. Haner," he stated, shocking Brian.

Brian composed himself quickly. He never thought that the Kents would try to challenge his guardianship. He knew they wouldn't be happy about it, but he didn't think that they'd put their grandson through a custody battle.

The deacon called for the funeral to start as Brian walked away slightly from the people who were going to try to take away everything that had happened in the last couple weeks. He found his son and his wife and sat with EJ in the middle, teary-eyed and staring up at the man who was in charge of his mother's funeral.

"Claudia Taylor was twenty-eight years old when her tragic accident occurred. She's left behind her parents, James and Holly Kent, her husband Jacob, and her son and step-son, Evander Joaquin and Crispen Andrew. . ."

Brian listed intently to the story of Claudia's life. How she was born and raised in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, graduated top of her class at the local high school, and then continued onto a college on the West coast, finally able to fulfill her dream of seeing the ocean. It continued from there, talking about her major in business and the few friends she made in college. Then, when the tale of Claudia Kent-Taylor came to the part about her only child, Brian listened in to see how much Claudia had said about him so many years ago.

"A young Claudia met and had pre-marital sex with a man who she described to her friends as 'charming'. She would later learn that this one night would lead to the greatest joy in her life, her only biological child, Evander Joaquin Kent, born May twenty-eighth, 2008. Her family grieved over her sin, but rejoiced in the birth of a healthy little boy. Now, four years later, it is clear why our Lord brought Evander into this world; to be the legacy to a beautiful and intelligent woman.

"Although this child is facing life without the definite presence of his mother, her love with always be with him. She asks him to stay strong and to allow himself to grown into the man she's always wanted him to be. With this prayer we ask our God to commit Claudia to His hands.

"Loving God,

We thank You for the gift of life.

Today we thank you for the life of Claudia

and all that she was.

We thank you for the memories of Claudia
which we can keep,

as a source of comfort and continuing thankfulness.

We thank you for those aspects
of her life
which meant so much to us;
for …
By your grace,

help us this day to commit Claudia into your hands

and as we do, grant us your peace,

In the name of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Amen."

The room was in tears. People cried as they lifted their heads and looked at the casket of the woman they were there for. Evander cried beside his father and wrapped his arms around the man's waist, sad and scared of the future without his mom.

His grandparents sat in the front row, wiping away their tears and holding each other's hand as they struggled to say goodbye to their daughter. Beside them Jake Taylor sat stoic, staring straight ahead. The only sign of emotion from the hardened man was the way he rubbed his child's hand, sad for himself but also for the fact that his son had lost two mothers in his life time.

The church was a place of sorrow. The room erupting with sadness from every edge. Brian cried for the woman he hardly remembered, for the person she thought he was, for the sake of death and for the love she shared with the child he gave her. He cried for her parents, her husband, and his son. He cried for those in this room and for himself.

Sorrow engulfed them, bringing them to terms with the death that had effected all their lives. Sorrow was something they'd all live with for the upcoming period of time. Sorrow was the sad smile, the tight hug, and the look in the eyes of a child. Of his child.

Sorrow was understanding. Understanding the parents of the dead and the father of her child. Sorrow was acceptance for the life she lived.

The friends and family of Claudia Taylor rose and headed out of the church with Claudia's father and the rest of the pallbearers leading the way to the hearse. Evander cried as he watched his mother's casket disappear into the back of the long car. Brian carried him to the SUV and strapped him in for the procession to the plot.

Michelle turned off the DVD player and the radio. They drove in silence in a long line of mourners, heading for the same place that the squad car was leading them. Soon, Evander was going to lay a violet bundle of Heliotrope on his mother's casket and bury her with the flowers of eternal love.