Close Your Eyes and Brace Yourself

"...Frank was a happy man throughout most of his life, but he was happiest the last few months of his life. He had a daughter and a son; Frank who he had only just reconciled with after many years..."

I only caught bits and pieces of my Father's memorial service. Gerard was to my right holding my hand. Britan, or Jane as she insisted, was holding my left. Gerard held my hand to comfort me and I held Jane's to comfort her.

If I thought it was hard losing dad I couldn't imagine how hard she was taking it. She was so young, only just starting high school come September. I was just so lucky that I had gotten to know her the past two months. Her and dad had moved in after I had talked to Gerard about the situation. We stood from the always uncomfortable pews to drive to the grave site.

The car ride to the cemetery was silent. Gerard drove and I was in the passenger seat. The only way we knew Jane was still with us was because of the sniffles we would occasionally hear.

As we walked across the still wet grass I thought. It was so fortunate that dad got in contact with us when he did. I hate imagining what would have happened to Jane if Gerard and I hadn't been here. She would've been placed in the system and moved from home to home until she came of age.

I placed the final rose on my father's casket and watched as it was lowered into the ground. I crossed myself for the second time today and hugged Jane, "Let's go home." I whispered.

I had full guardianship of Jane now that dad was dead. He had been sure that we had all the paper work filled out and turned in long before he died. I was easily approved being as I was her only living relative. Gerard and I would have to raise her the rest of the way. We needed to teach her life skills that dad never got the chance to. I for one wanted do it right, and I knew Gerard did too. A new chapter in our life was being written, and I was scared.