The Only Exception.

Eight.

My dad's funeral is today, and I've spent the morning getting ready and helping my mum and Marianna get everything ready at home, our family was coming over afterwards for his wake, to celebrate his life, rather than mourn it.

But now, we all stood at the cemetery, dressed in black and white. My grandpa spoke, from his wheel chair about the son he would miss so much. And now, Marianna stood by the small podium that was placed for people to put the things they wrote down to speak of.

"My dad, was a complicated character. He did a lot of good things in his life, and he also did a lot of horrible things. The father that I will remember, for the rest of my life, is the one who loved my sister and I, like no one else would ever love us more. The father that took us to church on Sundays, and taught us that God forgives, and that God loves, and we should do the same right back to every single person that we meet. At the end, we didn't get along, we weren't on the same page anymore, and there's nothing I'll ever regret more in my entire life, than not being able to tell him how much of an impact he made on my life, and how much I will always love him," she said, then came and stood back next to Luke.

My mum looked at me and I nodded, stepping up to the podium.

"Daniel Jay Adams was a man with so many different personalities. Prominent of all of them, he was loving, kind and forgiving. He may have never forgiven me, for the things I did in my life that he didn't agree with. And I never got the chance, to tell him that I forgive him, for the things that he did, that I didn't agree with. He always tried, and I could always see that. He always tried to do the right thing, even if he did the wrong thing. He always tried to forgive, even if he didn't. He always tried to love, even if he hated instead. He taught me, that if you try, then that's what counts. And I hope, that he will always know, that I tried, I tried to be a better person and to pull myself out of the situations I put myself in, because I wanted to be a better daughter for him. And he may be gone now, and I may never," I sucked in a sob, "I may never be okay with him not being here anymore. But he taught me not to lie, so I will never say that I'm okay, when I'm not. He taught me, that family is important, and that if it all begins to fall apart, I have to protect the ones I love with everything I have. He taught me this, at a very young age. And I did that, through my whole life up until this very point. I've fought and protected the ones I love, and I did it because he taught me that that is what someone does when they love people. I only wish, that I had protected him, and I had fought for him, and I had been able to tell him how much he means to me, before it was too late. And I know, that he's up there, watching over us all now, and that he will protect us in every way that he can from so far away. I also know, that he would be so happy, to know so many people cared enough about him, and the people he loved, to come here today and remember him as exactly who he was, a father, a son, a brother, a cousin, a friend and a man who made mistakes, but always apologized for his wrongs before it was too late."

I wiped the tears from underneath my eyes and walked back over to Ashton. He took my hand in his and we listened to his friends and other family members speak, before we lowered his coffin into the ground and it was filled over with dirt.

Back at our house, we were approached by random family members and people my dad had known that I hardly remembered, saying that my dad would be proud of how strong I'm being, and he would be happy that I found someone who made me happy.
The boys stayed by our sides the entire day. We always had at least one of those boys next to us.

The only time we were alone, was when my mum asked them if they would bring their instruments over and play some songs for everyone, to lighten to mood.

Watching them play was probably the highlight of my life, they had so much energy and were so amazing. Everyone there appreciated the lightening of the mood, even if some of their songs weren't upbeat, it was something else to think about and something else to pay attention to.

"You've got yourselves some keepers up there girls, friends and otherwise," our grandpa said as he rolled his wheel chair in between mine and Marianna's seats.

We both took hold of one of his hands and kissed them.

"We love you grandpa," I said.

"I love you girls too," he said.

When the boys were finished, my mum demanded a photo of the boys, us and grandpa. We stayed sitting while the boys stood behind us.

"Oh that's a good one, that's getting framed immediately," she said with a smile.

My mum put herself on photo duty, taking all too many photos of us and the boys.

"I keep getting wedgies," Marianna whined as I took a drink of my beer, making me choke from laughing.

"Real cute babe," Luke said.

"What I'm telling the truth!"

"I don't doubt it, I'll never understand why you chose to wear a thong to a funeral," I said.

"If I learned anything worthwhile from dad, it's that sex cures sadness, I'm prepared for everything," she said.

We all laughed.

"I find it very odd that you woke up this morning like, well I'm going to my dad's funeral today, let's hope I get lucky."

"Don't act like you didn't think the same thing, I saw what underwear you put on," she said.

"I don't know what underwear she's wearing that's no fair," Ashton said.

I smirked, "Marianna sweetie, you didn't learn that sex cures sadness from dad, you definitely learned that from me."

"Right, I knew I learned it from someone," she smiled.

"The things that fix sadness is Nutella, Vegemite and sex," Calum nodded.

"This is a fact of life, yes it is," I said.

"Now, to make the ultimate combo, would you being eating Nutella and Vegemite off of the person you're going to have sex with?" Michael asked.

"You kinky bastard, thank you for the idea," Ashton said.

I laughed and rolled my eyes.

"Ashton's gonna be real upset if he doesn't get any now," Luke said.

"I'm trying this new thing," I said as I took a drink, "Where I make men work for what they want from me. So we'll have to see, it's all about the effort."

"She's like her hair pulled," Marianna said with a smile then turned around and pulled Luke away.

"If I didn't have to yell for you to hear me I'd say something in response!" I called out to her, causing her to turn slightly and give me a big smile before continuing to walk.

After everyone left, we cleaned up the house and we all went next door after I changed.

I curled up with Ashton on his bed.

"Are you alright babe?" he asked.

I nodded, "Yeah, I'm good."

"Promise?"

"I promise," I said, kissing his cheek.

"I'm gonna miss you when we have to leave."

"I'm going to miss you too Ash."

"Maybe some time you could go with us on tour."

"Maybe. I wouldn't want to leave Marianna behind though."

"I know, maybe over summer break some time then."

"Yeah," I nodded.

The boys had to leave in 3 weeks to go to London for recording, then they would go on tour with One Direction.

"You're not going to forget about me when you're out there having girls thrown at you, are you?" I asked.

"Of course I won't forget about you. You're the greatest thing to ever come into my life."

He kissed the top of my head and I tried to feel reassured.

But I was scared.
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