Here We Go Again

Two days later, Will and I were seated in our seats on the airplane to take us to California. Chris, Hayley, and Travis were the ones that sent us off and I gave them all hugs and wished them a Merry Christmas. I told them I would see them all before the new year began and then Will said his own goodbyes. He gave Chris and Hayley a hug, but when it came to Travis, he gave him a firm handshake. He was still pretty wary of him, despite the fact that Travis had helped me so much already.

Shortly after I told Travis about everything that happened the day that Will and I made up, Travis told me something that I never knew. He told me that last year, before all this drama started when I arrived, he really admired Will. He thought he was cool and charming, and he was great at sports and he could have any girl that he wanted. And that he had the most beautiful and popular girl as his girlfriend so that Travis couldn't help but admire him and look up to him.

Then all the drama with Annabella happened and he wasn't as fond of Will as before. Now that everything was settled though, Travis didn't hate Will and still kind of admired him, no matter how much he denied it. The blush on his face when I pressed him on the subject gave it away, of course.

And then we were on the plane. We were in first class this time around, because Will refused to take coach again. And he paid for my ticket before I had a chance to pay for it myself and wouldn't take no for an answer. So there we were in first class, sipping on raspberry iced tea as Will and I talked and held hands.



When we finally arrived in California, it was noon. We left the airplane, claimed our luggage, and left the airport. The sun was high in the sky with a few clouds and the wind blew past us. It was probably in the late-sixties for the weather, something that was still pretty warm for a day in December, but it was California.

Will and I walked to the long-term parking lot where my car was parked. We hauled our luggage into the trunk before I got settled in the driver's seat and Will in the passenger seat next to me. I pulled out of the parking structure and made my way to Crystal Creek Cemetery, the cemetery my father was buried in. We had decided on the plane that we were going to go straight to see my dad before we went to my house.

The drive was quiet except for the sound of the radio. On the way there, I stopped by a grocery store and picked up some flowers. You couldn't visit a grave without flowers.

In about an hour and a half, we were finally standing in front of a huge, nice mausoleum. It was the Greene's family mausoleum. Since my father was wealthy, his side of the family wouldn't have it any other way than for him to be put to rest in the family mausoleum instead of just a plot out in the open field. I pulled out the mausoleum key and unlocked the iron gates before I unlocked the huge oak door behind them. Will pushed them open for me and we both walked inside. It was completely white inside with marble walls and nameplates. We walked further in before I stood in front of one of the many marble nameplates. The name Joel Greene as well as his birth date, death date and the words, 'Beloved son, husband, and father' were engraved on a marble plate the second nameplate from the ground.

"Hi, dad," I started as I placed the flowers into the flower holder next to his name on the nameplate. "It's been awhile." I took a deep breath. "Dad, I want you to meet someone. This is William Harper," I introduced as my voice echoed in the mausoleum. "Will, this my dad, Joel Greene." I nudged Will in his side. "Say hi," I muttered to him.

"Right!" He said as he turned to the nameplate. "Hello, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you," he said politely.

"This is my boyfriend," I said as I gestured to Will. It was quiet for a few seconds before I spoke up again. "Sorry, I haven't been around much. Things have been... hectic," I said as I tried to find the right words. "A lot has changed, I guess. I moved to England for school, so there's that. That's where I met Will," I said as I grabbed his hand. "I'm in my final year of high school now. Your little girl is all grown up," I said with a small laugh. I looked up at Will and he smiled at me. He handed me the blanket he held in his other hand and we both laid it out on the cold tile floor in front of my dad's nameplate. When it was laid out, Will and I sat on it before I continued to speak. "I'm really sorry I haven't been around," I apologized again. "I know I missed your birthday and your death anniversary. I should've came by, but I didn't. I'm sorry for that. I'm here now though and I hope that you can forgive me." It was true that I hadn't visited my father's grave in a while that I had missed his birthday and his death anniversary. I was either in England or just too scared or sad to come visit. Every time I saw his name engraved in the marble, I always got so sad and his death was always made much more final. It had been years since his death, but it would always feel as if it was just yesterday he died when I saw his name.

So I did something that helped me through this visit. I spoke to my father as if he was still alive and breathing in front of me.





As I sat next to Nicole inside her family mausoleum in front of her father's marble nameplate, I listened to her speak to her father. She continued to speak to him as if he was sitting right across from us, actually sharing the conversation. I could tell she was happy by the genuine smile on her face. And when I saw that smile, I couldn't help but smile as well.

I held her hand the whole time and whenever she glanced at me, she would smile at me before she would turn back to the nameplate and keep speaking.

At one point, she turned to me and started telling more about her father. She told me he was a business man and that he was actually quite wealthy and even helped many people with building their companies and businesses. And that at one point, he was even supposed to inherit his father's company. Though, of course, she never found out that last part until his passing. Then she pulled out a photo of him from her wallet. I took a look at it. He had brown hair with graying roots that was combed back with brown eyes to match. I could see where Nicole got those features from. While Nicole got her hair and eye color from her father, she got all her other features from her mother. If it wasn't for her hair or eye color, she would be an exact replica of her mother. Albeit, a younger replica, but she looked a lot like her mother nonetheless. And as I looked at the photo, I realized he looked oddly familiar to me, but I couldn't place him from where or why. I just brushed it off though as me thinking he probably looked like one of my father's generic-looking work colleagues since she did say he was a businessman like my father is.

I was silent for most of the time after that. I didn't mind that though and I didn't think Nicole minded either. It had been awhile since she was last here and it was a well needed visit for her. She needed to talk to her father and tell him whatever she thought was necessary to tell him, so I let her have that.





Before I knew it, the sun was already starting to set. We had been in the mausoleum for hours and I didn't even notice. Orange streaks of sunlight was filtering through the open door and since no candles were lit, the mausoleum was getting dark. After a quick goodbye and kissing my fingers and pressing it against my father's nameplate, Will and I picked up the blanket from the floor before we left the mausoleum and locked it back up.

As we walked back to my car, Will spoke up. "So since I met your family now," he started as we walked through the cemetery to my car. "when are you going to meet my family?" I looked up at him before I replied.

"Will, like you said before months ago. That's a whole other story." He let out a chuckle as we made it to my car. He walked me to my side of the car before he opened the car door for me.

"You're gonna have to meet my parents sometime," he stated. The sun was setting fast so the sky was turning into a mesh of orange, pink, and purple.

"And we'll cross that bridge when we get there. But for now, can we just enjoy these few moments of peace that we have here?" I asked as I looked up at him. Will nodded at me before he leaned down and kissed me. I leaned up on my tiptoes so he wouldn't have to bend down so low. I wrapped an arm around his neck as I deepened the kiss. Will was the one to pull away first.

"As much as I want to continue this," he started as he gestured between us. "doing this in a cemetery while its becoming dark and your father not too far from us is kind of a put off." I laughed as I let go of him.

"Right," I said as another laugh escaped my lips. I got into the driver's seat and Will closed the door after I was securely seated. While I put on my seat belt, he ran around the front to get into the passenger seat. When we were both seated, he turned to me.

"I love you," Will said.

"Are you sure this time?" I teased him. He rolled his eyes at me before he replied.

"Yes!" he exclaimed. I laughed at him.

"I love you too," I replied to him. I leaned over the console and kissed him quickly before I turned on the car. I drove out of the cemetery and we made our way to my house.

I couldn't help but smile as I drove with Will's hand holding my own. Seeing my father was great and for once, it wasn't depressing like all the other times. It was nice and Will being there with me made it even better.

And so just like that, all our insecurities, our doubts, and our problems that we had experienced earlier were all gone now. And though we had been through so much together, it was past us. It was now just Will and I. And we weren't going to let anything get in our way now.