Keep the Closet Door Closed

Jasper's Point of View (a week later)
"I guess we're supposed to.. say a few words." Cyndy mumbled in the silence. We were all standing in front of the pile of dirt and flowers we'd made to honor Anthony, quiet and solemn. No one has said anything because, the truth is, no one knew what should be said. Cyndy had never been to a funeral, I haven't been to one in over a decade and neither of us felt the urge to ask Annabell about her experience. I didn't want to bring up worse memories.

Finally, she spoke. "Years may pass and we'll, eventually, feel a bit less attached to Anthony but he has to always remain important to us. He sacrificed himself for us- all of us. He died for Cyndy's safety, Jasper's life and my happiness. No matter what happens and no matter what we do with the rest of our lives, we will all always remember the sacrifice." she whispered, her eyes fixated on the tulips on the dirt pile.

"That was wonderful." I whispered to her. She attempted a smile but it was more of a slight curve of her lips. Then, I'd realized she was crying a silent but tear-filled cry. I pulled her closer to me and she cried in my arms, finally opening up to me. Cyndy sighed deeply. "Bye, Anthony. Rest in peace." she whispered and walked away. I wondered if it would be the last time I'd ever really talk to her. I only wondered for a moment before my attention was fixed on Annabell again.

"My mother died." she whispered, answering plenty of questions that I'd so severely wanted answered. "Two years ago, she died." she sobbed, struggling to keep her voice steady. "And, now, Anthony is as dead as she is. I guess I am just scared that things are going to fall apart again. Everything good I had fell apart when she died and, now, that Anthony is gone, I am terrified it is going to happen again. You are my good thing and I don't want to lose you."

I thought it over for a moment. I understood why she was worried. "Annabell, if anything, Anthony's death gave me to you." I replied, sure of myself. She pulled away and stared at me with confused, wet eyes. "When he died, he gave me his body- Not for me, really, but for you; for us. He gave me his body and, because of that, we can truly be together. His death isn't going to be the beginning of a series of awful things- It was terrible, yes, but it doesn't mark the beginning of more and more things becoming terrible."

She sighed and remained quiet for a moment, pensive. "You are right." she whispered. "And so it Cyndy. Anthony would have wanted us to be happy- not to worry about something as irrational as I was. He gave us something beautiful and we owe it to him to cherish it. I love you so much, Jasper. I really do." She leaned up on her toes and kissed me softly.

And I knew this was a pleasant sign of what our future would be like. We'd be together forever.