10.9 Part Two: No Other Way To Rest

   "I was the new girl in town, I'd lived in the same small island town my whole life then, struck by tragedy, I moved to California with Delilah Alice Rosewood-Janes, bless her, we lost her last year, who took me in, helped me raise my brother Anderson, who is in Florida with his wife Elliot... Elle, she likes to go by, their children Coral, Richard, Tiana. Xavier, I remember when we first met..." Mom smiled, reminiscing about her life as a scared twenty-something, watching Uncle Anderson grow up, as daddy helped her realize who she was, helped her feel like she belonged, helped her process and finally release her grief. "I just... My husband for thirty-seven years, we raised five children together... I've always loved him, I will never stop loving him. Thank you. Now, my daughter, Dr. Ryelynn Janes will say a few words." I wiped away a few tears, feeling odd being called doctor by my mother. I'd earned my degree a few days before the funeral... Daddy would never see his little girl as a doctor.

   She was sixty-two, yet looked older, frailer, like she'd aged a decade. We all looked rougher around the edges; we'd been to funerals before, grandma, grandpa's, Aunt Delilah, yet we'd never really known them well, we'd met them, but we weren't bonded to them like we were to daddy.

   "I don't know what to say. I've never spoken at a funeral before... I didn't, I never, I just..." I glanced down, wiping at my eyes, thankful I hadn't worn makeup. I looked up, my face red, puffy. "He was a great man. Caring, helpful, passionate. He inspired my love of the geek subculture, Doctor Who, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Star Trek, Issac Asimov. When I went to my first comic-con with him, I was ecstatic; I'd been saving for months, I wanted to buy an Avengers action figure, it was signed by Joss Whedon, yet I was thirty-eight dollars away and I was devastated... He bought it for me, gave it to me later, just because. I woke up one day, saw it sitting on my night stand, with a note. 'Surprise, Ryie!' it said. He called me Ryie... Not often, but, he did. And there was a music box... He will always be remembered, he will always be loved. Thank you."

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   "That was a beautiful service." I heard a voice say. I was staring at his grave, everyone else, mom, Felix, Marianna, their twins Harrison and Tilly, , Chester, Remy, Zander, Jack, Jillian, Hadley, her fiance Eli Franco, friends, coworkers had parted once the rain had started pouring, dripping, slipping down from the clouds... A rarity in LA, suitable for the occasion.
   "Pardon?" I asked, having no desire to listen to someone offer their condolences."
   "He'll rest in peace."
   "No other way to rest." I mumbled, suddenly, irrationally hating black fabric. It absorbed all color; it was a void, depressing.
   "You always were logical. I loved that about you."

   "Loved?" I whispered, feeling vulnerable. I slowly turned my head, wiping away the rain and tears from my face, looking at the ebony black dress shoes, to the crisp, ironed slacks, to the pressed gray dress shirt, the suit jacket... The face of a man I hadn't see since forever ago about the collar, hidden beneath thick rimmed glass and a mob of black hair. "Vance." The syllable slipped past my lips liked silk, as he stood there, soaking wet.
   "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't be here... My brother's father-in-law, a shirttail relative, I suppose, but I don't... I, when we, he was a great man. I wanted to pay my respects."
   "I didn't- I'm not being accusatory... He still is a great man."
   "He'll always be."
   "Vance..."
   "Ryelynn..." Hushed tones began conversing in the graveyard, as he stepped closer. "It's pouring rain and freezing. You'll catch a cold."
   "That's a myth... You're a doctor. You know that."
   "Do I? I don't know... I thought daddy would still be here. I thought I knew that he'd see me earn my doctorate, be there to go to the film festival, see my new home, I... Him there. He'd be there and now he's gone. Gone..."
   "Everyone's gathering at your mom's... Your parent's home. Do you want me to take you there? I rented a car."
   "No... I can't. The past few weeks, the sadness. Pain. Not more of it."

   "Where do you want to go?" And do you want to go there with me? The unasked question hung in the air, as he lingered by my side.
   "Home."
   "Home? Where do you live? I'll drive you; you're not in a proper state to."
   "San Fransisco..." I glanced at my feet. I'd flown from San Francisco International Airport to LAX, a two hour flight, I had another booked two days from now... Six hours to drive. no sane person would say what he did.

   "I'll pull the car around."