[SR] Kahlil Gibran quote
[Jake = str8on_tilmorn and used with permission. Felicity = chiefs_favorite. Everyone else is an NPC.]
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.”
“Say goodnight, Gracie.”
“Goodnight, Gracie!”
***
“This is it.”
Jake’s car rolled to a stop on the paved path through the cemetery behind Grant’s car, and watched as Felicity started to climb out of the car in that ridiculous bridesmaid dress the bride had stuck them in. It was black with neon colored ruffles, and given the make were most likely ridiculously awkward to be walking in, but Felicity seemed to be managing just fine, pausing against the side of the car to slide her heels back on. Grace was wearing a matching dress and hadn’t been managing nearly as well, but she wasn’t sure if that was the dress or more the weight of the day. She wasn’t sure if agreeing to be a bridesmaid in a wedding on the anniversary of a loss like this one was the best idea, but there was an open bar afterwards, so if all else failed, they would get their own dash of liquid happiness.
“-I don’t think this is the reception hall,” Jake said slowly, before looking over at her, a little concerned. She gave him a bit of a smile, before leaning in to kiss him gently.
“Just something we gotta take care of first.” She pulled back and brushed her thumb against the side of his face to get off some of her lipstick. “I’ll be right back.”
After that she was getting out of the car, making her way over to her siblings sides as they left their wife and roommate in the car and picked their way over the headstones and grave markers till they reached one set apart from the rest. She came up next to her sister, and Felicity slid an arm around her waist before taking a deep breath. “Here we go.”
***
“You’re it!”
There was a shriek from the other end of the house as Felicity ran through the room, hands above her head as she giggled and let her brother chase her. She was five and Grace was eight, and right now their ten year-old brother was it. Alex dashed into the room behind them, and Grace grabbed Felicity’s hand dragging her towards the front door, and out into the front yard.
“Go hide, Lissie,” Grace said softly, gesturing towards the bushes that lined the front yard of the house. Alex was barreling down the front steps towards her and she grinned. Once Felicity was out of view, she started to continue backing towards the street. They weren’t supposed to play in the front yard. It was dangerous and they knew it, but as far as she could tell the streets were clear, and it was the middle of spring break, so there weren’t a lot of cars on the street anyway.
She was watching her brother closely, waiting for him to make his move, and her feet landed on the curb, balancing precariously on the balls of her feet, ready to dart out of the way as soon as he got close enough, when she started to lose her balance.
There was a honk behind her, and as she turned at the sound there was a hand on her arm pulling her back onto the sidewalk. She stumbled backwards into her brother, and felt Alexander’s arms come around her, pulling her close as he looked at her with a grin.
“Gotta be careful, Gracie. Wrong car comes by and you’ll go splat.”
***
“So, we forgot flowers,” Felicity began with a sigh, before holding up the two bridesmaids bouquets from her and Becca, and taking Grace’s from her. “We decided to make do with what we had, though.”
She placed the bouquet down in front of the headstone, smoothing them over as they all pulled back to look at the words written there:
ALEXANDER JAMES BRADDOCK
Brother. Son. Friend.
1978 - 1992
Grace sighed softly, leaning in to her sister a bit, and feeling her brother’s hand grasp her arm. “We miss you,” she said slowly. “Every day. You’re missing so much and we really wish you were here.”
“Grace is getting married,” Grant said softly. “Clearly I’m blaming this on you because you’re not here to help me protect her from the boys-”
“Grant!” Grace glared, swatting off his arm and smacking it, while Felicity shoved her foot down on his. “He’s a good guy.”
“Yes. Leave Jake alone.”
Grant grumbled before turning away, and Grace took a breath before turning back to the headstone. She still played the scenes of the night they lost him over and over in her head, all the time, but they were getting a little less glaring as she got older. She didn’t know whether or not to be grateful for that, but it was there, and now they needed to move on.
They finished up and said their goodbyes before making their way back to the car. It had been a long day, and they still had a reception to go to after this, but now the day felt a bit more complete and together, and that was better than going into this cold. As she slid back into the car, Jake turned to face her and gave her a bit of a concerned smile.
“Everything alright?”
“Yeah,” she said softly, before leaning in to kiss him gently. “Yeah, everything’s good.”
890 words
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.”
“Say goodnight, Gracie.”
“Goodnight, Gracie!”
***
“This is it.”
Jake’s car rolled to a stop on the paved path through the cemetery behind Grant’s car, and watched as Felicity started to climb out of the car in that ridiculous bridesmaid dress the bride had stuck them in. It was black with neon colored ruffles, and given the make were most likely ridiculously awkward to be walking in, but Felicity seemed to be managing just fine, pausing against the side of the car to slide her heels back on. Grace was wearing a matching dress and hadn’t been managing nearly as well, but she wasn’t sure if that was the dress or more the weight of the day. She wasn’t sure if agreeing to be a bridesmaid in a wedding on the anniversary of a loss like this one was the best idea, but there was an open bar afterwards, so if all else failed, they would get their own dash of liquid happiness.
“-I don’t think this is the reception hall,” Jake said slowly, before looking over at her, a little concerned. She gave him a bit of a smile, before leaning in to kiss him gently.
“Just something we gotta take care of first.” She pulled back and brushed her thumb against the side of his face to get off some of her lipstick. “I’ll be right back.”
After that she was getting out of the car, making her way over to her siblings sides as they left their wife and roommate in the car and picked their way over the headstones and grave markers till they reached one set apart from the rest. She came up next to her sister, and Felicity slid an arm around her waist before taking a deep breath. “Here we go.”
***
“You’re it!”
There was a shriek from the other end of the house as Felicity ran through the room, hands above her head as she giggled and let her brother chase her. She was five and Grace was eight, and right now their ten year-old brother was it. Alex dashed into the room behind them, and Grace grabbed Felicity’s hand dragging her towards the front door, and out into the front yard.
“Go hide, Lissie,” Grace said softly, gesturing towards the bushes that lined the front yard of the house. Alex was barreling down the front steps towards her and she grinned. Once Felicity was out of view, she started to continue backing towards the street. They weren’t supposed to play in the front yard. It was dangerous and they knew it, but as far as she could tell the streets were clear, and it was the middle of spring break, so there weren’t a lot of cars on the street anyway.
She was watching her brother closely, waiting for him to make his move, and her feet landed on the curb, balancing precariously on the balls of her feet, ready to dart out of the way as soon as he got close enough, when she started to lose her balance.
There was a honk behind her, and as she turned at the sound there was a hand on her arm pulling her back onto the sidewalk. She stumbled backwards into her brother, and felt Alexander’s arms come around her, pulling her close as he looked at her with a grin.
“Gotta be careful, Gracie. Wrong car comes by and you’ll go splat.”
***
“So, we forgot flowers,” Felicity began with a sigh, before holding up the two bridesmaids bouquets from her and Becca, and taking Grace’s from her. “We decided to make do with what we had, though.”
She placed the bouquet down in front of the headstone, smoothing them over as they all pulled back to look at the words written there:
ALEXANDER JAMES BRADDOCK
Brother. Son. Friend.
1978 - 1992
Grace sighed softly, leaning in to her sister a bit, and feeling her brother’s hand grasp her arm. “We miss you,” she said slowly. “Every day. You’re missing so much and we really wish you were here.”
“Grace is getting married,” Grant said softly. “Clearly I’m blaming this on you because you’re not here to help me protect her from the boys-”
“Grant!” Grace glared, swatting off his arm and smacking it, while Felicity shoved her foot down on his. “He’s a good guy.”
“Yes. Leave Jake alone.”
Grant grumbled before turning away, and Grace took a breath before turning back to the headstone. She still played the scenes of the night they lost him over and over in her head, all the time, but they were getting a little less glaring as she got older. She didn’t know whether or not to be grateful for that, but it was there, and now they needed to move on.
They finished up and said their goodbyes before making their way back to the car. It had been a long day, and they still had a reception to go to after this, but now the day felt a bit more complete and together, and that was better than going into this cold. As she slid back into the car, Jake turned to face her and gave her a bit of a concerned smile.
“Everything alright?”
“Yeah,” she said softly, before leaning in to kiss him gently. “Yeah, everything’s good.”
890 words