24.Her

"Dad, I love you." I sobbed as I reached my hand to touch the side of his cheek. He smiled and took my hand in his.

"I love you too, princess." He simply said with sparkling eyes. He looked like an angel.

"What am I supposed to do without you?" I whimpered out. He rubbed my palm to comfort me and said.

"Keep playing the piano."

The sorrowful trees surrounded the house blew against the wind as leaves fell from their places and the wind was ruthless. I stared at the window to the view of Michigan bare streets and the sad drifting leaves.

I then averted my eyes to the broken boy that laid with his eyes closed. I smiled a bit at the stubborn boy that fought sleep. I heard every word that came out of his soul in the crack of dawn.

He was trying for me, that was enough.

Although he had a tough exterior and an even tougher interior, he was soft at heart. It was like an iceberg that waited to be melted. I had to look through the white snow top and into the depths of beauty that hid underneath.

The bags under his eyes deepened from before and he looked uncomfortable while he slept, his forehead had small worry lines and his hands were balled up on each side of him. My heart tugged at the scene beside me, he was as hurt as I was.

It was already twelve pm and I decided not to wake him up for the funeral. I was going to do this on my own. I had to confront my own fear.

I grabbed my black coat that hid my black full lace sleeved dress and tied the waistband around to keep me warm. I looked back at the sleeping broken boy one last time before leaving.

I knew for a fact that he would be furious with me when I got back but I had to do this on my own this time. I saw him in this state the moment my dad died, it was self-blame that destructed his entire being. He didn't know this would happen yet he carried his guilt weight on top of his shoulders.

My strong broken boy.

The crowd appeared at the funeral, some of them were dad's college friends; Harley, Jaxon, Jackson, and Jacob were aligned with tearful eyes. They were the closest to him, they would play chess in the evenings and had the best coffee times with them. For the other some of them, they were his work buddies, his boss and my uncle with his family. I made sure yesterday before we went back to my house to make an announcement broadcast to all of my father's closest people because I wanted to make this special for him.

I said hello to each one of them as they wished me the best and prayed for my dad, my eyes couldn't spill tears from how much I cried the other day, I was drained of emotion. I ignored my uncle and his snobby family because they were all out for money. His two daughters-Lexie and Salvy-bullied little kids and I. I never forgot the time where they cut my wrist with their small pocket knife and accused me of self-harm in front of my dad. My dad banned them from getting into our house ever since.

Why were they here? It wasn't like there was money out of my dad's funeral.

The priest came to read on my dad's soul as the casket was opened to reveal his shaved face and his black suit. My hands shook in melancholy and I had the biggest urge to run away. It was too painful. He didn't deserve to be killed this way, no other person should.

"I'm sure you'll be able to handle the pain," he said as he bandaged my knee, "I didn't raise no wimp." He joked as he kissed my five years old me on the forehead.

"Daddy, it's burning me," I whined and he kissed my injury.

"I hope this makes it better, let's go to the ice cream truck before it runs away from us." He excitedly said as I giggled.

We went hand in hand in the middle of the night with no care in the world.

Each sob rocked my body harder as I collapsed on the floor and the concerned people came rushing to me. I told them I was fine but little did they know about the painful memories.

The priest stopped and motioned for me to talk. I nodded as he sent a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"Thank you for all the people who attended my dad's funeral," my voice shook a little bit but I exhaled before I continued, "my dad was not just an ordinary father, he was my hero. He was there beside me during my roughest hours, he was also a loving father, mostly because he took me to the ice cream truck most of the time," they laughed when I said that, "he was my number one supporter, it breaks my heart to face this cruel reality of ever seeing the sight of my dad died before me. I love you, dad, my hero." I sobbed as I held a hand to my chest, trying to calm my emotional state. Everyone sympathized with me and hugged me, telling me it was going to be okay.

How was it going to be okay without him? I wiped my tears and the people walked after an hour of his friends' speeches.

"Hey dad, I hoped you liked my improvising speech," I chuckled with tears in my eyes, "I already miss you." I said when I looked at my dad, who was asleep, "you look so handsome, I wish you'd wear that suit on my wedding day." I wiped my tears with the back of coat sleeve.

The priest told me it was time to close his casket and bury him. I tried to hold the casket open as the tantrum started. My uncle wrapped his arms around me as he tried to get me away so the priest could close the casket.

"No, dad," I yelled, "no, dad, they're trying to take me away from you." I sobbed as I thrashed in my uncle's arms as his daughters glared at me.

The priest succeeded in pushing the casket down the ground in Albania forest where his funeral took place, the final push sent my heart on fire as I pulled myself from my uncle's grasp but it was too late. They covered him.

"Now, we would be taking your dad's money." The nasal voice of Lexie made me even more deranged. I looked back at her and she widened her eyes at the crazy look I had on my face. So that was why they came.

"Leave, I'll be damned if you take any of my father's belongings." I seethed at them in anger. They all scurried away from me, not uttering a single word.

My eyes averted to the angry boy that took long strides to reach me.