Prologue. (2)

-1 week later-

I felt Anger. Rage. Wrath. Fury. But I held it in. The time would come for me to release it. I was presently standing in front of a mirror gazing into it. I had gotten a haircut and a shave. My once long beard which she always begged me to shave was gone and my long hair which reached my shoulders was reduced to a short fade. I gripped the sink as I leaned into the mirror. my right eye was glowing blood red. I took a deep breath to calm my anger before tightening my tie and making sure my suit was presentable before walking into out of the bathroom into the church.

As I walked in I felt their eyes on me. Some of my close co-workers came as well as Chelsie's friends. I saw Donna stand up and walk to me.

"Sup, red." she said as she hugged me.

"hey." I hugged her back.

"I'm sorry." I felt her shake as she started to cry.

"So, am I darlin'." I said as I looked down with tears in the corner of my eyes. "So am I."

It was a familiar pain. One that I've experienced hundreds of times. It never gets easier.

We let go of each other and she walked back to her seat before casting another glance at me.

God's be damned I felt so angry and sad and lost. I was trying my best not to break down right there. I've lost many families before but... not like this. So soon. So… unexpectedly. We were still running around like teenagers the day before. we couldn't get enough of each other.

I saw someone stand up from the corner of my eye. It was my daughter Elise. She was already 56. Her mother, Anna, Died during child birth in '67 so I took care of her down in Navada for 23 years until she went to college. she became a lawyer and a damn successful one at that. I got the Chevy Malibu from her on the 25th anniversary of Anna's death. She quickly walked over to me and hugged me as well.

"hey, dad." She whispered in my ear so no one could hear it.

"hey, cookie." I whispered back as I looked at her gently. "thanks for coming."

She simply nodded in response before returning to her seat. Chelsie and Elise have never met but I'm happy she came. I felt someone give me a side hug and looked over to see a 23 year old tall brown haired man. Raymond, my best friend, looking away from me. He was never very good with emotions but he's good people.

"Hey, Brother. sorry." He said it so simply I might have thought he was mocking me if I didn't see the tear in his eye.

"Hug me like a man, you little brat." I said as I grabbed him in a bear hug and squeezed him hard.

"Guh!" he grunted out. "Let go of me you damn troll!"

I smiled sadly as I let go of him and walked to the podium before setting my hands on it and looking back at the two caskets. One was extremely small. They were closed. I looked around at the people gathered. The only family member present was my daughter as Chelsie was an orphan. I took a deep breath before I began to speak.

"Thank you all for coming." I began. "I'm not good with introductions so I'll just ramble for a bit before giving the next person the mic. Chelsie was..."

I trailed off as I saw Death walk in and give me a thumbs up as he leaned against the wall. he was dressed in a suit and tie like me even though only I could see him. His skull was polished as well. I felt tears form in my eyes.

"She was..." The tears started to fall. "fuck! I love her so much!"

I had to lean onto the podium so I wouldn't fall to my knees in anguish.

"And Ford... he looked so much like her. Every time I would look at them I would feel butterflies..." I trailed off.

I had no idea how to even talk about this. I felt so broken. I heard it start to rain.

*Glad you're here too, God.* I thought.

I heard heard it thunder in response.

"I cherished every moment with her. Just sitting in silence, making dumb jokes that weren't funny but we would both laugh at." I wiped the tears off my face as I looked down in reminisce and smiled. "When Ford was born we were both so happy. Now that they're gone… it feels like a book is finished even though the story wasn't."

I sat there in silence for a moment, lost in my own thoughts before I felt someone's hand on my shoulder. It was Raymond.

"C'mon, Brother." He led me away from the podium. "you've been up there for 5 minutes."

I nodded as I sat down next to him then watched as Donna walked up to the podium.

"Chelsie was my best friend." She began with tears falling down her face. "I didn't know her for long but whenever I saw her, she always had a smile on her face. I remember when she first came into the store to look with Birger looking around like a lost puppy...-"

I felt myself start to zone out as I started to remember all the happy memories with her and Ford. I remembered our first date. I thought about the first time we had sex. All the naughty things she would say. All of the times we giggled and laughed like children. All the times we would sit in silence with her head on my thigh as we would watch her favorite star wars movie that I always complained about. God's we were so happy. Trying to raise a new born with someone by your side has always been the best feeling for me. It was something so hard to describe yet so simple.

I was broken out of my thoughts when I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Dad."

Looking around I noticed that everyone had already left and the sun had fallen. I grabbed Elise's hand and leaned my head on her shoulder as I was woken from my day dream.

"Hey, Cookie."

"C'mon. You can stay at my house for now. Don't worry about Jason. He already knows."

"No." I said as I let go and stood up. "I got business I need to attend to. I'll visit you and my grandson soon."

"Business? but your wi-" She stopped and looked at me with wide eyes before they darkened. "Sups?"

I nodded. "Demons. Gonna head to Cali for a bit and stop by 'his' place. See if he has any info."

"You need help, you let me know." She hugged me before turning around. "Don't... just be careful, yeah?"

I nodded silently as I watched her walk away and hop into her car before driving off.

Careful?

Fuck.

That.