IT TAKES A few days to get everything sorted. I’d never really been to a funeral before, except when I was little and too young to remember what it entailed, let alone planned one. In fairness, Mum had got most of it done— from the colour of the flowers to the invites. Even so, it felt as though I suddenly had so much to do and so little time.

By the time the day of the funeral came round, I knew that, though I’d felt overloaded with work, the business of the past few days had been a kind of salvation. And that now, with nothing else to do but think, it all felt a lot too much.

Mum hadn’t wanted the extravagance some people do on their send off. Instead, she’d wanted a small service with as little cost as possible. So, knowing that we hadn’t booked a special car to take us to the funeral, neither Miles or I knew who was knocking at the door half an hour before we were meant to leave.

“Stay here,” he said, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. I stayed sitting on the dining room table chair, eyes averted from the sofas. I could hardly look at them without breaking down, envisioning her sitting there as she had done for so many years.

I heard him open the door and speak to whoever was behind it. They were hurriedly ushered in, following the noises of flashing cameras all in quick succession.

It didn’t feel as if I had the energy to turn to whoever it was.

“Jolie,” a voice said. I stood and looked to Autumn, standing in the doorway as Miles stood behind her, both in black formal wear. “Jolie, I am so sorry. For everything.”

“I’ll make a cup of tea, yeah?” Miles said, sliding past her and me, giving me a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder as he did.

“I can’t tell you how sorry I am,” she said, eyes on me so intently. “Everything is such a mess and so much of it is my fault. I know I’ve gone about this all the wrong way. But in my mind, it was best to give you space and now… now I know that I should’ve been here, supporting you. I’m so sorry for not telling you about your dad and Archer. But mostly, I’m sorry for not being here when you needed me the most. I don’t know how I can ever get you to forgive me.”

I kept silent for a few moments, absorbing her words and playing them over in my mind. I stepped toward her. She seemed unsure, something I’d hardly witnessed from her— usually so assured of herself, much like her brother. When I held my arms out, she paused momentarily before jumping into them.

“You’re here now,” I said into her hair, surprised I could breathe from how tightly she clung to me. “That’s all that matters.” We stayed like that for many moments, but I realised as neither of us wanted to let go, it was something that was much long overdue and needed. God, it was needed. “It’s not your fault about Archer and my dad, either. I shouldn’t have blamed you for that.”

She pulled back to look at me. “I broke the trust of one of the only people that has ever truly cared for me. I can’t lose you, Jolie. I’m so, so sorry.” Rather than argue, I simply pulled her back in, soothing her gently.

We ended up going to the funeral together. Miles insisted on driving, so we took Autumn’s car which he was not complaining about. Once the camera flashes and hoards of cameramen died down, I could see that he was slightly enjoying being behind the wheel of such a nice car.

“How are you and Noah?” I asked, needing to be rid of the silence and have something other than Mum to talk about.

Her shoulders slackened and her eyes drew themselves, ever so slowly, to mine. “I-” she sought around for the right choice of words. Her eyes fell to her lap where she began toying with her dress. “I don’t know.”

We lapped into quietness for a few moments. “Surely you’ll work it out, if that’s what you want.”

“I do want that,” she said. “I just don’t think he does anymore.”

“He’s in love with you, Autumn. A blind man could see that.”

“We’re both stubborn and hot headed and impatient. I think we’d kill each other or at least try to.”

“If it’s meant to be, I’m sure everything will smoothen itself out.”

Her eyes returned to mine. “And if not?”

“If not, you’ll carry on living your life and your dreams as you’ve always intended. You’ll be happy with or without him because happiness, real happiness, depends on you, not who you’re with.”

As the car slowed to a stop, she pulled me in once more. “I don’t know how you’re so strong all the time. I should be the one comforting you and here I am, spilling my guts about a boy. God, it sounds so frivolous.”

“I quite like it,” I said after a seconds thought. “It reminds us that we’re young. A long life still awaits each of us.” It must have been the first dose of optimism I’d spouted in years.

The procession itself was not very long. People shared a few words about Mum’s childhood and everything she’d hoped for. There were moments I balled and others I even managed to laugh, like when her childhood best friend recounted the story of them freeing all the toads from the science lab in their chaotic attempt at a good deed. What was long, however, was getting everyone seated and getting everyone back out as well.

Houman’s bodyguard aided us in getting everyone moving, also keeping a watchful eye over the Prince even if I was sure Michelle could counter any force that targeted him. They stood to the side, her head on his shoulder and talking quietly to each other.

When they saw me alone, he and Michelle made their way over.

“How are you holding up?” He asked.

“I’m getting there, I think,” I told him, truthfully. “I needed this—” I motioned around us. “A bit of closure.”

Michelle took both my hands in her’s. “People say it gets easier and I know this seems difficult to imagine but it does. It takes time but it does. Time is not the villain everyone makes it seem. It heals and cares for us.”

“Thank you,” I said, for nothing else better to say. Her words resonated with me. The conviction with which she said them evokes something in me I’d only briefly felt before. Optimism. “And thank you for coming.”

Houman looked as if he was going to touch my arm but stopped himself. “We’ll always support you.”

They both turned and carried on out the door after me promising I’d be alright alone.

A small, greying lady waddled her way up to me.

“Aunt May,” I said in greeting. In truth, we weren’t really related but auntie had always seemed so much easier for whatever reason.

“You have grown up to be such a beautiful woman.” She said, watching me with her dark eyes. “Your Mother, she raised you well as I knew she would.”

“I’m sure she’d really appreciate that.”

“She never told me about your situation, you know. I told her that if she ever needed anything, I’d give it to her but she was always stubborn.” I nodded because it was, in part, true. Mum is— was stubborn, especially when it came to money.

“You know Mum,” I said with a shrug.

She nodded, fondly. “Yes, I do. You know, my house is awfully big just for one person and it does get half lonely, so you can always come stay with me.”

“Thank you for the offer,” I told her. “But I think I’m just going to stay at home.”

“It wasn’t really a question, darling.” She took her bag off her shoulder and scribbled down a number on a piece of paper, before handing it to me. “It’ll be a nice change. There’s plenty of land, a lake and everything you could possibly need. If you don’t come for your own well being, come for mine. I wasn’t lying about it getting lonely for me.”

“Okay,” I said, a warmth spreading through me. “It was nice to see you.”

“Yes, and don’t leave it eight years until we next see each other again, will you?”

I knew it wasn’t really a question, but I said, “No, of course not,” anyway.

“And by the way, there’s two gorgeous specimens waiting outside. I take it they’re your’s?”

I had an idea who it might be. “I fear you’d be a bit much for them.”

She nodded, sombrely. “You’re probably right. Call me whenever you need anything, darling. And I’ll set the guest bedrooms up for you so you can take your pick. Bye, darling and hang in there.” She kissed my cheek before going out.

Once she’d left, I returned to Miles and Autumn. I told them I just needed some fresh air and that I’d be a few minutes.

“Would you like us to come with you?”

I touched Autumn’s shoulder, gently. “I’ll be alright.”

I set out for the doors, mind whirring to whom I may find or more importantly, what I’d do or say.

When I did manage to break the threshold between the church and the outdoors, I enabled deeply, not quite realising how stuffy it really was in there.

My eyes scanned the small drive in area, finally settling on two tall figures, each decked in their finest black garments. I settled my nerves before walking over to where they stood, under a lamp post.

As I did, the sky seemed to think it was the ideal time to open the heavens, a light rain drizzling down on us. It wasn’t really enough to run inside, just every now and then able to feel specks of rain.

“Jolie.” Even Just his voice reminded me of how much I missed him.

“Archer.” I turned to Noah. “She’s inside.”

He turned and strode off back inside, a true man on a mission.

“The other day,” he started. “I shouldn’t have done that to you. It wasn’t the right time to tell you about how I felt. I realise that now.”

“You don’t still love me?”

He ran his hand through his hair, now dampening ever so slightly. “Of course I do. More than anything. And I’m sure I will for a long, long time. I just know that your focus was on your Mum, as it should have been, and me coming in like that was the last thing you needed.”

My eyes flittered to the area around us. Most cars had left the little parking area and the street close to us was pretty much deserted, save for one car that didn’t spend long on that road, anyway. Everything was so… quiet.

“Where are the photographers?”

“I sent them away,” he said, almost seeming unsure of himself. The Archer Redwood was unsure of himself. I might have wanted to take a picture if I wasn’t so shocked. He stepped closer. “I wanted to apologise, most of all, for putting you in this position. For taking away your privacy. For making people think they had the right to invade your space like that.”

I kept silent.

“I can offer you the best lawyers to make sure they can’t do anything like that again,” he said. “For writing about you and her like that.”

“Thank you,” I said, quietly, still a little dumbfounded by the simple and yet so appreciated act.

“I knew I had to be here. To pay my respects and support you, but I didn’t want to interfere with anything like I am now.”

“You’re not interfering with anything, Archer.”

The rain pattering on our heads was beginning to become less of a ‘pattering’ and more of a thumping. We were both quickly becoming saturated, our clothes clinging to our bodies like they would fall off if they didn’t.

“I will wait however long you need. Weeks, months, years, a life time. None of it would matter anyway without you. Waiting is the smallest task imagineable for the person I love.”

“Archer—”

“You need time, I appreciate that. I’ll give as much of it as you want, as you need. Because you are worth it ten times over.”

Everything in me seemed to surge. Here stood the man I loved and rather than just be with him, as I’d wanted for so long, I was clinging on to mistakes he’d apologised for. If Mum has taught me anything, it was that life was fucking short. And if she could see me now, letting both of us suffer, she’d probably give me a hiding.

So, without much thought, I clasped my hands around his neck and brought him down to my level. As our lips touched, he stilled for several beats, but then the thudding of my heart was making it a little difficult to keep track of time. He kissed me back with fervour after however long and I swear every cell in my body was close to exploding. His hands in my hair, mine trying to pull him closer than our bodies would allow, I felt like despite everything, there was a life after this one. And I wanted, more than anything, for him to be apart of it.

We broke away for air. “I don’t need time, Archer. I need you.”

“Are you sure?” He asked, still holding onto me but eyes shining with insecurity.

I placed my hand on his face, soothing his worry lines. “Surer than anything I’ve been sure about in a long time.” I pulled him down to me again, touching my lips with his. “Come on, let’s get back inside before you catch a cold.”

He stood straighter. “I don’t get colds.”

I rolled my eyes. “Okay,” I said, less than convinced. “But you are looking drowned right now so I think you’d appreciate drying off a bit.” The truth was he looked far from drowned, more like a supermodel that had been dunked in a pond for an unusual segment of their campaign.

“You’re getting wet,” he noted as we began walking back. “Take my coat.”

He began to shrug it off but I stopped him. Motioning down at myself, I said, “I think it’s a little late for that.”

He peeled it off his arms anyway and placed it on my shoulders. I couldn’t help but laugh as I felt the sopping wet material stick to my exposed skin. As if someone up there loved me, he began laughing too, equally as amused. I stood, practically hypnotised by him as he did.

“Come on,” he said, putting his arm around my shoulder and pulling me close enough into his side that I felt the heat radiating from his body. “Before you get a cold.”

By god, would it be worth it.

THE END