His Dark Obsession

Chapter 46: Bidding Adieu

Jake was peacefully still - his hands were folded over his abdomen, his head, turned ever so lightly to the right, and the expression on his face -- that of eternal peace. Tara felt like calling out to him; it felt like he'd answer. When she looked over to Ian, it seemed, he was thinking the same thing. A tear drop landed on Jake's cheek and Ian wiped it off with his thumb, and then wiped his eyes. Tara ached watching Ian say his farewells; she saw him bend low and whisper close to Jake's ear, "Forgive me...my brother, my friend." Tara couldn't help it - she became teary-eyed as well.
Estelle came to stand next to Ian and rubbed his shoulder, "Doesn't it look like he'll just open his eyes?"
Ian lifted himself to his full length and gave her a silent nod as he hesitantly moved forward to give Estelle a hug. To Tara and Ian's amazement, the woman embraced him of her own volition. She weeped in Ian's arms, shrouding herself from the countless eyes that were on her. When she lifted her head and padded her eyes dry with a handkerchief, she pleaded to Ian, "You have to say something about him, Ian. He was so very fond of you!"
Ian acquiesced with a slight tilt of the head and held on to her as they both got off the chancel; Tara followed closely behind. They took their places in the front pew, Tara sat next to Ian and Estelle, in the middle of Brooke and Calvin.
The mass that had been arranged at St. Patrick's Cathedral was being attended by the who's who of New York City. Since the Cadas were among one of New York's most prominent families, no expense was spared in the service.
A priest took the pulpit shortly after Tara, Ian and Estelle got off and began his sermon by reading some verses from the Old Testament. He then talked about Jake's life. Tara's heart sank when he described Jake as 'a loving son, an affectionate brother, a loyal friend and a doting boyfriend.' He really was all that, and more. Tara felt like such a hypocrite sitting in the front row at the boyfriend's funeral whom she had cheated on. She felt like everybody in attendance had more right to be here than her. She didn't know what all of them would think if they knew she had already moved on and was in a relationship with Ian and also living with him, albeit temporarily.
Jake had been a loving and caring man. He didn't deserve to die the way that he did - a man brought to a cruel end, in the prime of his life. Even Tara's blood boiled thinking of the person who had done this. How could someone be so heartless? So vicious? So violent?
She looked over to Ian and found him desolate. What he and Jake had, was a bond forged over years. They had been best of friends which became clearer to Tara while attending the funeral - people came up to Ian to tell him how sorry they were that Jake was no more. Tara now understood that their friendship would have survived her's and Ian's betrayal because, it seemed, however much he liked Tara, Jake valued Ian more.
What she and Jake had couldn't have culminated into anything long lasting because the feelings on both sides weren't as deep as they should have been.
Tara wished that she hadn't come to attend the funeral, but at that exact moment, Ian covered her hand with his. It was as though he had read her thoughts, registered her discomfort. Maybe being here, thought Tara, wasn't about showing support as Jake's girlfriend. It was about being supportive of Ian as he dealt with the loss of his best friend.
It was Estelle who went up to speak about Jake first, followed by Brooke and then Calvin.
"Ian, did you prepare a speech?" Tara asked a somber looking Ian to alert him for it was about to be his turn.
"I'll just say a few words." Replied Ian as the priest called Ian to come up and talk about his friend.
Ian stood behind a lectern and addressed the guests with confidence and aplomb. "Jake and I,...were friends for years. I thought of him more as a brother than a friend, really, because he had been there for me, always, even through the darkest periods of my life. And when I say darkest, it is an understatement. He never let me become the worst version of myself. He always found goodness in others. He was that kind of a human - kind and compassionate."
"Jake taught me to value what I had, as he valued everyone around him...especially his family. I cannot tell you guys," he looked at Estelle, Brooke and Calvin, "how often he worried about all of you. How often he was thinking of all of you. How much he cared. He and I were together everyday, most of the day (for those of you who don't know, we worked together!) and he always had my back, he looked out for me. I couldn't have asked for a better friend in life and I can't believe he has gone this soon....Too soon...he was the kindest soul....He was a loyal friend."
And then Ian got off the chancel and Tara felt like getting up and giving him a hug but she settle for putting her hand over his arm when he sat next to her.
When the service ended, the pall bearers (which included Ian and Calvin standing on either side of the casket) transferred Jake's body to a hearse. A cluster of cars left St. Patrick's Cathedral for New York Cemetery for the burial. The Cadas had decades old land in the cemetery with above ground burial vaults and it was in one of these vaults that Jake was laid to rest; right next to one that carried his father. As Ian, Tara and others said their final goodbyes to Jake, Tara noticed Estelle lose battle with composure and openly wail in Calvin's arms.
After the funeral, the family and close friends gathered at Estelle's apartment in Manhattan, where everybody was served finger food delicacies, in keeping with the moroseness of the affair.
Tara, who stood supportively next to Ian while people gathered around him to share condolences, saw Brooke make her way to him. She came and gave Ian a fierce hug that felt completely inappropriate to Tara. Ian embraced her in return.
"Ian, what you said was beautiful, thank you." Brooke lingered for what seemed like an unsuitably long time in Ian's arms and Tara couldn't help but feel a little bit jealous. The way she moved her hands over Ian's chest and talked close to his ear, made Tara inwardly recoil. This woman clearly didn't know how to take no for an answer. Apparently, things were still not all good with the husband back in Texas, for why else would he not have come to Jake's funeral with her and why else was she throwing herself at Ian?! Tara checked the direction of her thoughts and blushed. Brooke finally broke the embrace and looked towards Tara, "Tara, how have you been? I remember on the day I left, Jake was calling you and couldn't get in touch with you!"
"Yes, my phone's battery died. He did reach me...later." Tara thought back to the day when she had admitted her feelings to Ian and had turned her phone off.
"I remember how worried my brother was about you, in the days before his...." Tara noticed the sting in Brooke's words and the derision in her tone.
Ian instantly spoke up trying to divert the focus of the discussion, "Brooke, don't think about that time again. You said a proper goodbye to your brother before you left and today as well. This is all you need to remember."
"Yes, thank you, Ian, you have been such a support during this trying time." She quickly hugged him like a wounded street cat in need of shelter.
Tara could see through her facade, she hoped that Ian could too. She suddenly wished that the entire world knew that she and Ian were together and that he was her man and no woman, especially Brooke, had the right to cling on to him like that. Tara was surprised by her vehement reaction to Brooke, she had never felt so possessive about a man before, but as she looked at Ian trying his best to comfort Brooke, all she could see was the handsome, complicated individual who had admitted that he had longed for her - she yearned for him too, and with every passing day, this feeling kept growing stronger. It was in that moment that Ian lifted his eyes from Brooke and looked at Tara and the affection Tara saw in them for her, warmed her heart.
"So you decided to show up!" Calvin came to stand next to Ian as people around Ian looked him over curiously.
Ian chose not to engage and just replied, "Calvin!"
Brooke looked at Calvin with an expression that said 'don't you dare.' But Calvin seemed in a confrontational mode, his manner, echoing the actions in their last meeting. "Ian, you may have everyone fooled here but I know what you are!"
Tara saw Ian's jaw muscle clench as Calvin drew near. "Calvin, this isn't the right time to do this."
"Oh yeah? Then why don't you just leave? Why the hell are you here? Making speeches at my brother's funeral?"
Brooke left Ian's side and went to Calvin, "Calvin this isn't highschool! This is your damn brother's funeral! Show some respect and shut up!"
People around Ian started to whisper amongst themselves and Tara feared the situation was about to become out of control.
"Brooke, don't make a scene. It will distress your mother." Said Ian and then he turned around to face Tara. "Shall we leave?"
Saying this Ian extended his hand to Tara. Tara got pleasantly surprised by the gesture especially since she thought they weren't telling anyone that they were dating.
Brooke suddenly looked flustered, "Ian, am I missing something?"
Ian looked over at Brooke and declared in voice that was audible to the group around them, "Tara and I are together."
Brooke was left stunned by Ian's statement. The expression on her face said that if she had a chance she would have ripped Tara's heart out.
"Shall we?" Ian asked of Tara and she gave him her hand. Both of them left Estelle's apartment together.

"Ian, you didn't have to do that in there. What would everybody be thinking?" Tara commented as Ian drove his car swiftly through the heavy New York traffic.
"Tara, I don't care what anybody thinks. My main concern is you and what you think about me! I know you sure as hell don't want a secret relationship with me and I respect you too much to not disclose what we have to people I know."
Tara was left utterly speechless by Ian's admission. He had stood in a room full of the most influential people in New York and admitted that his deceased friend's girlfriend was now his girlfriend. This could give people in his cricle a reason to ostracize them...but he didn't care. The way he respected and cared for her was something completely new for her; she had never experienced this form of devotion in the past. None of the previous men in her life, not even Jake (especially not Jake), gave her the respect that made her feel like she was special and precious to them.
Before Tara realized that she had feelings for Ian, Jake had been making her feel unimportant and dispensible; it was as if there were always more pressing issues, and she would come in last. He was a kind and caring man but he didn't save the best of him for her. With Ian, she felt like she was put first. She didn't feel valued with Jake. It was Ian who made her feel like her opinion, her presence, mattered.
As they both sat in Ian's car and headed to his apartment, Ian's cellphone rang and he answered, "Hello?...Yes, ok. Can you text me the details against each number?" Ian then excitedly questioned the person on the line, "are you sure, these are residential numbers? Ok. Keep me posted. No don't do that, I will check it out myself. Bye!"
The clipped conversation piqued Tara's curiosity, "Who was that Ian?"
"It was the PI."
"What did he say?"
"He looked up the numbers for me. One was for drycleaners, another for a sushi place but the other two might be significant leads."
"Do we know who the numbers belong to?"
"One is of a residence in Brooklyn. The other one, of a home in Montauk."
"What are you planning to do?"
"Tara we leave for your parent's house tomorrow. How about we go see the house in Montauk while we are there?"
Tara felt a chill run through her, "Yes! Ian, what if it's the killer...."
Ian looked straight at her and spoke in a low, solemn tone, "We'll have to be careful, but if it is him who called...then we've got him!"