RESEARCH ( barry berkman.. ) ✔

o37. true tears..

Have you ever wondered why more people cry truer tears at weddings rather than funerals? Everyone expects the sorrow of a loss to generally pass on wails and sobs across the masses of "dear" ones of the departed descending in their casket for a forever sleep. Somehow, it has become clearer through the years that the majority would rather be jealous or bitter of someone who escaped the game. If an event was to be considered an onion, at which only the center was sadness and all other foils were different emotions which we learn to cover up with in life, then it is only normal few get naked for funerals and more accept shedding a couple layers for the rare sight of happiness in weddings.

Adelaide's event onion was untouched and tucked in the shade of the black sunglasses resting on the bridge of her nose. Those glasses and her long coat were the only items she was wearing following the somehow mandatory dress code of all-black for which everyone invited at Fred Grayson's funeral believed his daughter to have lost herself. From all colors, beneath the broader shoulders of the coat, Adelaide was wearing red.

The slim-fit dress was the compliment to her absently firm standing posture oozing the hint that she had other things to do then listen to the priest or mourn her old man which an entire neighborhood turned a blind eye to the indiscretions of. There were whispers behind her back which she could hear clearly, as the grey background of the reason why Addie decided on putting on glasses.

Obviously, she was not crying, but her eyes have been unfocused of view ever since the service started. She held her ground, she remained front row and kept that single flower in her hand firmly, but ultimately, her mind was somewhere else. Addie was inevitably thinking back at the people she killed. Even with the good reasons behind each of the twenty-two times she could be charged for murder, shouldn't she have been at least the slightest concerned that her guilt was almost non-existent?

"Miss Grayson?" the priest insisted, for a second time calling her name. Watching in expectance and pity alike how Adelaide finally seemed to be paying attention, he continued, "Would you like to say anything?" The service was ready to be over and there was nothing sad about it to her. In fact, Adelaide has been made a great gift by that asshole terrorist, so she might as well enjoy it.

"No." Adelaide stepped forward only to throw the flower over the casket in the ground. She did not look down the hole, she did not look at anyone else, even if these were all people she should have known from another life when she let them made her get trapped in the constant loop of a fucked up childhood. No more of that will stand, regardless of their critique; Adelaide walked away from the funeral.

Just a bit further away, Barry was waiting for Addie with the car's engine still running. She reckoned the whole ordeal will not take much, nor will it require emotional support - after all, it was a funeral for which even the sky decided to be clear. Factually, she was right because she returned behind the wheel as soon as Barry finished his second run through the script from Halloween. 

Cousineau's had no chance at relocating without the general help of its trusty students, scammed into unity and still supporting old Gene and his classes held in his spacious home, with half attachment. A few strings have been pulled and a redo of the Halloween was required, in a much bigger revenue, to raise the extra funds of renting a new place and re-entering their old normal slowly.

These baby steps got the entire crew back on their scripts and even with everything going on in their life, Adelaide insisted Barry also resumed his main role with all his concentration. Which was exactly why, the second she got behind the wheel, she took her sunglasses off, tossing them on the backseat and began to drive off. "We are in schedule," Addie announced relieved, stealing a glimpse at the electronic clock on the board. "You'll get to the stage and have one hour to put on the full costume. Do you need help with it or am I not allowed backstage?"