That's Life

Chapter 4

Three months later

The echoing sound of the world around him was drowning, he wondered if this was what it felt like for Jac in those final moments but that was something he would never know the truth. The gentle waves lapping back and forth, he liked to imagine make-believe, these scenarios in his head that he thought would work if she was still here today. Fletch had regrets though, they were mainly about Jac and other unimportant things that didn't matter, somehow even months on she was at the forefront of his mind. Time was a healer though and slowly the loss of Jac in his life was getting better, he was thankful for the simplicities and the maturities, the ability to still see Emma. It was written in Jac's will that she wanted everyone who she loved to still see her daughter every now and then as a constant reminder she created something innocent for this world and that there was, indeed, still a piece of her in their lives.

"The kids thought I was crazy that you would actually care about where I did this" he laughs looking down at the urn he hand sat on his lap "I gave Emma her pendant by the way, I know you wanted her to have it and don't worry Jonny's keeping it safe because I can hear your voice you know...I can hear you wittering on about how Emma would lose it if she was given it now but dont worry Jac, Jonny makes sure she only wears it on special occasions and when she's sad he lets her have it, even though...you probably know this don't you?"

He laughs slightly at how stupid he felt doing this, people probably thought he was insane knowing it really probably did seem like he was talking to himself from afar. Sighing in annoyance he realised how something didn't sit right with him, the constant questions of whether Jac would have wanted this the more he thought about it the more he realised that even scattering her ashes in what he thought was a cliched place felt immensely like something Jac wouldn't want.

"You know what, Naylor?" he laughs slightly and shakes his head "I know you're here, I get that but I dont think you would have wanted this, would ya? Let's be honest, a murky, dreary, stony beach would not be where you would want to be scattered so I think it's time to go back home, dont you?"

-CS-

The building was still the same, everything was the same, the air, the sound of the ambulances drifting in and out of the hospital. It made him shudder as all the memories filled his head. Fletch couldn't help but look over to the bench, the same bench he and Jac sat on when she told him she didn't want any more treatment, where he just held her and where they stared at the stars willing for a miraculous cure, well he was willing that at least. For a summer's day it was actually quite cold, either way, he followed the path to the peace garden, he smiles slightly at the far corner of the garden at the rose that had bloomed a deep orange colour.

"Hey, look at that" he laughs slightly at how perfect it was, maybe it was a bit of disbelief mixed in there as well "It definitely suits you, a perfect match ey?"

"Fletch?"

"Hi Sacha" he smiles and Sacha immediately brings him in for a hug, "It's good to see you"

"What are you doing back here?" he asks before Fletch makes it obvious he was carrying the urn "She's coming back home then?"

"I think it's time" Fletch confirms and Sacha nods slowly with a small smile "I see the rose finally bloomed"

"Frieda told me about it, when it's been dry everyone's stepped in and watered it because it would have been a shame if it didn't bloom"

"It's the simple things like that mean the most" Fletch smiles and Sacha nods at him with a small smile "How have things been?"

"Good, really good, it's been difficult but we're finally getting out the other side of what happened with..." he trails off and Fletch nods slowly "Are you ok?"

"It's been hard but the kids have been amazing and taking time out was exactly what I needed and I think I'm finally getting through the other side as well there's just one more thing to do" he looks down to the urn and Sacha nods knowing exactly what he was thinking

"Well, I'll leave you to it because I have surgery to get to," Sacha says quietly and Fletch smiles watching him leave before sighing and kneeling down at the rose, gently using his hands he shifted the soil around to create a little ditch big enough so he could cover it back over again

"Now" he pauses and undoes the lid of the urn, "I think you would be much happier here around the people you love, maybe you could do some haunting eh?"

He couldn't help but laugh at his own words, the way his hands were trembling as he held the urn in his hand not wanting to let her go. It was comforting for him to have her in his life even if she was an inanimate object. With one motion it was done, Jac's ashes were placed at the foot of the rose and Fletch smiled, in a weird way he helped it would grow bigger and brighter than it was before.

"Sleep tight, Jac"

His hands shifted the soil back on top of the ashes and he smiled slightly before closing his eyes and taking a breath hoping he had done the right thing. At least she was safe now, that was something he could be proud of, that was something he would cherish forever.

The End