The Widows Daughter

Part one-hundred and ten

A few months later.
(Chloe's POV)

Time. Noun. The indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole. "Travel through space and time".

There is never a promised amount of time in a person's life. Everyone is given a certain amount of time to live their lives, and once that amount of time is up, that's it. You are born, you live, and you die.

This is a known fact to everyone. Every single person knows, on some level, that their time on earth is limited. Everyone knows that.

However, some like to believe they are above the laws of time. Superheroes, for instance, believe that they are invincible. Even the heroes that aren't gods, or super soldiers. But, superheroes also tend to believe that anyone they love or trust, or anyone close to them, are also above the rules of time.

They aren't, spoiler alert.

No one is impervious to time. No one stays the same forever. Everyone ages, everyone lives, and everyone dies. Sometimes though, a person's death comes way too early.

I know this now. I know that just because of who I am, doesn't mean I can save everyone. I can't keep everyone safe. Now, I know, that no one is safe from time or the things it brings. I know now that no one is safe from death. Whether untimely or timely.

Alexis was supposed to be different. She wasn't supposed to be gone. She's supposed to be at him in New York, with her girlfriend and their cat. She was supposed to be sitting in a session with me.

She wasn't supposed to be in a hit-and-run. She shouldn't have been on that street corner. She should have been at home, or at her office, not talking to me on the phone.

Alexis was talking to me when she got hit.

It was my fault. I called her. I knew I shouldn't have, but I did. I needed to talk to her, to someone. I needed to vent. I needed to talk about my problems. There were things I couldn't tell Mom I needed to tell someone.

She left her office so she could talk to me. She said she was going on a break. She was talking to me while she was getting coffee. While she rode the subway. She talked to me as she crossed over to Central Park and walked around it. She was talking to me when the car hit her.

I shouldn't have called her. If I didn't she wouldn't have left her office. She wouldn't have walked across the street. She wouldn't have gotten hit.

She wouldn't be dead.

Mom says it's not my fault so I shouldn't blame myself. But I do. I know it was the driver that ran her over, but I was the reason she was even at the street corner in the first place. Without my call, she wouldn't have gotten hit, she would be alive.

Maybe she would be watching Grey's Anatomy with her girlfriend. Maybe she would be buying another cat. Maybe she would be talking to some other kid who needs help. Not being prepared to be buried.

It's my fault.

"Chloe?" Sam knocked on the door to my room.

"Hmm?" I looked up from my book to see him standing in the doorway.

"Wanda's back." Sam offered me a smile and I returned it. I followed him down to the bottom of the stairs where Wanda was hanging up her coat.

"Hi," I waved half-heartedly.

"What's up with you?" She asked concerned. "You're usually more excited."

"My therapist died," I said blatantly.

"Oh." Wanda looked at Mom for help but she shook her head. "What happened?"

"Hit and run. I was on the phone with her. It was my fault."

"It wasn't your fault." Mom said.

"It was my fault," I said before walking to the kitchen.

Steve was standing in front of the fridge looking for something. "We're out of Orange Juice."

"Again?" He asked with a laugh.

"My therapist died, I'm depressed, and I need sustenance."

"Fair enough." Steve smiled softly. "You can go, you know. To the funeral. If you wanted to, that is."

"I could?" I asked shocked.

"If you wanted. I'm sure your Mom and I could work it out. Figure out how to do it. If you wanted." I threw my arms around Steve's waist forcefully making him stumble backward.

"You mean it?" My voice muffled from his chest.

"Of course, kid."

———————

The funeral was sweet. Something that I assumed Alexis would have liked. A woman with grey hair and a man in a wheelchair was sitting in the front. The woman was sobbing, although she was trying to be quiet. The man rubbed her back soothingly. I assumed they were Alexis's parents.

A girl with red hair was sitting next to the old woman crying silently. She was holding a necklace between her fingers. I recognized it as the one Alexis used to wear during our sessions.

I stood in the back of the crowd of mourners as the funeral went on. By the end, people were given ng their condolences to Alexis's family and girlfriend. I stood under the shade of a tree not moving.

I had my hair down and was wearing a black dress that went to my knees. I figured with my boots and sunglasses as I waited for people to leave her grave. Soon it was just her girlfriend and I decided that was safe enough.

"Did you love her?" I asked as I approached.

She looked shocked but it left her face soon. "Yes. Very much."

I smiled sadly. "How long were the two of you together?"

"Almost two and a half years. Next month would have been the two-and-a-half mark." I saw her wipe a tear and sniff.

"I'm sorry," I said knowing k couldn't say anything to make it better.

"Thank you. How did you know her?"

"She was my therapist. We had been talking, right before she died." I chose my words carefully.

"I'm Hanna." She extended her hand and I shook it.

"Mia." I lied.

"I'm sorry you had to lose her." Hanna sniffed again.

"I'm sorry you had to lose her. You loved her." I apologized. Hanna nodded solemnly.

"Thank you for coming, I'm sure she would have loved having you here. She loved working with all her patients. Especially the kids." I smiled as I tried to hold back tears.

Hanna gave me a big which I returned and she wiped her face again. "I should go. It was nice to meet you, Chloe."

"It was nice to meet you-" I paused and stared at Hanna. She gave me a small smile.

"I recognized you the moment you got here. Lexis would have been so happy to have you here. By the way, I've always voted for you." Hanna smiled before leaving me with Alexis's gravestone.

"I like her." I smiled with a wet laugh. "She's smart and pretty. I'm sorry I couldn't see you in person one more time, but if you don't mind, I'm still going to tell you all my problems, even if you don't answer."

I brushed my hair behind my ears and blew out a breath. "I'm gonna make sure I get back home. And when I do, you're going to be the first person I come and see." I pressed my fingers to my lips before pressing them to the stone of Alexis's headstone.

I updated? It's a miracle. This one is pretty much crap but whatever. I'm trying to come up with ideas to fill the two-year time span so if anyone has any ideas, please let me know bc I've got like zero ideas.😅

Anyways, I hope you guys liked it, I'm gonna go watch the sound of music now.