BackWash (Editing & Completed)

Chapter 26: Until the Grave

Chapter 26: Until the Grave

I stare at the tombstone as the silence engulfs me.

'Riding the wave until the grave.'

They couldn't have put anything better on his tombstone than that. It fits, perfectly.

Even though he tried to prepare me, his death still came as a shock. That's the thing about life, you can't prepare yourself to say goodbye to someone you love because you'll be caught off guard every time.

"You going to be okay girly?" Stels asks gently as she places a hand on my shoulder in an act of comfort

The funeral is over and now it's time I leave.

I nod at Stella and then glance at Ty, the one who had always been closest to Caleb, only to find him with tears in his eyes. I wrap my arms around him, bringing him in for a tight embrace, "I'm sorry," I whisper as I pat his back in reassurance. "I'm so sorry," I repeat before giving him words of encouragement, words Caleb would have wanted him to hear.

It's only a few minutes later when Ty pulls back with red eyes. "I'm okay," he says softly.

I nod, not wanting to overwhelm him more.

"You packed and ready to go?" Duke asks me just as Jacob brushes away a stray tear.

"Yeah," I tell Duke, "just have to tie up a few loose ends before going."

I've taken up Caleb's last advice to me. I'm moving. I'm chasing down my dream. I'm going away to study and when I'm done, I'll be a marine biologist. It's about time I start appreciating life more, about time I start living again.

"Who's going to run my shack now?" Zeke tries to lighten the atmosphere but fails and realizes it. "We'll miss you," Zeke whispers in sincerity.

"I'll miss you guys too, every day," I admit in honesty before checking up on Jacob. I glance up at my second brother, "Jakie, you gonna be fine, okay? You're going to be just fine." I assure him, bringing him in for a side hug.

"It feels like Matt all over again," he says softly so that only I hear. He knows that I'll understand, that I'll be able to relate.

"But it's not, Jacob. It's not." I tell him. "Caleb was ready to go. He was prepared and he accepted that his time was coming to an abrupt end. He's in a better place now, a place where there's no longer suffering."

Jacobs reluctantly nods. "I know. Still miss him though."

We were all there right beside his hospital bed when he left this world. We all got a chance to say goodbye to him properly, Chase just getting there in time to have his final words with Caleb. I was worried Chase wouldn't make it, but in the end, he did.

I glance around, missing the same presence. "Have any of you, by chance, seen Chase?"

"No, but if I see him I'll be sure to remind him when your flight is," Duke answers on everyone's behalf, no one having a clue on Chase's latest whereabouts.

In spite of everything I've been through with Chase, I'd still want to say goodbye. I'm now convinced that Chase will never change. He once said that some things just can't be fixed. At the time, I didn't believe him. He's since then proved me wrong.

I shrug in hopelessness, waving the matter off, "It's fine," I lie. I start hugging them all goodbye, "In any way, I better be off. There's one more thing I have to do."

"I'll miss you so much!" Stels insists, the others joining in with each of their own memorable comments as they all wish me good luck in taking a stand on my new future.