Dare to Fall

Chapter VIII

Edited

My mom bought a fresh bouquet of red roses on our way to my dad's grave. Seeing her smile appear on her face makes me smile, even though we both knew that we would all be happier if my father was still alive. I kept on wondering how much she longed for him? how long did she suffer before she could even let dad go? and how did she manage it, while I, on the other hand, still can't?

Arthur Oscar Jones. She caressed the name on my dad's tombstone as she placed both of the white candles at the side and started lighting them up. She stood up and stare at dad, lying on the soil that welcomed his presence and as time passes by, his soul was descended and all was left was his bones.

I have gone through depression when my dad died, even my mom but, I think it was worse for mom. I remember how she told me that she waited for 3 years just to be with my dad and I was happy that she waited because I wouldn't be standing here right now, staring at his grave as well.

My mom puts her arm around my shoulder, I looked at her as I sensed that she was trying to hold back her tears because she doesn't want to show my dad that she was weak—weak enough to handle me all by herself.

But if only my mom knew that she was strong, brave and bold. She was actually beyond strong because she was able to raise me well, she was able to provide all of my needs and most of all, even though she lacks some bonding time with me, she still managed to make me breakfast before leaving for her early shift.

She was brave because even though there were lots of obstacles that she encountered, she stood strong—with fierce. She was bold because she was unique, in every different way as possible. But all of those things that I look up to her; is what she doesn't see in herself.

She let depression consume her until there was nothing left but emptiness inside her heart. She tried filling that void, by dating. She thought that it would make her happy, make her feel alive again, but nothing beats the true love that her heart beats for my father and I do too.

After our visit to my father's grave yesterday, after school. We went to our favorite diner across town, which was located in Pittsburgh. My mom and dad would always take me there because that diner reminded both of them how they met, cliche as it sounds like in the movies, but it's true.

My mom would always ask my dad out on a date and my dad would always approve, not because my mom looked desperate to be in a relationship but my dad saw my mom differently from the rest of the girls at their school.

The memories of my dad that I keep on holding onto, these are the ones that I'll never forget.

"Okay, for a minute or two, I was scared that Cayden would tell his dad about what I did to him. But you know, I am not scared!" I said.

Amelia rolls her eyes and sighed, "But you still owe him an apology. It was your wrongdoings and your clumsiness," she said.

"I blame my clumsiness, not me," I told her.

"You still need to talk to him," Noah jumps in.

"And Cayden's nice, you'll be fine," Logan added.

"I'm sorry, why are you two still here again?" I asked Noah and Logan. They both looked at each other then looked at me as I cross both of my arms to my chest, drawing my eyebrows together in confusion.

"To make sure that you're going to apologize to Cayden. Plus, you really need to apologize to him if you guys don't want to be in bad terms until the end of this school year. Would you like to graduate while seeing Cayden still sending you angry looks?"