Broken - #Wattys2016 Completed

Chapter 44

Two weeks later..

Demi held Trevor close, in her hand was a single red rose. She pushed her finger onto one of the large thorns letting it pierce her finger and sniffed, trying to hold back tears.

A small crowd of people huddled around and stared down at a brown wooden coffin that someone else picked out. Demi couldn't bear the thought of picking out a coffin for Ben, like she might pick out a coffee table.

Demi looked at the mound of fake lawn beside the ominous long box, which held the man she once believed was her whole world. At that moment she decided she would have picked black, a black coffin seemed more fitting.

She loved Ben so much at one time, she was sure they would spend the rest of their lives together. What went so terribly wrong, what had they done to end up here, so far away from their original goal?

She looked around at the people gathered, some of Ben's employees from the car yard, dressed in their work clothes, stood silently heads bowed. At the back of them, standing on her own was Sarah, her eyes red and puffy from crying.

In an alternate universe she may have chased her away, yelled at her and blamed all of this on her. But they were all guilty in some way, they all played a part in what happened. Demi couldn't point the finger at Sarah without pointing three at herself, so she let her be.

A man stood at a small wooden podium beside the coffin and spoke about Ben, reminding them of the good qualities and kindness he had shown. He told the crowd he was a family man who loved his wife and doted on his only son, tragically taken from the ones he loved far too soon...

Demi blocked out his words, the things he had to say were just as painful as the truth.

Continuing her search of faces she rested on Danny and Amanda beside her. She hadn't spoken to Danny since she left him at the court house, the longest she had ever gone without speaking to him. He wore a black suit and stood with his head bowed and hands resting protectively across Amanda's chest.

Amanda looked up at her and smiled, without realizing it at first, Demi smiled weakly back at her, before diverting her gaze back to the brown coffin.

As the man at the podium finished his speech music played and Ben's coffin lowered into the ground. Demi sobbed at the sight and stiffened as a pair of muscular arms took hold of her. She looked up to see Danny.

Relieved she buried her face into his suit and sobbed even harder as Trevor wriggled in protest. She was angry at her brother but at that moment having him comfort her meant so much, she missed him.

Danny, Amanda Trevor and Demi stepped forward and dropped the red rose, where it rested on top of Ben's coffin. Then they walked away following the stream of people leaving the grounds.

"Demi I was such a selfish jerk, I should have told you the truth, I miss not having you around, please forgive me."

"I'm not mad at you anymore Danny... I missed having you around too, I'm glad you come today, I don't know what I would have done without you here."

Danny hugged his sister and whispered, "I love you like a twin Dem."

"I love you like a twin too, just don't ever lie to me again!"

"Done," smiled Danny still hugging his sister.

 

As they walked across the grassy field that would take them to the car park they were approached by a woman.

"Demi, Danny, I am Marilyn, Victoria's mother, I am so sorry for your loss."

Demi looked at the woman, she was nothing like the tramp they saw at the hospital. She had dark hair and was dressed conservatively in a black below the knee dress, a dark floral blouse and flat black slip on shoes.

"What do you want?"

"I came to offer my condolences and Victoria's."

"Thanks," said Demi turning away to leave, she couldn't help but feel annoyed.

"Please, I wasn't finished...."said Marilyn holding onto Demi's sleeve.

"Yes you are, haven't you done enough damage. The night before my husband shot himself in the head he was out on the town with you draped all over him. This may not be your fault, but you helped things along!"

Demi pried herself loose from Marilyn's grasp and walked away.

"She is right, I have done a lot of things I regret in my life. That's why I'm here, I don't want my daughter to have regrets," handing Danny a small envelope she said, "we are having a welcome home for Emily and birthday party for Victoria, I wanted to invite you."

"Does she know you are here?"

Marilyn closed her eyes and shook her head.

"She doesn't want to see me, she made that clear weeks ago at the hospital."

"Who knows what she is thinking, but if you love her isn't she worth trying for."

Danny took the envelope from Marilyn's hand and quietly nodded in thanks before walking off to catch up with Demi and Amanda.