The Start Of Something New (WSSME Sequel)

Chapter 10

Daniella's POV

"From the clinic?" Anna asks, breaking the trance I was in.

I quickly pick up. "Hello? Am I talking to Daniella Evans?" A voice I recognized to be of one of Edward's nurses.

"Yes," I answer simply, feeling my heart quicken in my chest.

"Mr. Zimmerman has instructed us to call you in the events of his death, I'm extremely sorry to break the news to you," she pauses, waiting for some kind of response but I stay silent, my eyes are on Anna's, in them a mix of curiosity and worry. "Mr. Zimmerman passed this evening, we did everything we could -"

"Thank you," I say quickly, not really wanting to hear that protocoled speech all over again.

"Daniella, what is it?" Anna asks, scooting over once I end the call. My mouth is dry and I don't really know what to say. "Has anything happened to Lucia... Edward?" I can see tears well up in her eyes before she could so much as finish her sentence.

"I'm so sorry, Anna," is all I can say as I pull her into an embrace.

"Why are you sorry?" she asks in a small voice, not wanting to believe in the conclusion she took out of my words. Her body trembles uncontrollably against mine.

"Edward - he passed away."

At that, her body goes completely still. "No," she says simply, shaking her head and pulling away from me. "No, Daniella," she looks me in the eyes for any sight of humor but she's only met with teary ones.

That was the last piece of confirmation needed, her tears now ran free down her face. All I could do was let her fall back to my arms, holding her tightly. At some point, Soph and Jenny noticed something was off, they now stood by her side with confused expressions, until it hit them - Jenny did first, it took a while for Soph.

I can't imagine how pitiful the sight of four women crying in the middle of a park must look from an outside view. I don't know for how long we just stood there in silence, but when we finally decided to leave the sky was pitch black.

"You should check on your mom," Anna says once we're in the car.

"We'll go get her, sleep over tonight," I hold her hand over her lap.

"No, it's ok," she says with a small smile, squeezing my hand lightly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I just need some time to myself."

I want to insist and tell her I don't want her to leave - but that would be too selfish of me.

"Are you really sure about this? Call me if you need me," I sigh as I park my car in front of her house.

"Don't worry," she says simply, planting a long peck on my lips. "Go to your mom, she needs you right now."

"You need me right now too," I say looking into her eyes, she's no longer crying, not because she's truly ok but because she simply has run out of tears. "Anna, I knew... That Edward was dying," I say out of impulse.

I don't know what I was expecting but a smile wasn't it. "So did I."

"How-"

"I'm not stupid, Daniella."

"No, you're not," I say immediately, not wanting to start a fight but Anna's face showed no sight of angriness.

"I just wish I had seen him before he passed. I thought... we still had time."

"He didn't want you to see him like that, he wanted you to only keep the good memories you have with him."

She holds my hand on her chest with one of her hands, wiping away newly shed tears, that somehow materialized in her dehydrated body, with the other. "In Jewish tradition, when someone passes away, we say 'zikhrono livrakha' or 'may their memory be a blessing' we say this to honor them and because we believe that by remembering the times they've lived, we're somehow keeping them alive," she holds my hand tighter. "Thank you, Daniella."