Along Came Seth

Right by your side~~Epilogue

EPILOGUE

My breath came out shaky as the rain spattered down, hitting my umbrella with sad taps.

"...He was a husband, a father, a true business man, but most importantly....he was a friend. My friend" I stared at the man who spoke and held back the sob that threatened.

I had to be strong. For him.

"Whenever I had a problem, it was him I called. He was my younger-older brother" Mr. Justin Michaelson, Dennis' adoptive older brother, stood before everyone. He had short brown hair, hazel eyes, and pursed his lips whenever he was in concentration mode.

"I remember when I was eleven, him eight, and he asked me why He wasn't Indian, like I was" Justin smiled in remembrance, "I just grinned and told him I didn't drink enough milk. I don't even know why I said that, I guess I was scared of him knowing I wasn't his real older brother...even though it should have been obvious"

He wiped a tear and continued.

"But it never was, not to us anyway. We were so close; twins our mother would call us." He smiled sadly.

"He covered for me whenever I snuck out and I covered for him when he fought Brad Stevenson for Cherry Wrights heart and got pummeled. I had told him not to do it, that Brad had at least a hundred pounds on him but nope, my brother didn't listen. He was so stubborn. Things were just so easy with him" It was at the mention of this that Mona broke down into tears, "And now he's gone. I won't get to yell at him for leaving his hair gel on the counter, anymore. I won't get to call him every Thursday at eight so we could watch Arrow or Suits together despite my living three states away. My kids won't get to visit their favorite uncle Denny, anymore. I miss him. I miss my brother."

I felt Seth grip my hand and I stroked his gently. I was too afraid to look up at him because I didn't want to witness the sadness that had been etched on his face since the day we found out that Dennis' body had rejected the chemo. I didn't want to face the fact that my boyfriend had lost someone who helped raise him. I knew that if I realized these things, I wouldn't be able to be strong for him.

"Come on" I heard his deep voice and slowly looked up but he wasn't looking at me.

"What are you doing?" I asked as he untangled his fingers from mine and began briskly walking away from the funeral sight. I snuck a look at Mona, who watched wide eyed before quickly nodding at me to follow him.

I fast walked to him, despite the way my black dress inhibited me from opening my legs too much and finally caught up to him as he unlocked the door to his BMW.

"Where are you going?" I asked, my voice shrill.

"I can't stay here, Bleu" He shook his head at me and unlocked the doors, gesturing me to get in.

"You can't just leave your stepfather's funeral, Mackenzie" I quickly closed my mouth once I realized how much I sounded like his mother, "You can't do that"

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Bleu. Either you get in or take a bus. I don't give a rats~"

"You really need to calm down and stop taking your anger out on me" I snapped looking him dead in the eye through the window, "Cool it"

"Sorry" He rubbed a hand on his face and loosened the black tie I had painstakingly done for him this morning, "I can't do this"

"Are you...Are you crying?"

"No, the rain got in my eye and traces are...you know, freeing themselves" He kept his hands over his face but I knew what was happening just by looking at his ears.