BOLD

D-Dead

When Quinn was thirteen her best friend died of old age. Her grandfather was her everything. To him, Quinn was his everything, but she didn't know that.

Quinn held her grandmothers hand for dear life during the funeral.

"Oh, Reggie," another old man said. Her grandmother let go of her hand and hugged the man.

"Well, hello Ms. Quinnie. I don't think you remember me that well. We don't see each other a lot, do we? I was a really good friend of your grandfathers," the old man says. Quinn nods remembering him. Sometimes her dad would take her to work at her grandfathers business. It was huge now and global. She remembers running through the big building and rushing right into her grandfathers arms. Mr. Maximum was there sometimes too when she would visit her grandfather at work. He'd smile and tug on a red colored pigtail. Then sometimes he'd sneak a piece of candy to her. She trusted the man, and it might have to do a little with him giving her candy.

"Come here darling," he says. She walks into his arms and lets him hug her close. He smelled old and warm. Her grandfather used to smell like old, warm, and love when he was alive. 

"You were his day and his smile. Never forget that," he says then he pokes her nose lightly. She looks down with a small smile on her face about the comment.

"Mr. Maximum, we are so glad you could make it," my dad says coming over and shaking his hand.

"Oh yes, he'd be at mine if he had beat me," Mr. Maximum says trying to make the death lighter. Both my dad and grandmother smile and give a little laugh. He wasn't wrong about that.

My dad looked down at me and saw my frown.

"Oh, baby," he coos picking me up. Even though I was thirteen he still picked me up and held me close. I was his only child. And it got lonely sometimes. I hide my face in his neck and cry. It was when I felt a breeze when I noticed we were outside. My dad swayed from side to side. He really was treating me like a baby, but it was that moment when I wished I was a baby again. My grandpa would be alive and holding me close. I keep crying until I couldn't anymore.

My mom joins us outside with a sigh.

"Danny, you can't hold her like that. It's bad for your back," my mom scolds my dad. I can feel my dad shake his head.

"I'm fine. Kels, shes very sad. And I think asleep," he says. I feel him look at me and smiles when he sees that I'm awake.

"Sweetie, it's life. People die and that's okay," my mom says. I frown at her and hide my face again starting to cry.

"Kels, really?" my dad says starting to sway again. His hand warm and comforting on my back.

"She's thirteen, Dan!" she points out. It wasn't like I was big or heavy for him. 

"And she's thirteen. And my baby," he replies sternly. I hear my mom laugh. My dad had always been fiercely protective me.

"It's okay to be sad," my mom tells me. I hug onto my dad and ended up and actually did fall asleep.

As the years went by the empty hole in her heart that her grandfather had filled was still empty. He had taught her so much. Showed her a love towards painting and ever since he left it was all she had to be able to cling to him.

"Quinn watch what you are doing," her grandmother scolds right as she almost pricks her finger.

"Sorry, Grandma," Quinn says. Her grandmother frowns and stands behind her pulling at her hair from her face.

"Who's doing your hair for the gathering?" She asks already brushing out the red locks.

"Mom, wants to do it," I say still sewing the quilt together.

"Just let me do it now. You know your mother," Grandma says.

"I know. Some of my students try to do it," I say finishing the quilt up.

"You have beautiful hair. I don't understand why you don't mess with it," Marge says. Marge was a friend of my grandmas.

"I like to sleep more," I say and shrug my shoulders.

"Well maybe if you took less teaching hours you wouldn't be so tired," Grandma says.

"I need those hours for money to pay for my rent," I say being careful of potential errors.

"Why won't you let your parents take care of some of it. We all have plenty of money to help," Grandma says. I shake my head.

"No, I'm twenty four and I don't need to have my parents support me. I need to learn," I say handing Marge the finished quilt and start the new one.

Grandma finished my hair and I finally finished making all the quilts.

"You are too good for this world," Marge says folding the last quilt.

"Thank you Marge, you helped a lot," I say. I stand up and stretch my back out.

"Well go get ready. Your father is coming to pick you up. You have to go help set everything up," Grandma says. I go get dressed in a formal long dress and then wait for my father. I didn't bother with makeup.

Both of my grandparents adored my red hair, freckle face. It was on my dad's side of the family. Dad had dark red hair that looked more brown. Grandpa had grey hair that had some orange strands in it every now and then when he passed.

I hear a honk and look out of the window to see my dads car waiting. I grab the quilts and walk out to the car.

"Hi Val," I say to my dads driver. He smiles at me then begins to drive us towards the event.

"Hi Quinn, how did the quilts turn out?" He asks placing his hand on the top of the stack and feels the fabric.

"I think I did okay. Last ones are probably the best. I don't think they will go for much," I say fiddling with my dress.

"How many did you all make?" He asks looking at them.

"Thirty," I say showing him my favorite. He nods.

"Don't give them that one. That's a good one," he says. I laugh and shake my head.

We arrive and I grab the quilts. My dad takes them from me.

"Your mom is inside already helping with food. She got stuck with serving," dad says sticking his nose up. We always tried to avoid serving food at these events. Because when you went home you always went home smelling like the food. My family was such a hands on family as well. We never could sit down and rest. We much preferred to do things ourselves or to help out.

We head inside and I let him take the box of quilts. The lady running the event tells me what my job is and it was to help with the fire stations fill the boot fundraiser. I had to walk around and fill the boot. Which I didn't mind, I probably knew most of the people that came to this event anyways.

"Want to eat before or after?" My mom asks. I could feel her eyes on my makeup less face and my frizzy hair.

"After," I say waving my hand at the plate of food she was trying to offer. The place starts to fill up and I found out that I was the only one doing the fire station fundraiser. The lady running the event walks up to the microphone.

"Welcome to the 2017 Seattle Fundraiser. Tonight this is a benefit fundraiser as we raise money to support our local surroundings. We have a auction, silent bidding, and we are once again participating in filling the fire boot! So go ahead and start bidding or find Miss. Howell. Miss. Howell?" She says. I was talking to a family friend when I heard her call my name. I jolt forward and lift the boot over my head with a huge smile.

"Ah, there she is! She's in a wonderful black dress with her fire hair tamed today!" She points out. I sheepishly smile at her comment about my hair and gesture towards the boot. It only made most of the guests laugh at my embarrassment.

"Please! Enjoy! The auction will be in a hour and half," she says then steps away from the microphone.

"I guess that's my cue," I say saying goodbye to the family friend I was talking to and start walking around the huge overly done room.