The Story Of Chandlyn

See You Later Dad

           

Date: November 2018

Chandler once heard that death is hardest on the living. He is not sure where he heard it before, maybe it was in a book he read for school or maybe it was from an episode of Grey's Anatomy that he watched with Katelyn. Regardless in the past week, he saw the truth in the statement. Death was indeed hardest on the living.

He knew that one day his parents would die, it was just the reality of life. He'd always thought that they'd die from old age, once Chandler had married and had kids and was older himself. Turns out he was wrong. Exactly a week ago, his father, William Riggs had been killed because some Asshole decided it would smart to get behind the wheel after chugging a keg of beer.

His dad was gone and for the last week, he had been is a sort of haze, along with his mother and brother, Chandler had spent the last week at home, mourning and helping his mother plan the funeral. Throughout the grueling and depressing process, Chandler came to a realization, No nineteen year old should ever have to plan the funeral of his father or for anyone that matter. It had been one of the hardest thing Chandler had ever done.

Over the past few days, Chandler had become much more grateful for his family and for his girlfriend Katelyn.

Katelyn had pretty much been living at their house for the past week and her constant presence around the house helped Chandler to keep his mind off his father, at least for the most part.

There were time when Chandler would find his thoughts drifting off towards memories of his father. They were all good memories and they were often triggered but something simple, like the dog barking at the mailman or the smell of burnt toast. It was the simple things that triggered memories of his father and as he stared at his textbooks for college, he thought back to a conversation he and his father had a few days before he died.

They were in the kitchen, arguing of some bad mark Chandler had gotten. Chandler was currently attending The University of Georgia to get his bachelor's degree in film studies.

"Dad I don't see what the big deal is," Chandler said as he poured himself a glass of juice.

"The big deal is that you failed an assignment," his dad said as he sipped his coffee.

"I didn't fail it," he said, "I just didn't do as well as I thought I did, but to be fair my professor is like obsessed with marking and he combs every paper for errors."

"Chandler that's his job," William said, "Look you and I both know that's you are more than capable of acing that assignment. So what happened?"

"I guess I slacked off...between Eclipse and filming and stuff," he said.

His dad nodded, "Look I'm not going to tell you how to live your life, you are nineteen after all but just remember what's important in life okay? Just don't give up when things get tough."

Chandler nodded, "Okay dad I will and dad?"

"Yeah Chandler?"

"Thanks...I'm going to go work on an assignment," Chandler said, giving his dad a smile as he headed out of the kitchen.

"That's my boy," William called after him.

He smiled at the memory, his dad had always known what to say, to motivate him and he always had the greatest advice, for almost any situation Chandler had encountered during his teenaged years. When Chandler and Grayson were younger, they used to call their dad "Father Yoda," his dad had gotten a kick out of it and one year he even dressed up as Yoda on Halloween just to make the boys laugh. Chandler had been the luckiest kid to have a father like William.