All It Seems

Part 24: Spill the Tea

Sorry for the delay once again with this chapter - I think we just all need to accept - me most of all - the chapters are going to come out slower from now on ahaha

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Two weeks since Isaac turned up on my doorstep and I still hadn't gotten rid of him. Instead, we were now attending Zoe's funeral and Isaac was surprisingly fine. In the days leading up to today, his mood had become irritable, understandably, but I had expected him to be more... depressed.

"Mrs. Chen," I walked up to her dressed in black with a thin veil covering her face. I often thought that wearing a thin silk veil to a funeral was part of a Victorian fashion statement, but now I understand it to be so people can't see how distraught you are.

She was a mess.

She looked as though she hadn't slept since she'd heard the news; her eyes were puffy from the tears, her lips a shade of purple from crying with gasping breaths, her skin a drained pale and her mouth a static smile that she'd painted on with sadness.

"Alexis," she said, her voice hoarse. She took my hand and gave it a tight squeeze.

I hadn't attended a funeral since my uncle had passed so it was strange to be dressed in black on a rainy day and standing outside the hall where the service was about to begin, again. Mrs. Chen and her sister were standing out the front greeting people with sorrow-filled smiles, well, Mrs. Chen was, her sister Katy - Zoe's mum - was sitting on a chair just inside the hall entry, staring at the floor and barely acknowledging anyone. Not that I blame her, as a mother you have children and expect that you will pass before them. It must be impossibly painful to know that you outlived your child.

"Thank you for coming," she choked out and pulled me into a bone crushing hug. "Thank you for being here for Isaac," she whispered into my ear and I know she was looking behind us at Isaac in his black suit and black dress shirt.

I watched him with his mother, he stood there with his hands shoved deep into his pockets, a scowl plain as day on his face as he stared off into the distance so he didn't have to focus on what was about to happen.

"He told me that you two were shaky but I'm so glad you're giving him another chance," she whispered loud enough for me to hear.

"oh," was all I could say as my breath got stuck in my throat and my eyes closed tightly.

"I don't think I could take losing my niece and my almost daughter at the same time," a fresh wave of tears overwhelmed her and it made my heart splinter. I opened my eyes to see her dabbing at her tear stained face with a tissue. "Go to him, dear," she cracked out and I turned back to her.

"Are you sure? I'm happy to stay here," I said softly, rubbing her shoulder in a comforting manner. She nodded with a sad smile.

"I'm sure," she looked back over to Isaac, "he needs you," she walked off and I was left standing by myself, watching Isaac not watch anything.

"Are you ready?" I called over, hissing as I rubbed my hands together even though it made no friction between my gloves. The rain had started back up again, a light mist sitting in my hair and making my skin feel damp.

"Yeah," he mumbled, kicking a stone and holding his arm up for me to take.

I didn't feel that today or the few days prior would be a good time to tell Isaac that this wasn't a permanent thing. I'd alluded to it sure, but I hadn't explicitly told him. The more time we spent together the more I couldn't stop thinking about how much I had given up for him.