Remember the Time || Bruno Mars

[21] beautiful goodbye

I threw the rental car into park after I came to a complete stop on the side of a rarely used local roadway. With a sigh, I turned the key to shut off the ignition before slumping back in my seat, then turned my head towards the backseat to look over at the kids. Aaron was glumly gazing out of the window and into the peaceful morning sky and Anelah sat with her head hung down as she played with the hem of her little sundress. No matter how perfect the day seemed, there was a constant dull mist that surrounded us everywhere we went.

"Kids," I said softly. I watched their eyes snap up to the sound of my voice and turn their heads to face me. "One last time before we leave?"

"Yes," Anelah whispered as she nodded silently. Aaron sighed, defeated, and they undid their belts before dragging themselves out of the car.

Locking the doors, I tightened my grip on the bouquet of white roses cradled in my arms and together, we walked the few twenty two steps to her grave in silence. We found ourselves too familiar with this place, with the kids asking me to bring them here every day for the past week since her funeral so we could at least talk to her. As each day came, it seemed as if our visits here have grown longer and longer as we stayed to wallow in grief. Last night, we even stayed 'til sunset and I was a little afraid that this might be the day we never leave. Apparently, our visit here was limited as we had little time to catch up to our flight to Los Angeles. God knows how hard it was to get them up and going this morning, even getting myself caught up in one of Aaron's temper tantrums, insisting that he was to stay here with my mom and his mom.

The warm wind breezed in and out of my system, sending chills down my spine as the sole of my Sperry's met the moist green grass and the cemetery reeked of gloom. It wasn't my first time to step inside the rest place of those who were gone, but it wasn't exactly somewhere I would want my kids and I to be stuck in forever in hopes to coax Maggie so she could rise from the dead.

We were brought into a halt as we stood a good meter from Maggie's final resting place and I pulled out two flowers from the garland to hand each one for Anelah and Aaron. Slowly, they went down on their knees to set the roses on the foot of the stone where her name was carefully engraved, along with candles half burnt-out, withered flowers, and farewell cards – all from other people who came and visited earlier. They shot me a weak look, but I understood as soon as I was met with two sad pairs of brown and hazel lobes.

I nodded gently and retrieved to some of the cobbled stone walls where a figure of Jesus stood in order to give them space – a routine that took place every single day in the past week. I sighed and took a quick look around, noticing our aloneness in the place and how perfectly blue the sky was on an entirely blue day.

Just then, my phone vibrated against my thigh, pulling me out of my reverie. I fished it out of its confines and I eyed the screen, regret running through me when I saw Elise's caller ID. A pang of guilt drilled its way down to my stomach when I realized I hadn't called her since the night of our date and at the same time, the incident that changed it all for us. "Hello?"

"Oh hey Bruno," her soft voice squeaked from the other side of the country and she released a soft sigh as if in relief.

"Elise, I'm so so so sorry I wasn't able to communicate with you for the past week. It's just been tough for my family and I, especially the kids." I frowned into the phone. It will never be the same for the two.

"No no it's fine Bruno! I heard what happened and I'd like to send my condolences to you. I just wanted to let you know that me and Kelly came back to LA last Monday. Thank you for the opportunity you gave us to stay there in New York. I know now's such a wrong time to talk about this but it's eating me alive inside that I never really got to thank you and I don't know of your well being for the past few days." I smiled when she said this. "I hope you and the kids stay strong and I'll be praying for you all."