The interview

Chapter 23

3 weeks later...

The church was overflowing to the point of people had to gather outside. Black umbrellas up, shielding the people underneath from the soft rain. Up front, Lucy sat, squeezing Olivia's hand tightly as the poor woman shook beside her. She couldn't even say anything to her, there are no words for a mother who lost her child except for the usual 'I'm sorry.' That was all the family had gotten all day.
On the other side of Olivia was the rest of the family, Olivia's mother Raina squeezing her other hand, tears in her eyes and using her other hand to hold Carter's mother's just as tightly. Lucy looked around her shoulder when music started playing and everyone stood at once.
At the door, a small yellow and red coffin was carried in slowly. Supporting it, Daniel, Carter, Carter's father and Max. Lucy watched Daniel's face closely, his eyes were dim and red, same as his nose.
With every pew they passed, Daniel tightened his grip on the coffin, he didn't want to say goodbye. It wasn't fucking fair. Setting his jaw, he chocked back the lump in his throat that had been there since that horrible night. Feeling eyes on him, he looked up from his shoes to see Lucy watching him closely. She gave him a tiny, encouraging smile and mouthed 3 words that let his shoulders relax ever so slightly, I love you.
He wanted to smile back, he really did. It was so hard to. But she understood, she wasn't asking for a smile back, she was giving him the strength to talk the rest of the way.
They lowered Dylan's Ironman coffin slowly and as carefully as possible. Daniel lingered next to it for a moment, patting the top softly, "I love you man." He whispered, barely loud enough for himself to hear before he turned and sat him heavily next to Lucy, latching onto her hand for comfort instantly. He kept his eyes fixated on his lap as the priest took his place by the stand, and began talking, "We are all gathered here, to celebrate the life of a wonderful, loving, happy boy. I'll be reading a few words prepared by his family to begin..." He looked down at the first speech, "Dylan Griffin Walsh was always the light of the room, never failing to make others smile, even when he himself was sad. This brave young man never let anything bring him down, and fought like a true avenger."
The rest of the words of Carter's speech washed over Daniel as his eyes filled. Everything sounded muffled to him, like an empty room. Watching the large droplet fall onto his black suit he felt his hand being squeezed tightly, "Breathe baby." Lucy whispered softly. He gasped softly, not even registering that he had been holding his breath since he sat down. Squeezing her hand back in thanks, he lifted his head again, not taking his eyes off of his baby brother's coffin fir a moment, not even when he heard the familiar lines of his own speech, "Dylan was the best of us. No matter what life threw at him, he kept getting back up. The first time, was when he was a baby. I remember him trying to climb over the baby gate to get to the kitchen, where our mom was making lunch. He fell face first into one of dad's shoes and mom started freaking out. Later that day, he figured out how to take his diaper off and peed in that shoe."
A small laugh rippled through the crowd before the priest continued, "For the next few days the only word he said was 'stinky' while waving his hands in front of his face. It annoyed dad to no end but that's the first memory I have of him. My brother, my best friend, my blood. Everyone here is probably writing about their favourite memories of him, but I can't. Because I don't have one. Every moment I spent with that whacky kid was my favourite part of the day. The days when he was the hospital, the days he looked his best, the days he looked his worst, I was just thankful he was there. But now he's not, I'm lost. He made the world just a little more bearable sometimes, and he always knew exactly what to say whenever I had problems. He cheered me on from the start of my boxing career, pushing me closer to my dream. Without him, I wouldn't be as far as I am now. He impacted my life so much, made it better in so many ways and was simply the best brother anyone could have asked for. And I'm glad he was mine."

Chatter rang out around the restaurant as the family gathered around 6 different table pushed together and ate. Daniel sat silently beside Lucy, holding her hand tightly underneath the table, "He would've like this." He murmured softly. Lucy looked around at the family, smiling, reminiscing and laughing before nodding in agreement, "He would."
"Do you think he's mad at me right now?"
Lucy turned back to Daniel and used her other hand to brush his hair away from his forehead, "Not anymore."
He looked down at her leg, "Is it ok?"
Lucy sighed and lifted his chin, "Danny, baby. Look at me."
His eyes met her reluctantly and she pressed a soft kiss on the tip of his nose, "You didn't mean it." She rubbed his cheek softly, "And it's just a scratch. I've had worse."
"That's not the point."
"Daniel, please. Don't beat yourself up about it. For me?"
He didn't answer, just rested his forehead on her shoulder, "I'm sorry."
She rested her cheek against his hair and closed her eyes, rubbing it against him softly. They stayed like this for a while before he spoke again without moving, "Will you stay with me for Christmas?"
"You don't need to ask babe." She whispered back, kissing his hair. It was Christmas eve tomorrow morning, the whole family was gathering at Daniel's again just like Thanksgiving, including Gabby, Riley and her parents. Lucy looked up from Daniel's head when she heard something clinking against glass. Everyone turned to see Carter raising his glass of wine, "I know he'd be really happy to see us all smiling right now, especially with Christmas eve being tomorrow, so... here's to our own little Christmas angel, the most beautiful angel heaven's got. Dylan."
Everyone raised their glasses together, "Dylan." They chorused, clinking their glasses together. Daniel finished his glass of orange juice and sighed, sitting back in his chair, feeling Lucy's hand rest on his knees.

A/N: I know this stories taken a depressing turn at the moment but please bare with me I'm sorryyyyyyyyy xxx