A Boy Called Noah

Epilogue

Amalthea Galanos

Tears leak down Amalthea's cheeks as she watches Noah's mother greet all the people who came. Her throat feels clogged up and she fights the urge to run away and hide. Noah's passing hadn't come as a shock to those close but it certainly did not make it any less painful. People from everywhere were contacting them to give their condolences and words of courage. People at school kept looking at her with looks of such sympathy as if it would do anything to her situation.

Thea's face morphs into a fake smile as Mrs. Garner, her English teacher, walks closer to greet her, "How are you doing, dear?" Thea's facade cracks at the soft words she's heard more in the past week than ever before in her life. Somehow her elderly teacher's facial expression makes her crack and admit to not being okay and not knowing what to do with herself these days. Mrs. Garner pulls the crying girl into a gentle hug, "Shh, darling, shh. I'm so so sorry. Darling, you must remember him as he was before, not as you saw him now. You must keep your head up for him. He's no longer in pain. Please, my dear, you must go on with your life. He would want you to be strong and brave, he wouldn't want you to fall apart without him." Thea's whole body wracks with her sobs and she nearly clutches at the gentle woman.

When finally she is calm enough she pulls away and wipes her tears with a shaky hand, "I-I..." Mrs. Garner shushes her, "I know...he knows too." Mrs. Garner gives Thea one last big hug and joins the reast of the teachers present.

Thea breathes a shaky breath and straightens her dress. She felt utterly constricted in the dark fabric but Thalia had given it for her to wear. Thalia's gentle and sympathetic smile flashes to the forefront of Thea's mind. Her normally distant sister had shown a different side with Noah's passing. In fact, the sisters had finally become somewhat a bit closer.

***

Amalthea requested to sit near the back, where no one could see her fall apart. Unfortunetely for her Jessica James is an unknown force to be reckoned with.

The service is just like all others. The pastor says the customary words, he also speaks of good times and things we must remember of Noah. Adam delivers his eulogy and breaks down halfway through. Jessica waited until the end to speak up and ask if she may say a few things of the man she is proud to call her son.

Amalthea's hands anxiously knot together as Mrs. James makes her way to the front.

Jessica inhales a deep, calming breath and a sad smile graces her beautiful lips. "Hello, everyone. First I want to thank everyone for being here and for all your support. If Noah was here, I know he would've said something to lighten the mood... that was just the way he was. I know you all think that I'm going to speak of how much I wish he were here... well, I'm sorry to say, I'm not. Noah would not want us to cry for his passing, he would want us to celebrate his life. He'd want us to laugh and think of times he was here, not of times that he won't be there. Noah told me, a few days before his passing, " She gently smiles with tears glistening in her eyes, "He told me that he didn't want our lives to stop. He said he didn't want our joy and happiness to die with him," She directs her soft smile towards Thea. "His last wish was that I say here, today, "Live your lives, like no other, live as if I was either there or never would have been. Life is far too short to live in the pain of the past." Please, lower your heads with me in respect of our beloved Noah..." After a few moments Jessica clears her throat, "Thank you all for coming, there's food and drinks in the kitchen and dining area."

Everyone starts making their way to the kitchen and dining room and Jessica and Thea slowly follow after. Both lost in their own worlds.

***

Thea feels like a doll being passed around from person to person. She estimates that about Ninety percent of the guests have greeted and personally spoken to her. Now more than ever did she have the urge to run and hide, feeling exposed everytime someone new speaks to her.

Jessica quietly makes her way towards Thea, "Hey." Thea jumps slightly and smiles a relieved smile, "Oh, it's just you, hey." "How are you holding up?" Thea clears her throat in an attempt to strengthen her voice, "I'm...not sure. I think I'm just a little overwhelmed." Jessica gently smiles, "I can understand that. I tell you what, why don't I hold the fort down here for a bit and you have a look in Noah's room, he said he'd left you something." Jessica pushes Thea towards the stairs with a gentle shove, "We'll be fine down here for a while. Go..."