And So She Slept

Begin Again

As the small gathering in the second wing of Gallisburg Grove began to dissipate, Adam thanked the final few with handshakes and hugs. Within an hour, Adam and Sadie were left standing in front of the the mausoleum wall staring at the golden plate that bore Jack's name next to his sister's with nothing in hand, but a bittersweet emptiness in their hearts. Sadie looked down at her hand as she twirled the last piece of Jack she had left around her ring finger. Thinking about Adam, she slipped the ring off.

"The ceremony was lovely," she began, placing a hand on his back. Although he was an adult, and appeared to be the same age as she was, she remembered how lost she felt when her parents were killed in the accident.

"Dad would have probably thought it was boring," Adam smirked with a tinge of pain he intended on internalizing.

"You know what...you're right," she lightly chuckled, fondly recalling Jack's notoriously short attention span.

"He'd want to know when it was over so he could grab a beer and burgers. Thanks for being here...through all of it. It meant a lot to me, and to him."

Turning, Adam opened his arms, inviting Sadie into an embrace. She obliged. She was happy to find comfort, but as she felt his arms gently close around her, all she could think about was Jack. Pulling away, she took his hand and placed the ring into his palm.

"Here. I almost forgot."

"Sadie, no," he said, taking her hand to reject the gesture. "He wanted you to have this, and if I accepted this, I'd feel like I was going against his last wishes."

"But it's a family heirloom. It belongs in your family," she protested, still fighting a guilt she would never allow herself penance for.

"You were his family. Keep it. Plus, it'll be one less thing for me to worry about."

"Where will you go?" she wondered out loud as she slid the ring back on to her finger, thankful that she would have a tangible piece of Jack's heart forever.

"I'm going back to school for my masters finally. Being with dad was something I didn't want to miss, so I left for a while. I'm glad I did though," he answered, having thought about his plans for a while. "What about you? What happens now?"

"I don't know. I go back to the ACCI until I get a place and a job...life, I guess," she muttered, beginning to realize she had no one else left on her list of contacts.

"I am glad you were there for him, Sadie. It was nice to finally meet you," Adam said graciously as he turned to hug her one last time.

"Take care of yourself, kid," she murmured into his chest.

"You too, you old lady," Adam joked.

With a slight smile, and a kiss on her forehead, Adam walked away from the nameplate, leaving Sadie to stand there alone. She waited until he turned the corner before walking to the wall and touching the embossed letters that spelled the name of her true love. Having a quiet moment, she told herself that everything would be alright, even though she didn't quite believe it. Lost in her own thoughts, she let the world around her fade away.

Not hearing the footsteps behind her, she jumped when she felt a hand touch her shoulder. Blinking with heavy eyes as though she'd been asleep standing up, she tried to re-calibrate her inner clock. The woman before her was older with gray hair wrapped into a beautifully manicured low bun. Sadie looked down to notice her silver name tag that bore her name, Lillian, and title.

"Are you alright, dear?" she asked like a concerned mother as she looked Sadie up and down to mentally assess her well being.

"Sure, I...I was just saying goodbye."

"Of course. Who can I call to make sure you get home alright?"

"I'm alone," Sadie said out loud for the first time. It sounded so empty, especially in a place that echoed when she spoke.

"I'm sure that's not so. Everyone knows someone," Lillian assured her, trying to make her feel better.

"I don't anymore. It's just me now," she realized. "Can I have just a few more minutes?"

Nodding politely, Lillian looked at her with a creased brow and walked back to the front desk, fulling intending upon checking back soon. As soon as Sadie could no longer hear the click of Lillian's heels, she turned her attention back to Jack's permanent place within the mausoleum.

With her eyes closed, she whispered a soft goodbye to the only person she'd ever loved. She looked at the beautiful vintage ring on her finger, and kissed it softly. Without a tear left in her eyes, Sadie walked toward the entrance. As she passed the front desk, she nodded at Lillian to reassure her that she was leaving. Lillian's pressed smile returned the attention, but still remained concerned.

As the ornate glass doors opened at the press of the button behind Lillian's desk, Sadie could already feel the warmth of the sun against her black dress. After a slight fearful hesitation, she took a few steps out of Gallisburg Grove and into the light. For the first time, she knew she was alone in the world, which suddenly felt so much bigger than it used to be. She clenched her fists and took a deep breath, feeling the ring pressed against her fingers as a reminder that someone loved her at her most vulnerable moments.

Looking at the empty car waiting for her, Sadie decided to walk. With every small step she took farther from the mausoleum, she could feel the weight of her decision 53 years ago in the flashes of memories in her mind. Step. Bon Voyage party. Step. The taste of Jack's kiss on the couch in her loft. Step. Krystina's hug when she found out she was sick. Step. Allowing fear to choose her fate. Step. Jack's goodbye.

With miles to go before sunset, and even more to reach the ACCI, Sadie steadied her pace. Feeling her black dress dance around her legs and the afternoon glow as her only companion, she walked away from everything she knew toward a future unknown.