Beyond the Reasons || JUSTIN FOLEY

Thirty

PRESENT TIME
JUSTIN'S FUNERAL
THIRD PERSON'S POV

As she sat in the church, Imogen felt like a piece of her was gone. A part of her died when Jeff did, another part of her died when Monty got killed, and Imogen felt like the last parts of herself died with Justin. That night in the hospital, her parents had to pry her away from Justin's lifeless body because she didn't want to let go. Even though he was dead, she just wanted to hold onto him, she couldn't accept that he was gone.

Imogen and Clay both sat in the front pew. Lainie had asked both her kids if they wanted to speak. Imogen agreed to, but she didn't know how much she could get out before she started crying again. Tony walked up and sat between the two twins and took a deep breath. He didn't know what to say or how to be there for them.

"I wish there was something I could say or do..." Tony said to them.

"Yeah... what is there?" Clay asked as Imogen sniffled from Tony's other side.

"Thank you for wanting to, though," Imogen added in a quiet voice.

"You always make things better..." Clay said to him and Tony shook his head.

"I just show up, man. That's all I do." Tony said.

"Always... more than I have for you." Clay said and Tony shook his head.

"No... no we all show up for each other." Tony said. Both twins turned to look at him, even though he was still staring straight ahead.

"No one gets through this life alone, Tony..." Imogen said and Tony looked over at her and shook his head.

"No..." He said.

At the same time, Jessica and Ani were entering the church and Jessica noticed her best friend sitting upfront. Imogen turned around and when she saw Jessica and Ani, she immediately stood up and walked over to them, but she was surprised when she passed the football players to see Winston was with them.

"What the hell... uh... heck... is he doing here?" Imogen asked. She realized she had cussed in a church and slightly covered her mouth, but she felt personally offended that Winston had the nerve to show up to Justin's funeral.

"I don't know... I hope he's showing his respects." Ani said. Imogen's eyes got watery again as she looked over to her friends.

"I don't know if I can do this..." Imogen whispered to them and Jessica laid her hand down on Imogen's arm and gently rubbed it.

"Okay, we can just take it slow. We were about to come to join you up front, but we don't have to sit up there if you don't want to." Jessica said.

"No... I... I don't know if I can do any of this anymore. We're all supposed to just... keep waking up and putting on our clothes and carrying on conversations and listening to people while they talk about how God works in mysterious ways, and I just... I don't fucking know if I can do it anymore!" Imogen cried and Jessica laid her hands on Imogen's shoulders before moving one hand to the back of her head.

"MiMo... we've been here before. I know... I know that this is significantly the hardest thing that you have gone through... but I don't think you realize how strong you are." Jessica said and Imogen shook her head.

"He made me strong..." She said and this time Ani shook her head.

"No! You are. All on your own. Maybe you made each other stronger, but it's in you. I've seen it." Ani said and Jessica nodded her head.

"Hey... we got through Hannah, Jeff, and Monty together... and I know how much they meant to you. We'll get through this together too, I promise." Jessica said to her and Imogen nodded her head as more tears fell from her eyes.