Tomorrow Will Be Kinder {IHOFIL Sequel}

Chapter 16: "Love Is Such A Lonely Word"

They held a small funeral in memory of those they’d lost.

Judith and Aislynn had only been children, one hardened from the new world and one still hopelessly clinging to innocence. Neither had clean hands when they left the world- Judith had killed her mother and Aislynn had killed her fair share of people- but everyone gathered there had hoped the pearly gates awaited them.

“Judith was the child I always wanted,” Beth started, chocking on her words. “She was definitely her father’s child and even though she didn’t get to know her mother, I know Lori loved her. I believe she’s in Heaven now, with her mom, and they’re happy. And Aislynn is up there too, with my dad and Maggie, like she should be. Aislynn was like a sister to me and Maggie loved her, we both did. I-It’s hard to believe they’re gone now. I- I can’t do this, I can’t, I’m sorry.”

She fell into Daryl’s embrace, crying as he held her. He was crying too and he had already said his peace earlier, separate to the goodbyes the group gave.

Rick stepped forward, Carl buried in his side. They’d lost the most, Beth knew that. Judith had been their last shred of hope, last remainder of Lori and nothing could replace that. Aislynn had loved them both, they’d both loved her.

“I love you,” Rick said, staring down at the ground. There was nothing buried in the grave, instead, they’d thrown objects in there; rings, clothes, toys, flowers. Everything they’d put in there was buried, like they were saying goodbye to the memory of the two and not the actual people. They had no bodies to bury, that was one of the worst parts. “And I’m sorry.”

Carl knew, Aislynn had told him how his father had fallen for the girl, but that didn’t subdue the sting he felt when he heard his father say those six words. Maybe he was talking to Judy, maybe not.

“One last fist bump,” Tara said, offering a sad smile when she approached the mound of dirt, pounding her fist into it awkwardly. “One last fist bump from your friend, Tara.”

Michonne laid a gentle hand on the other woman’s, Tara gently rocking into her body, arm squeezing around her side. “She was my friend,” Michonne said, gaze landing on the woman hugging her. “She was our friend.”

“And we loved her.”

“And Judith,” the samurai added.

“Yeah, that little tike too,” Tara smirked, looking up, her eyes meeting Michonne’s.

Brie sat to the side, playing with her hair. She hadn’t known any of them, only known the Aislynn was Rick’s girlfriend but from what’d she heard from the boy- Carl she thought his name was- she was his girlfriend and she was sure Carl was Rick’s son.

This is messed up,’ she told herself.

 After a while, someone sat down next to her, offering a hand.

“I’m Beth,” the blonde introduced, voice all sniffles. She’d been crying. “You must be Brie. I just wanna thank you for bringing Rick back. Means the world to all of us, we can’t thank you enough.”

“I’m sorry about the people you lost,” the girl offered, shaking the woman’s hand. “I’ve lost people too, I get it, but I can’t even begin to describe how awful I feel. I mean, Beardy lost everything today, his girlfriend and daughter, it’s not the best thing to happen. Sometimes I forget people die, you know?”

“I haven’t forgotten,” Beth replied, sucking in a sharp breathe. “I lost my mother, my first boyfriend, Patricia, Otis, my older sister, my dad and now the little girl I almost called my own and Daryl’s cousin, who was like a sister to me. I don’t know how someone can forget people die when death is all around us, literally. The world is crawling with it.”