The Gold way

"Today my forest is dark. The trees are sad and all the butterflies have broken wings"

• Adriana •

Many people stood proudly as Esmeralda read a piece for Aberama's funeral
Well... she memorised a piece
She wasn't too good on reading

Ada and Arthur stood near the back
Tommy was nowhere to be seen but I'm sure he was here somewhere
I had a feeling
And he always liked Aberama

Bonnie then stepped forward, out of my grasp and out of control as he poured his emotions out from his heart
"Dad... I don't think any of us saw a day without you here. I thought you'd out live us all, you always said you would" Bonnie half smiled

"You told us all a lot of meaningful... memorable things before you left. I think you knew... deep down, what would happen" he went on
I agree. The way he spoke to us all
Like he knew he was never coming back

"But you fought until the end. That's what Golds are. Fighters. Warriors. We don't back down and we don't apologise. It's the Gold way. That's what dad taught us. That's what he was taught. And that's what we will teach our children..." he faltered, mentioning the kids.

It was too much for Bonnie as he tried to hold it together
"We'll miss you... we..." he stopped, before he looked to me, desperate and upset

I stepped forward, taking his arm
He looked to Luke, surprisingly
Who did as he wanted and stepped forward in Bonnie's place

"I uh... I don't know what to say, I didn't- I didn't prepare anything. But... what is there to say about Aberama?" He chuckled sadly
"He was a man no words could describe. He... he as good as raised me and I will always be grateful to him for that, he looked out for people. Cared for people, even when they definitely didn't deserve the chance. And... and he had his own chance ripped away from him, his new life with Polly... he... it's not fair" he said, tears running out his eyes

"It's not fair and it's not right, but justice will be claimed. In his name, and in his honour" he said, making Bonnie nod

Before the girls stepped up to the vardo, placing their flowers inside
I then went in, placing my own down
"I meant my promise. I'll look after him" I said, crying but determined as I looked at him, leaning down to kiss his hand

As I dreaded having to do this with my mother
Bonnie came in as I came out
And I feared for him
For what this will do to him.
His dad was the closest person to him.

His best friend. His father. His... the only parent he ever really knew.

• Bonnie •

"You lied to me" I said simply, sitting on the chair in his vardo, rolling the roses around in my hand
"You told me you'd be back in a few hours, you... you never came back" I broke down, trying my hardest to hold it together

I placed the rose beside him, holding his hand and looking at his rings
The ones we all played with as children
The ones that knocked men out and were covered in blood time and time again

My dad. A killer. A leader. A conman. A wind up. A trader. A gypsy. A Gold
A dad
My dad...

I placed his hand back down
"I love you dad" I said, getting up, leaving

I nodded to the girls
Before James stepped forward, letting go of Esmeralda's hand and setting the sticks on fire
As I stood strong by Adriana's side
For him.

For my dad.

As the flames burned brighter and my heart utterly smashed to pieces inside

• Adriana •

"Needed some air too?" Esmeralda asked, I nodded
I know I shouldn't have snuck away from camp
But the grief was getting to me too
Aberama didn't deserve this

"When's Polly's funeral?" She asked kindly
I shrugged
"I... I don't know" I said, utterly lost on it
"I need to go to the house tomorrow, sort through her things, what to put in with her, what to... what to get for her to wear" I said numbly

"Yeah... It... it's not going to be easy, I won't lie to you Ari. You pick everything and then you doubt every decision you made. Whether it was right, whether you should have picked something else, You convince yourself everyone will hate what you chose" she reeled off

"Hey... it's alright" I said, rubbing her arm
"I know I... I just. Losing parents, it's not fair" she said

"I know" I said sadly
"It wasn't that long ago I found mum and now... now I feel like I'm back to being a child again. Alone" I admitted
"You're not alone Ari" she assured

"I know, I know, I just... well I never knew my dad, Michael and me are just... and mums gone" I said
"You always have us" she comforted
I smiled
"I know" I said

"And I'm grateful for all of you" I said honestly
She smiled. A sad smile

"Come on, we should get back, they're starting the fights soon" she said
"They're fighting?" I asked

"Dad always said if he died. Treat the funeral like a wedding, he wanted drinking, fighting, betting. A traditional Gold send off" she chuckled.

•

"It was perfect" Bonnie said
"Yeah... it was" I agreed, resting my head on his shoulder, the fire burning intensely against my skin even this late
Everyone was still drinking and dancing
Fighting and betting.
Telling stories and telling tales.

"Are you sure you'll be alright alone tomorrow?" He asked for the thousandth time
"I'll have Ada, besides, you want to make your dad proud don't you?" I asked
"Of course" he said

"Then you need all the training you can get" I said
Tomorrow was supposed to be his first day back in the gym
Maine said he would start him slow, build him up
Tommy was an outcast to us right now but he still owed Bonnie his career, his fights.

"I'm sorry it all turned out this way" he said
"Me too" I mumbled, looking up at him

•

Her house was... haunting
All of her things, her clothes, her accounts
Her jewellery and her home comforts that no one else ever saw
It all just made me... empty

Empty as I pushed all emotion out of my body to cope.

"I'll sort the kitchen next" Ada called, leaving the bathroom to go downstairs
"Okay" I called back, looking around her bedroom.

I needed to find something for her to wear
Something to put in there with her.

I sifted through her wardrobe, picking out a few things, until a box caught my eye
And I sat on her bed to open it

Photographs, lots and lots of photographs of her and... dad?
When they were married
And by the look of it... happy?

I often wondered in those quiet moments... what my life would have been like
If I would have been normal
If I would have somehow turned out alright

Would I... would I be alright?
If my dad was still alive, if mum never lost us, if my foster parents never gave me away. If I had never tracked mum down

I had so many what ifs and crazy decisions I made to get here
And I was happy.
Happy and complete and then they rip my mother away from me.

I looked through the rest of her drawers. Finding an envelope
With Aberama written across the front
It had a ring inside

A simple golden ring
For their wedding...

I couldn't help but cry, sitting on her floor, surrounded by her
With no her in sight

I just want my mum.

• Bonnie •

"This is perfect Mariana, thank you" I said, looking through the crates of guns
If there's one thing this woman knows. It's guns

"No problem, anything for Pol" she said, crossing her arms
"I'm sorry as well. About your dad, he was good man" she said
"Yeah... he was" I said

It's all anyone ever said to me now
That they're sorry
That dad was a good man

"I best get back. Give them hell though eh?" She called as she walked away.
"Bonnie? Can I have a word?" Roma asked out of nowhere

I ignored her
"Bonnie?" She questioned

"What?" I asked. Not kindly or rudely. Just... numbly
"I just wanted to say sorry. About the wedding. I... I made an idiot of myself" she said

"There's really no need" I brushed off
"I am though, I was reckless and stupid and I... I had just always thought we had a spark an-"
"Roma I really don't need this right now. You're sorry, I get it. Now please leave. I have things to do, I think it's best you stay away from me" I said, picking up a crate

"And it's definitely best you stay away from Adriana" I said
She nodded, leaving me alone
Before Luke then wanted my attention

"Do you want some help?" He asked
"I've not forgiven you just because of yesterday" I said
Even though I was grateful that he stepped in
"I know, I offered help not a friend" he shrugged

"Fine. Grab those" I said.

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