It's been a week since Margot died. Cody hasn't said a word since the accident. He's locked himself in the spare bedroom. I don't know how to help him when he won't talk to me. He eats when I'm not around. I'm going to force him to talk to me. I know grieving effects people in different ways. It also makes people push others away. There's a certain amount of pushing you can take until you break. I'm at that breaking point with Cody. If he doesn't wake up to himself I'm walking away for now. Today is Margot's funeral.

***

Kendal runs into the bedroom. "Aunty Ashton, why do I have to wear black to Mummy's funeral? I want too wear a colourful dress."

I pat the bed beside. She moves over to it and sits on my lap. I wrap my arms around her. "For as long as I've known people wear black to funerals as a symbol of mourning."

"What's mourning?"

"You know how Uncle Cody won't talk and eat with us?" She nods. "He's in mourning. He lost his Sister in law and this is the way he's dealing with the pain. He's shutting everyone out."

She has tears in her eyes. "Am I in mourning, too."

I nod. "Every time you cry that's you mourning the loss of your mother." I have tears running down my cheeks.

Kendal wipes my face. "Are you in mourning too?"

I sigh. "I didn't know your mother well enough for me to cry for. I'm crying for you and Uncle Cody. It hurts me to see you both like this."

She hugs me. "I love you, Aunt Ashton. I don't want you to ever leave me."

Cody enters the room and he pulls out a bag. He throws clothes into it. He doesn't look at me as he exits the room.

I watch him go into Kendal's room. I stand at the door. "Kendal and I will meet you in the car."

He pulls out some of her clothes. He throws me the car keys.

Kendal is at the her bedroom. "Uncle Cody what are you doing?"

He looks at her. "Packing, we're going away."

She looks at me. "Is Aunty Ashton coming?"

I grab her hand. "Let's wait in the car."

Cody throws something against the wall.

Kendal and I leave the house and wait for him in the car. I sit in the drivers seat.

Cody opens the back door and throws the bags in the car. "Get out of my seat."

I step out of the car and move to the passenger seat.

***

Cody pulls the car into a parking spot in front Angelican Church. The building is bricked with a white Cross on it. On the sign 'Margot Black Funeral' it has the time on it as well.

I step out of the car.

Sandra and Dick walk over to us.

Cody walks past them.

Sandra hugs me. "Has he been like this all morning?"

"Yes, he packed bags as well. He's leaving me." I cry.

Kendal holds my hand. "I don't want to leave you, Aunt Ashton."

I don't know what to say to this little girl I have grown to love like she's my own.

I'm twenty-three years old and I shouldn't be thinking about a family. I want to have a career before starting a family.

Sometimes things happen unexpectedly like Cody entering my life while I had to be someone else.

I wonder if he met me as me would he have fallen for me the same.

That's something I'm never going to find out.

People start to enter the church.

Sandra, Dick, Kendal and I walk into the church.

Cody and Margot's parents are at the door greeting guests.

Margot's mother is wearing a black hat that has some material cover her face and I can see the tears that are pouring down her face.

Margot's father turns to me. "This is your fault my daughter is dead. If she didn't get fired from Martinez Enterprises she wouldn't have been on the road that day."

"Your daughter was stealing from the company she worked for. You should have been better parents and helped her out when she needed it."

The father's face turns red. "I don't want you here."

I turn to Cody and he looks at the ground. "Cody?"

"Just go." he mumbles.

Kendal yells. "Don't go Aunt Ashton."

Cody is holding her.

She kicks her uncle.

He has tears in his eyes.

I turn my back and run away from the church.

I sit by the car while everyone else attends the funeral.

I'm not there for the people I love.

Sandra walks out the door. "Hey, how you holding up?"

I shrug. "It was hard not being inside with the two people I love unconditionally. I feel like my heart was ripped out. He didn't stand up for me."

Sandra hugs me. "Shh,"

"How is Kendal?"

Sandra shakes her head. "She wouldn't let Cody or her Grandparents comfort her. All she would do was call for you."

I shake my head. "That girl has been relying on me a lot."

Cody moves toward me. "Kendal and I are leaving. I don't know if I'll be back." He opens the door and climbs into the car.

Kendal runs over to me. "I'm going to miss you." she kisses me.

Cody beeps the horn. "Come on Kendal. I want to get on the road before peak hour traffic."

Kendal hugs me and she has tears streaming down her face.

I wipe away the tears. "Be a good girl for Uncle Cody."

She runs to the car and climbs in.

Cody pulls out of the parking spot.

Kendal waves.

I watch the car disappear around the corner.

Dick hugs me. "Lets take you home."

I shake my head. "I don't have anywhere else to go. All my things are at Cody's."

"We'll buy you new things. I can drop you off at your parents place if you want?"

"I don't want to go to my parents place."

Dick lifts me up and carries me to the car.

At Sandra's house I head straight to the room I was sleeping in. I lock myself in the bedroom.

***

I hear some noise outside the bedroom door.

"What are you doing?" Sandra yells.

"I'm going to get her to eat. I can't watch her like this again."

"What do you mean again?"

He sighs. "She had a cousin that was two years older than her and he died in a car accident. They were inseparable. After the funeral she stopped eating all together and I had to take her to the hospital. She had drips in her arm to help her stay hydrated and put food into her. I can't see her like that again, Sandy." The door clicks and Dick enters the room.

I look at him. "I'm not going to do that again, Dick."

He moves toward the bed. "I can't take that chance. I love you, Ashy." he kisses my cheek. "I'll be happy if you eat a small amount of food."

Dick lifts me up and carries me to the lounge room.

There's a box of pizza on the table. I take a slice of the Pepperoni pizza and put it in my mouth.

I finish the slice. "Are you happy?"

He nods. "How about another slice?"

I shake my head. "I can't eat anymore. I'm tired." I walk to my bedroom and close the door.

***

Thanks for reading

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❤️MissDredge❤️

This Chapter was hard for me to write. It made me depressed. I nearly cried writing it as well and I was writing this on a bus.