The ways we lost him(completed)

Chapter 19

I made my way down to Sebastian's house after school to double check if the people I'd chosen were okay with Mrs Goddard. I kicked little pebbles from the pavement as I walked. The sun was high in the sky, beating down on the ground. I walked past my mother's flower patch, which was lined with little pale pink rosettes and a darker fuchsia peony roses. The sun rays hit them, lighting them in a golden glow.

I was in good spirits today, but it began to drop when I approached Sebastian's house. Mrs and Mr Goddard were in a heated discussion just outside the door, as Mrs Goddard hauled her stuff into her Jeep. She had bags on the floor and was currently ignoring her husband who stood behind her.

I hadn't seen Mr Goddard since  Sebastian had died. I was taken a back, he looked like a mess. He wore pajamas, he hadn't shaved and I could smell the alcohol coming from him from where I stood. Considering the only image I'd ever gotten of him was a clean-cut and precise business man, he looked like a completely different person.

"No, Edwin, I'm done. I can't deal with this anymore." She snapped, turning to grab a cardboard box from the ground. He ran around her frantically waving his arms in desperation.

She looked up crossly. "I've turned a blind eye to you and your malicious nature for so many years because our son was still young, but I guess I no longer have that to hold me back."

He looked at her in disbelief, his eyes red rimmed and wide.

"I'm so sorry Roselia, I didn't know, I wouldn't have.." He broke off suddenly, and turned to aggressively kick the boxes. She gave him a horrified look and grabbed them from the ground, she turned and finally noticed I was on the other side of the street.

"Oh Dalia!" She grabbed the last box, stuffing it into the back seat of her black jeep before shutting the door.

"I meant to speak to you," she made her way across the street as her husband watched helplessly, letting his wife leave. He turned and stormed back into the house.

She didn't even bat an eyelash.

"Have you figured out that thing I asked you to do?" She asked me so casually as if it were a shopping list, it was unnerving.

I nodded meekly, pulling a list from my jacket and handing it to her.

"Okay, these are?"

"His friends, people in his clubs and his favorite teacher."

She nodded thoughtfully, raising her eyes. "Allen, the art teacher? He always liked him." She muttered, scanning through the list.

"Dean?"

My mouth hung open, unsure of what to say.

"He's the boy he was with, isn't he?" She asked reading my expression. I slowly nodded and she did too, in understanding.

"Just because I don't agree with someone's choices doesn't mean I won't respect them." She said suddenly and I met her eyes, nodding once more.

"The reception will be held next Thursday in the little church just off Bellview Lane, is that okay?"

I nodded and she smiled sadly, handing me back my note.

"For what it's worth, I'm glad he had friends like you."

She turned and walked back to her Jeep, she hopped in and sped off, leaving only a foggy smoke and her husband peeping out of the blinds in her departure.

-/

Allen filtered is all into the art class after taking us out of religion. I noticed Angie was there already, sitting on the table and talking to the cherry haired boy beside her.