Revision (COMPLETE)

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Aunt Georgina sighed, looking Delaney up and down. "You don't even look anything like your father," she said judgmentally.

Delaney took a deep breath to steady herself. She'd only been there twenty-five minutes and her Aunt was already assaulting her. What was she insinuating anyway—that she wasn't really his daughter? Oh, how I wish that were the truth, she thought wistfully.

A warm hand cupped around her elbow, spinning her to face them. "I'm here!" Genna said. She pulled Delaney into a tight embrace.

"Thank goodness," she said into her friend's ear. "Genna, you remember my Aunt Georgina, right?"
"Mmm, yes I do," she said. A small smirk formed on her lips. She remembered meeting her, surely, but more so she remembered Delaney recounting hundreds of horrible experiences with her. "I need to talk to you, privately," she said to Delaney. She turned toward Aunt Georgina. "You don't mind, of course." She wore the most placating smile Delaney had ever seen.

When they were finally alone, Delaney said to her, "You're acting skills have certainly improved." Her mouth twisted at the corners as she suppressed a smile.

Genna threw her head back in laughter, her loose brown curls spilling over her shoulders. Her hair was past her shoulders with long layers cut into the wavy mass, framing her heart shaped face and round brown eyes. "I could never stand her. She's a bully," she exclaimed. Her dark eyes were shining.

Genna looked exactly the same, except she seemed pale in comparison to the Florida complexions she'd grown accustomed to. Delaney threw her arms around her friend. "My goodness, I've missed you so much! Want to get out of here?" Delaney whispered. "We have so much to catch up on, and I don't know if I can take much more of Aunt Georgina."

"All in good time," she laughed. "But, seriously, Dee, you need to stay. Say your goodbyes to your dad properly. Some day you may really regret it if you don't open up and...well—grieve properly, I guess," she said. She looked Delaney in her tear filled eyes. "He's gone and he can't hurt you again." Her friend's eyes were wide and caring.

"But he is hurting me, right now," she cried. "I want to be happy he's dead. Rejoice. But, I can't and I don't understand it."

Genna folded her into a hug. "Above everything he was your dad, Dee. Even though you hated him, you always loved him and there were good times. I remember the good times too," she said getting choked up.

And with the pep talk resonating deep within her, Delaney squared her shoulders and headed back into the viewing room. She walked straight to the casket in the corner of the large room filled with flowers and familiar faces, and faced her father with her friends arm curled supportively around her waist. She wasn't sure how long she was up there, but it felt as if she had been weeping for hours. She spilled tears for the good times and the bad, for the guilt and the shame and even for the relief she felt deep down inside. Now, maybe her life could finally be her own.

Delaney and Genna made their way to their favorite coney island after the viewing was over. They easily settled back into the comfort of their friendship over chilidogs and French fries, savoring the grease infused meal as they began to catch up on the last several months.

"So, you haven't mentioned a thing about the boyfriend," Genna said smiling. "Your mom told me he came here with you. Where is he?"

"Oh. Back at the hotel. I wasn't sure how it would all go down—you know my dad's family. And to be honest, I didn't even tell him about my dad until after he died. I just felt a little weird about it all, so he said he would stay at the room...and I thought it would be for the best," she replied.