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I couldn’t help but cry as we stood above a sad grave, a box lowered into the hole as a priest spoke about earth to earth, ash to ash. Felicity was crying too, leaning into the strong arms of her son.
I wondered a lot of things about her, but we’d learned a few things over pizza the night before. Her husband had passed and it was just her and her kids, most of which had left London.
I couldn't imagine how painful it had been to lose a husband, but I could only begin to understand, because I would be devastated completely if something happened to Ashton.
Turning to him, I squeezed his hand while observing the flat, expressionless look on his face. I knew he had to be feeling something, but he refused to let it show. Even in death, he wouldn’t let his father win anything from him.
When the Priest was done with his words, he encouraged us to throw some dirt in the hole. Felicity went first, grabbing a handful of it, whispering to it, then dropped it through her fist in a slow stream.
Woodrough took a fistful too, tossed it in, then joined his mom in their original spot.
It was Ash’s turn, but he didn’t move.
“You should do it, too,” I told him, but he shook his head.
“It feels too damn much like respect,” he hissed.
“Don’t do it for him. Do it for you. This is your closure, Ash. Not that you will miss him, but that you did everything you could, despite it all.”
He heaved out a sigh, but did as I suggested, going to the dirt to toss a handful over the grave.
“Good riddance,” he said with a shrug, then gripped my hand again and led me away from the grave.
The new rental car was a little ways down the winding cemetery pathways. It gave us a few minutes to talk before getting back into the car.
“We’re heading out tonight,” Ash told Felicity, squeezing my hand as if with nerves.
We hadn’t talked about what would happen after the funeral. Everything involving Felicity was one big question mark, so I understood his trepidation.
Felicity slowed, then turned to her nephew.
“Already?”
He nodded.
“I don’t want to be in this cursed fucking city any longer than I need to be.”
She gave a sad nod back.
“Ok. Well, I’d like to stay in touch, if that’s something you’d like, too. I’ve just found you. I don’t want to give you up.”
The tension in his shoulders eased and he managed a smile for her.
“Yeah. I’d like that too, Felicity.”
Her lips turned to a beaming grin.
“I’m so happy to hear that, hun. You have my number, and I have yours. I’ll be calling you before too long.”
He agreed, then dug out the key to his fathers house from his pocket.
“I don’t want the place,” he told her, forcing her to take the keys.
“You may not want it, but you can at least sell it. Maybe you can buy a home together with its proceeds.”
“Maybe, but I can’t look at the place. I can’t—”
She finally took the keys, but gripped his hand between hers as she looked him in the eyes.
