FicWad

I looked into the mirror making sure that I look presentable. I may not know this family, but I need to look nice. Just as I was fixing my hair, my evil step-mom called up to me, “Rebecca! Are you ready!? We need to leave now!” Joy, as my friends are enjoying themselves at the local amusement park on this November day, I get to enjoy a 2 hour car ride with her. Talk about fun! I grabbed my makeup bag and my clothes for the weekend that I stuffed into a batman backpack and headed to the stairs. As I came running down the stairs, she looked at me, “you’re wearing that?” I looked at my black spaghetti strapped top and back and red checkered skirt topped off with some leggings (with some holes…stupid little cousins) and red converse. “This seems fairly appropriate to me.” “Whatever, there’s no time to change. Let’s go!” Barely half an hour into the drive, I shouted “why do I have to go to this funeral!? They’re your damn family!” “‘cause your father is on a business trip and I can’t leave you alone.” I rolled my eyes and put on my earphones ready to drown out everything around me with some punk rock for the next hour and a half.

As we got to Belleville, New Jersey, I thought what a crummy town. When we arrived at the mortuary, I immediately felt uncomfortable. She introduced me to her family, “this is my step-daughter Rebecca,” but I ignored her and walked up to the open casket…I wanted to be anywhere but near her.

I knelt at the coffin and said a prayer to show my respects. Then I went up to the lady standing next to the coffin…assuming she was part of the deceased’s immediate family…and told her that I was sorry for her loss. “Thank you sweetie. I don’t believe we’ve met. You must be Rebecca, or Becca if you like, Carmen’s daughter. Hello, I’m Donna Way.” “I’m actually just her step daughter.” “I know. Ignore her rudeness.” And she laughed. I like her already. She then walked me over to, I’m guessing, her family, “This is my husband and my son, and, I’m sorry, I’d introduce you to my older son, but I don’t know where he is. Maybe you could look for him. He needs a friend right now. He and my mother Elena were extremely close.” “Ok Mrs. Way.” “Feel free to call me Donna.” “Ok, Donna then.”

I walked outside and saw a very beautiful man with long black hair and porcelain skin sitting on the bench, holding a cigarette, and his head in his hands. “You might want to be careful not to burn yourself with that.” He looked up at me and then threw the nicotine filled stick. “Thanks.” “Mhmm” I was too taken aback by his soothing voice and incredible hazel eyes to mutter actual words. I took a seat on the bench across from him. “Hi, I’m Becca.” “I thought it was Rebecca.” “I prefer Becca. I’m Carmen’s step-daughter…sadly.” “Do I look like I care?” “Sorry.” I sat there in silence for a little while before asking him his name. He stayed silent and grunted when we heard someone call out his name, “Gerard!” I’m assuming he didn’t want me to know. He looked at me, “when you go back in, can you tell them I’m not ready to go back in yet.” “Yup.” He continued looking at me, “was that my cue to leave?” “Kinda.” “Sorry…again.” I got up and left.

After the vigil and the burial, Donna invited everyone back to her house. In desperate need of someone to talk to out of pure boredom, I searched for her other son. “Hey.” “Hey, what’s up?” “Sorry, but I didn’t really catch your name earlier.” “Oh, I’m Mikey. Sorry for the way my older brother was acting. He’s been a little distant lately.” “It’s cool.” After talking for a little while and 3 cans of soda, I really needed to use the bathroom. “Where’s the bathroom?” He pointed it out. As I walked towards it, I passed by a bedroom. I assumed it was Gerard’s since he was sitting on the bed. “Are you okay?” “Why does everyone keep asking me that!?” He got up and walked towards me. “I just…” he didn’t even let me finish. Before I knew it, the door slammed in my face, “ow.” I continued my journey to the bathroom.

Seeing how Carmen got carried away with the wine, Donna invited us to stay for the weekend. So Carmen canceled our hotel. At 11 pm, I changed out of my clothes and into my nighttime spaghetti top and some shorts. I watched her drink away her pettiness, and wished we were at the hotel right now. By 2 am, Carmen was passed out on the pull-out couch and I was on the other…regular…couch. I couldn’t sleep due to her loud snoring. As I tossed and turned, I saw Gerard head out to the porch. I followed him, but, rubbing my nose, wondered if I should remembering earlier’s attempt to talk to him. Screw it. I stepped outside and sat down in the chair next to him. I pulled out my cigarette pack and offered him one…taking one for myself after. “Couldn’t sleep?” “No, the witch snores to loud.” He let out a little giggle. Then he looked back up at me, “look, Becca, I’m sorry for the way I acted earlier. I was just so upset on how everything happened so fast. I come home from a tour and the next day she died. I didn’t even know she was sick. And I just miss my grandma Elena so much, I just…” “It’s ok Gerard. You don’t have to explain yourself to me.” “So since your Carmen’s step-daughter, that makes us what, like, step-cousins or something right?” He smiled. That was the first time I’ve seen him smile. It’s so pretty…and contagious. I smiled back, “ya. I guess so.” After talking for a little, he began to look a little sad. I got down on my knees in front of him, “how you doing?” He shook his head as his eyes filled with tears. He got down on his knees, too, and wrapped his arms around me. I felt his body shaking as he sobbed and told him “it’s going to be okay, Gerard. I’m your new friend, I’m here for you.” A simple “thank you” was all he could muster out in his state. I was happy that I finally got through to him, and happy that I found a friend so far away from me, yet so close. Seeing his reaction towards me now, I knew he felt the same way, too.