Chapter Thirty

Emilia's POV:

"Sweetie I’m home!!" I heard her voice echo through the house,

"MOM!!" I yell and I ran down the stairs "MOM!!" I yell again, she smiles in return,

"Yes sweetie it’s me" I went and hug her and that's when she disappeared,

"Mom!! Mommy!!" I scream, looking for my mother.

My eyes shoot open and the tears start running down my face again. I've been having this same nightmare ever since mom died. And what's worse is that I've had this dream once before ages ago.

This is the worst feeling. I have just lost the only person who is my everything. My own mother dead. All because of a fault in the engine, the plane crash was all over the news and I just couldn't, no I couldn't stand to hear about the flight that killed my mother and hundreds of other people. What I don't understand is that why it happened to my family. Right now I only have my brother and he hasn't left my side since that day he came over.

I haven't spoken since then either. I only answer with a nod or a shake of the head, no sound other than a sob would leave my mouth. Nothing could change the way I feel right now. Dylan wanted to stay over here to make sure I was alright but Ash pushed him out the door saying 'she needs time'. Once the group found out my phone hasn't stopped flashing, over a hundred messages from the whole group but I haven't replied to one, I just switched off my phone. I wasn't ready to talk to anyone, but I'm sure Ash kept in contact with everyone.

School starts on Tuesday, but I won't be going. I'm not ready to go. All I will be getting is looks of sympathy and that's not what I want right now. Right now what I need is my mother, but she is gone. She's gone. Mom's gone. My eyes water up every time I think of her as gone. It's only been a week and the funeral is tomorrow.

I don't think Ash is going back to his dorm anytime soon. He is just as worse as me. We both haven't gotten much sleep, my reason being I have nightmares every night, Ash is really depressed and I don't think we will ever recover. She was our mother and now she is gone.

"Emilia," I hear Ash ask, "Do you want a mocha?"

I just nod my head. Blinking the tears away. Ash is being the stronger person for me, but really he dosen't need to be. He is allowed to be feeling down and he can cry if he wants, cause I know he was just as close to mom as I was.

"Here you go, nice and warm." He says passing me my favourite mug, one mom brought me. That's when the tears start again, I put my cup on the coffee table and rest back in the lounge, Ash places his cup next to mine and pulls me into his chest hugging me tightly, being the protective brother he is.

Diinngg Doonngg

Ash got up without saying a word and answers the door to whoever it was. I just hope it's not one of my friends, even if they are worried about me I only need one person right now and that's my brother.

I feel the seat beside me sink in and then a set of arms wrap around me tightly, I refuse to look who it is. All I know is that it is someone who is like my other brother, Parker. To my mom, Parker was like another son. I'm guessing that's why he's here. I hug him back just as tight,

"It'll be alright, Em. It will get better." He says making more tears fall down my cheeks like Niagara Falls. Parker tightens his hug making my head lean on his chest, giving me comfort, but nothing ever will.

"Parker." My brother calls, Parker unwraps himself from me and kisses the crown of my head and walks off with Ash.

I might as well hurry up and graduate, I need a new start. I need to make my mom proud, so if I can take that internship sooner, then I would be more than happy.

Dylan's POV:

Ally's dead.

That is not what you would want to hear about the person who is special to you. Emilia's not in a good place right now and I would know. I've kept in touch with Ash to see how they were doing. Ash of course told me he was fine, and that Emilia isn't in a good place at the moment. Ash wouldn't be fine after his mother just died, I'm guessing he is being strong for Emilia's sake, he is very protective of her.

I really want to see Emilia but I guess she doesn't want to talk to anyone. She won't even answer any of our texts. Once everyone found out the news, they were devastated. Ally was a really amazing person and Emilia was exactly like her. Ally was a really nice and funny person, no one wanted to hear that she was dead but it was the truth. I was even crying the first night but I wouldn't admit that to anyone, she was like a mother to me.

"Dylan," I turn my head to look at Hunter and he just looks really concerned, "are you going to be ok?" he asks me,

I've been staying at his house ever since I got back.

"I'm fine, I'm just worried about Emilia. I want to go see her but I want to give her space. Her mother just died after all."

"It's devastating, she was such a good mother too." he tells me and I shrug,

"She was like my own mother." I added, and he nods,

"It's true." he pauses and looks up at the ceiling, "Everything will get better, and you will see Emilia tomorrow."

"Let's just not talk about it and can you pass me another beer." I ask him and he shakes his head,

"What would Emilia say to this?" he says passing me the beer and I open it instantly and gulp it down.

Soon later the darkness consumes me.

Emilia's POV:

Today is her funeral. I stare at myself in the mirror, that happiness glimmer that was once in my eyes are now dull and sad. Nothing in my life is happy anymore not after I found out that she is gone. I decide to wear one of my mom's black dresses, in her honour. It was a skater dress. Tight from chest to waist and from waist down it was loose, till just above the knee. It was black with a sweetheart neckline and I finish the look how mom usually does, with a black belt on my waist. Tears came to my eyes again but I wipe them away furiously, and I quickly put on abit of make up, like mom usually would. I pair the dress with a simple pair of black heels and a black clutch.

Like mom would have wanted.

Mom always wanted me to wear more heels cause the only pair of shoes I ever wore were converse. I smile at the memory. Mom would want me to be happy and not be upset, I'm just upset we never spent much time together and now she's gone... forever.

It's mom's funeral so I'm going to make her proud. That's why I'm wearing a dress and heels or more precisely her dress and heels. In her honour and it makes me feel closer to her in a way. I quickly put my hair up in a high messy bun, leaving a few pieces from the front of my hair out. Once I'm done I look straight in the mirror and just stare at my reflection.

I look just like her. My eyes start watering again but I fan the tears away. I really don't want to cry especially during my speech. I take one more deep breathe and whisper,

"I love you mom. I miss you."

I blink a few times and nod, I take the leave and walk down the stairs very carefully so I don't trip. A the bottom of the staircase is Ash wearing a black dress shirt and a pair of black jeans along with his black high-tops.

He must have heard me cause he looks up and it looks like he is going to tear up again, he even wipes at his eyes a few times,

"You look just like mom." he whispers and I smile sadly,

"I know." I say in a really quiet weak voice, I haven't spoken this whole week until now. "I miss her Ash." I say letting the tears fall this time and walk into Ash giving him a tight hug and he returns it,

"So do I." He says quietly, I nod silently into is neck, hugging him tighter, "Ready to go?" he asks gently caressing my cheeks wiping a tear away, I manage to nod and he sadly smiles, "You really are a spitting image of her you know, especially dressed like that." he whispers again and I suck in a breath and nod silently,

"Mom always waited for the day to see me wearing heels and a dress freely, only she's not here to see it." I whisper, more tears slipping down my cheek, "I thought I could wear it to honour her." I tell him and he nods,

"You look beautiful sis." he says with a sad smile, "We better get going, ok?" I nod.

And so we head silently to the small chapel.

The priest has been talking for the last half an hour, talking about how a wonderful person mom has been until the end. It was now time for the speeches and I was nervous, I really didn't feel like talking at all. It is only a small gathering of family friends including Ana and her family, Dylan and the group, Parker and his family, and Ash's girlfriend Chloe and her family, along with a few others of moms friends.

Ana was first with her speech, telling everyone how dedicated mom was to her job and her children. She spoke of how much of a good friend mom was to her and told us some of her memories with her. Next up was another of mom's friends since college, she spoke about some of her memories and how good mom was as a friend and so and so.

After a few more speeches there was a person I was surprised to see take the stand, Ash had his hand in mine this whole time and my grip tightened as I saw who it was.

"Well hi." he starts off and tears start running down my cheeks again and my grip tightens on Ash's hand, "I didn't know Ally for that long but let me tell everyone here that she was an amazing person. Whenever I was over at her house with her son and daughter she was just so happy and I knew how much she loved her children. She was also the most enthusiastic person I knew. I remember the first day we met her," he pauses and cracks a small smile, "Our whole group was over and the girls decided to play a prank on us guys, Ally's idea of course." he says with a sad smile, and a few of the people had small smiles on their lips but they were sad smiles. "At the end of the day, we all ended up drenched with water and whipped cream. It was a day to remember. We all had our fair shares of memories with Ally and she will never be forgotten." he finishes with a nod and a small sad smile on his lips.

I remember the day Dylan was talking about, it was so funny. Mom made apple pie with hot chilli's and we all had a water fight with balloons, hoses and whipped cream. How could I forget that day. My grip on Ash's hand was tight by the end of his speech and Ash's hand was turning pale, so I quickly loosen my grip. Ash was soon called to the stand and I let his hand go for it,

"Mom was really special in mine and my sister's life, we never spent much time with her but she always made sure to come visit us when she could. She was busy with work and I knew just how much she loved traveling and taking photo's. She visited me and my sister at least every few months, and I really wish we spent more time with her. Mom was someone you would never be able to forget. She wasn't just like other moms, no she was so cheery every time we saw her and especially when she saw me and my sister, you could tell she was the happiest person in the world. I'm soo glad mom was my mom cause without her, I wouldn't know where I would have been today," Ash pauses and wipes under his eyes, "I just wish she was still here with me and my sister. I love you mom, your in a better place now." he finishes and there were a few tears in my eyes and now it was time for my speech.

I take a deep breath and stand up walking towards the stand and Ash stops in front of me, "Do you want me to go up with you?" he whispers and I shake my head,

"No, I'll be fine." I force a smile and he looks really concerned but accepts and takes his seat,

Once I'm standing at the stand I look up and see everyone looking at me with sorrowful looks, but I catch one pair of really concerned eyes and I force yet another smile at him which reminds me I will try talk to him after this,

"Where to begin," I start,"my mother, she was a beautiful woman. She took care of both me and Ash while working full time. As much as I would have liked to have more time with her," a tear slips down my cheek, "I couldn't, I wanted my mom to do what she loves photography. My mother was my role model, I want to take up after her and become a professional photographer just like her, she taught me everything I know. I only saw her last week and you know what she told me before we left England," I pause, blinking a few more tears away, "That she was coming home full time after she finished her last job in Paris. That day I had a bad feeling leaving her there at the airport after saying goodbye, but I thought it was nothing... and now she's gone," I say placing a hand to my mouth tears falling freely now, that's when I saw Ash just about to jump off his seat to come to me and I look at him silently saying not to, "I love my mother, she was my best friend, I could tell her anything and now my best friend is gone. I'm going to make you proud mom, I promise. I love you... I miss you." I finish and take a step back from the stand and walk back to my seat, leaning on Ash while he kisses the crown of my head and hugs me tightly.

We were all standing on the edge of a cliff by the water, a place that my mom loved very much. Mom always told us if anything were ever to happen to her she wished to be cremated and her ashes were to be set free by the ocean. We as in me, Ash, my group, Ana, and a few more close friends of my mom.

I stood close by Ash's side and look up at him as I take a handful of mom's ashes in my hand and he did the same. Everyone else just watched since me and Ash were keeping the rest of her ashes. Me and Ash take a step forward not to close to the edge, but close enough to see the water. I look up at Ash and he looks down at me and nods. Together we let go of the ashes and say,

"Rest in peace mom."

And soon I am taken back in Ash's arms and hugged tightly as we watch the ashes blow away in the wind, with small sad smiles along with a few tears running down my face. Ash kisses the crown of my head, like he has done most of today in a comforting matter. Mom would want us to be happy and that's what we will try and be... happy.