105
TWO WEEKS LATER
Melanie got discharged from the hospital a week earlier, she has been told by Alfred everything that happened that night and what happened after.
She cried bitterly after hearing that her only friend, Kayla lost her life in the fight.
Today, she choose to spend her day with her friend and let her know how much she misses her.
The car pulls to a halt at the front gate of the police cemetery. Melanie opens the door before Alfred could get the door for her. She adjusts her sunglasses and steps down from the car.
She walks over to the back seat and fetches a box. Alfred walks over to her and takes the box from her, guarding her to where Kayla’s body was lying to rest.
Getting there, Melanie bursts into tears as she sees the burial stone of her dear friend. She goes on her knees, wailing profusely as she caresses the name on the burial stone with her thumb.
“My dear Kayla, is this you?” she grips her chest as more tears roll down her cheeks.
“Idiot?!” she sniffs, wiping her tears with her palm.
Alfred places the box down and kneels next to it. Watching Melanie as she has a depressing moment with her friend, he wishes he could do anything to help her but there seems nothing he could do.
“You’re such an idiot for taking the gunshot for me! How dare you die, leaving me alone?” she wipes the dirt off the stone. She doesn’t want her friend’s bed to fill with dirt.
“You’re laying here in this cold place when you know how much your body reacts to cold.” she fetches the box and lifts it in the air.
“You didn’t even remember to take some food with you, right? You’d always come to my house, looking for food you could eat. Here today, I brought so much food for you. A lot of foods you love to eat.” she opens the box and set dishes of food on the burial stone
“How are you fairing? Hope you are not lonely there?” she sighs sadly, dipping her spoon inside the bowl of rice, she lifts it to her mouth and eats it sadly.
“I have as much food as possible, but you’re not here to eat it with me, how cruel?” she sniffs, dipping her spoon inside the box plates, stabbing the stone into the rice.
“Come to think of it, none of the things you wish to do, you didn’t do any of them before leaving this world.” she drops the plate on the floor, removes her sunglasses and places them on the floor beside her.
“You never wish to become a cop. You majored in law enforcement because of me. You leave your dream to become a musician and dancer and chose law enforcement just to support me. You never get to go on a vacation with your partner because you never have one. You didn’t get to have a boy child who you would name ‘Hart’ and have him become my daughter’s soul brother.”
Her headaches as she remembers all the things her friend had written in her diary when they were in college.
Melanie took out her phone and snaps the burial stone. She wipes her tears and smiles sadly.
“I never wish for things to end like this for you, but what can I do? You didn’t live for yourself until the end and I hope you would look back and realise how selfish you were to yourself. You always take me first, even when you end up hurting yourself.” Melanie hit her chest with her fist, feeling guilty for her dear friend’s death.
“I love you, Kayla. I love you and I miss you so much!” Melanie burst into tears, Alfred gently moves closer to her and pulls her to his chest. Gently patting her head as she messes his shirt with her tears.
“I am sorry, honey, I am sorry for causing you pain. If it wasn’t because of me, your friend would be sound and alive now. Please stop blaming Kayla for what happened, blame me for everything and I won’t stop you from resenting me.” Alfred blinks back his tears, he couldn’t help but feel guilty for everything that has happened.
“I won’t see her anymore, Alfred!” Melanie sobs, hiding her face in his chest.
“I am here for you and I know Kayla would be happy wherever she is that you made it out alive. Please stop cursing at your friend and let’s pray for her to find eternal peace.” he moves forward and places a little kiss on her forehead.
Minutes later, they pack up the box and leave the cemetery, with Melanie waving at the cemetery until they were completely out of there.
“Are you okay?” Alfred could not help but ask, seeing Melanie feeling down without saying anything to him, he feels bad and he wish he knows anything he could do to make her feel better.
“I am okay, stop worrying about me,” she mumbles, pressing her head on the cat window, looking out to the street through the window.
Tears shimmer in her eyes as she remembers all the good memories of her friend. Kayla was more than just a friend to her, she loves her so much that she couldn’t stop her tears from streaming down her cheeks.
Alfred drives into the compound and parks the car at the garage. He steps down from the car and walks over to help Melanie down.
After helping her down and fetching the box from the backseat, he walks her towards the front door.
The door twists open from the inside and a cascade of colourful balloons fell from the ceiling, raining down upon her. She let out a squeal of delight, completely caught off guard by the surprise.
The balloons of every colour fill the entrance, bouncing and jostling against each other as they float to the floor.
“Happy birthday!” they all chants in unison.
Archie walks out with a chocolate cake in his hands. Skye rushes up to her and jumps into her arms, kissing both of her cheeks as she beams with joy.
Granny Vera is the last person to walk out, wearing a tired smile on her face.
“Mom!” Melanie drop Skye to her feet and throw herself at her mother, caging the old woman into her arms.
“Welcome back home and happy birthday to you, darling.” Granny Vera pecks her on both cheeks before disengaging from the hug.
“Blow out the candles.” Archie smiles, Melanie lowers her face and blows out the candles after saying a short prayer for Kayla.
She took the cake from Archie and gives it to Alfred. She pulls Archie to herself and hugs him with tears in her eyes.
“Thank you, baby!” She sniffs.Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.
“Don’t be sad, Mom!” he releases himself from the hug and wipes her tears with his thumbs. “I am very sure Ms Officer wouldn’t want you to be in tears if she was here.”
Melanie nods in the affirmative. She looks at her back to see the man whom she loves dearly, smiling back at her.
“Thank you, Alfred.” She jumps into his arms and slams her lips against his.
Alfred smiles shortly before wrapping his arms around her waist.
‘Although Kayla may be dead, she will forever be my only true friend and her memory will remain rent-free in my head.’
‘She stands by me until her last moments and I would continue to love her for giving me unconditional love. She will forever live in my memory and the thought of her will forever bring happy tears to my eyes.’
THE END!