When Love Happens

Without them

Kate’s POV

I stood at the front of my parent’s funeral, watching as they pulled the coffins out of the hearse. Everyone had their heads down; I could hear whimpers coming from unfamiliar people.

The funeral took long because everyone had something to say or a favorite hymn my mom or dad liked.

Struggling to hold back the grief, tears flow steadily, silently down the immobile face, feeling bruised inside, numbness, emptiness, I whimpered silently as they lowered their coffins I couldn’t help whimpered loudly as my aunt held me back.

“Mum, Dad! No!” I cried falling to stay strong, I fell to the ground as they started burying them.

I had no strength left from all the crying, I couldn’t do it anymore. I just sat there crying. Everything around us was around my parents, what was I going to do with Allison.

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After the burial people were quick to request for the reading of the Will, my aunt requested that we try to hold it off for a while but they insisted that they read the will.

I sat on the couch as I waited for them to read it, my parents' relatives were only interested to know what they had inherited from my parents.

The lawyer started reading the Will as I looked down. The moment everyone was waiting came as my father wrote.

“To Katelyn, my little angel, the reason for the smile every time on my face, you are my pride. I leave you the house where you were born and raised.  I also live you with 50% of my shares while to Allison my strength I leave with you the mansion in the Bahamas and 35% of my shares. I also request that Katelyn you run the company on my behalf once you receive this letter.” The Will read as the lawyer went on mentioning what was what. Tears rolled from my eyes as I thought about the burden my parents left me with.

The lawyer read my mother’s will which left me with almost everything that she owned only asking me to take care of Allison as the condition for me to run the company.

I felt so empty knowing that this whole house was just for me and Allison now, just the two of us living here.

“This is absurd… How can they ask these kids to take care of themselves?” One of my uncles questioned, pointing to me and Allison as she held on tight to me.

“Technically, Katelyn is an adult who is eligible to be the guardian of Allison,” the lawyer said to my uncle who scoffed looking at me.

“Look at her! She can’t even take care of herself. How can she take care of Allison?” my uncle yelled on top of his voice.

I couldn’t defend myself, I felt like my throat had a lump in it.

“She will manage, she has everyone she needs,” My aunt finally spoke, squeezing my hand

“Yeah right!” Someone else scoffed as I looked at them.

“Katelyn, is there anything you would like to know?” She asked me as I shook my head.

“Good! Just let me know if there’s anything then I can help you” The lawyer said as I nodded my head. Everyone just abruptly left without saying bye to me. I didn’t know that would be the last time I would see them in my life.

I lowered my head after everyone left as I waited for auntie Anne to leave.

“Why don’t you girls rest while I clean up with Rosa?” She inquired from us as I held on to her hand, nodding my head.

We stood up as I held Allison’s hand going upstairs to our rooms.

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Two weeks

“Ally? Are you ready?” I knocked on her door twice, but she didn’t respond.

“Ally I am coming in now,” I said to her before opening the door. My aunt went back a week as she had to take care of her kids.

I entered the room and found Allison was still in bed; she crawled up in the corner, holding her knees to her chest and her face buried in them.

“Ally, are you not going to school?” I inquired, going closer to her, and she didn’t respond.

“Ally, you can’t stop school now. They will take us out if we don’t go today. Remember?” I questioned her and she nodded her head.

“I just can’t- I don’t think I can.”  She uttered.

“Ally, I know you can’t but we need to do this. Mum and Dad wouldn’t have wanted us to skip school,” I mentioned to her, and she just shook her head.

I sighed heavily getting on her bed as I sat next to her, “You know I am not strong right?” I questioned her.

“I need you to be strong, it’s hard that mum and dad are not here but I am here for you. I know we can get through this together.” I convinced her.

“We will miss them, but we have to make sure we do things that they are proud of even as they watch us from above,” I said to her as she finally looked up at me.

“Really? Mummy and Daddy are watching us?” She questioned, and I nodded my head with an assuring nod.

“So why don’t we do what they would want?” I inquired, looking at her face.

“Yes, let’s do that,” She said to me as I quickly hugged her, taking a deep breath.

I got off her bed, and she stood up and I went to grab her bag. Last night I had packed her books and chose her clothes already.

I went with her downstairs, going to get our food boxes. Rosa had already prepared for us.

“Thanks, Rosa,” I said to her as I took it from her.

“No Problem! Anything you would like today?” She asked me as I looked at Allison if at all she wanted anything. She didn’t respond, so I ended up responding by reluctantly shaking my head.

I got in the car and asked her to get in the back seat; I had to drive us as what my parents were not there and they have always wanted, even though I hated it.

I started the ignition and drove off, going to school; I dropped off Allison first.

“I will see you later okay?”  I said to her as I fixed her hair.

“Okay, I will see you,” She said to me holding on to her bag as she walked inside the school building.

I took a deep breath before going back to the car. I got in and went to school, I quickly pulled over in one parking spot before getting out. I made my way to my locker so I can get my things for class when I saw Paula rushing to me.

“Hey?” She greeted me as she kept checking if I was okay.

“Paula am good, you don’t have to keep checking my face if I have puffy eyes,” I said to her as she nodded her head getting her things. She has been calling and texting me every time, telling me I will be fine and that she will stand by my side throughout this hard time.

“How’s Allison?” She questioned as I swallowed hard, looking at her.

“I don’t know Paula; I am worried she will never be the same,” I said to Paula, who held my hand.

“Well, it will never be the same. Your parents are not there anymore, be strong for her and also take care of yourself,” She commented, holding my hand as I fought back my tears.

“Hey? I am here for you! We will get through this, the three of us, okay?” She said, and I chuckled. She always made it sound like she was part of my family.

“Thanks, Paula,” I said to her starting to walk towards the theater hall, I went straight to one chair in the back and sat comfortably with Paula who was busy waving at the guy she liked.

“You know if you keep on waving at him like that you might just end up chasing him away?” I asked her and she chuckled, turning to me.

“I know, I just wanted to make sure he knows I am here,” She said as I focused on the lecture.

I was just a few minutes in the lecture; I felt my phone vibrating, I quickly pulled it out, and it was Allison’s school.

“Hello?” I said, almost like a whisper.

“Hello Ms. Adams, this is the headteacher at your sister’s School. Are you in a position to come through?” She said to me as I sighed heavily.

“Sure, I can come through! Thanks for calling” I said as I quickly packed my things in my bag, about to leave.

“Is something wrong? Is it Allison?” She asked me as I stood up.

“I don’t know Paula, I will find out once I get there,” I said to her as I made way to the bottom of the stairs, I saw the way my lecturer looked at me disappointed but what the heck?  My sister needed me.

I hurried to the car as I got in, starting the car.

I drove as fast as I could and when I got to the head teacher’s office, Alisson wasn’t there.

“Hello?” I said to her as I grabbed a seat so I could sit down.

“Ms. Adams thanks for coming, I am sorry I had to cut your lecture, but it’s about Allison,” She said to me as I sat there waiting for her to explain.

“Thank you, I understand,” I said to her after she explained what happened.

I got my phone walking to the garden where Allison was, “Hey” I said sitting next to her and she just dropped her head

“was he mean to you?” I questioned her.

“If someone is mean to us, we dint have to hit them back, all we do is just to be loving and stay away from there,” I said to her as she wiped her tears.

“We don’t have mum but I promise to be there always. Just tell me if you don’t like something,” I said to her.

“Why don’t we both go home and maybe we can watch a few cartoons?” I questioned her and she lifted her head, looking at me. I smiled at her before I got up, giving her my hand.

She wanted to grab it but I moved it, “Just so you know once you take this hand you will always be honest with me?” I said to her as she nodded her head, grabbing my hand. I smiled, taking her bag from her as we went to the car park.

I thought it was best if we just went home without having to stay at school.  Maybe we were both not ready for this, I know we will get through it. I knew it deep inside me