"Hello, welcome to Bread- Oh, hi, Uncle Burt. Aunt Carol." I greeted, smiling brightly at my aunt and uncle when they walked into the restaurant. "Date night?"
Uncle Burt shook his head sadly and gently took my hand to lead me to a private table. That's when I noticed that both had red, puffy eyes.
"Angel, I have some bad news." he said, his voice thick as we sat down.
When those words left his mouth, I suddenly felt numb. I immediately thought about Kurt, my cousin and best friend since toddlerhood. The person who had been my rock when my parents died.
"Not Kurt." I whimpered, tears beginning to well in my eyes.
Carol sniffed and buried her head into Burt's shoulder and Burt closed his eyes to compose himself.
"No. Not Kurt. Um, Angelique, It's Finn. His school called and informed us that he had died. They don't know the cause." he said, tears starting to roll down his cheeks.
It took a few minutes for the news to sink in.
Finn Hudson, my cousin-in-law, was dead.
The first jock to stop treating the glee kids like crap and join us. The quarterback. The boy that called Kurt's taste 'faggy' days before showing up at school in a Gaga-esque dress to protect him. The guy that would stay up with me if I had nightmares and let me fall asleep on his shoulder a few times. My protector. He was gone. I'd never get to hug him again. Or sing a duet while we did dishes at home again. Never see his teasing smirk or warm and loving smile again. I'd never, ever again hear him call me 'Angel of darkness' or simply 'Angie'. All of that had just been stripped from me.
"Oh, Angel." Carol choked, rushing to my side as I stood up only to drop to the floor as heartbreaking sobs wracked my body.
"He doesn't know I love him or that I'll miss him. I'll never really get to say goodbye." I sobbed.
"Yes he does, Sweetheart. He knew that you loved him. He loved you too. He didn't think of you as his cousin. Baby, you were his sister and he adored you." Carol soothed, holding me protectively.
I vaguely heard Uncle Burt talk to my boss and the next thing I knew, he was carrying me to their car.
Kurt arrived the next day.
I heard my bedroom door open, followed by sniffles and shuffling of feet before hearing the devastated voice of my cousin choke out an agonized "Angel."
Not even bothering to look at him, I peeled back the blankets of my bed to let him in.
When I finally turned to look at Kurt, I found him clutching a pillow while weeping. And even though I was still hurting, I reached up to pet Kurt's short brown hair.
"Angel?" he asked.
"Hmm?" I answered, continuing to pet his hair.
"Will this pain ever go away?"
I sadly shake my head.
"No, darling, it doesn't. It dulls over time, but as you go through life, there are times when the pain will return like it is now. You'll want to tell the person you're missing something and feel like this when you remember that they aren't there anymore." I explained, not bothering with the tears that hadn't stopped since the night before.
Kurt broke into a fresh wave of sobs and I joined him, holding him and petting his hair while he rested his head on my chest.
I don't remember the funeral much.
Just the tears, the fact that I held Kurt's hand tight, I was hugged by Sue Sylvester, and that I personally hugged Rachel Berry.
As I prepared to join the New directions at the high school, I stopped to look at the Hollywood glamor funeral outfit I had worn.
A knee length black velvet dress with a matching coat, hat with a fishnet veil, pumps and black satin gloves. I reached out and ran a hand over the soft fabric, allowing a single tear to fall.
"Wish you were here, Finn." I said quietly.
"He knows." Uncle Burt comforted, joining me. I leaned against him and smiled sadly when his arm found its way around my shoulders.
"Sometimes I think you and Kurt were cut from the same cloth. Velvet." Burt muttered, studying the same outfit I had been looking at.
"I may not remember that much about that day, but I don't recall Kurt wearing the same outfit as me." I retorted, trying to make a joke.
Burt cracked a smile and hugged me.
"Oh, found this. It was among Finn's belongings. Addressed to you." he said, handing me a gift wrapped in purple paper with a black and red bow.
I took it and tucked it in the pocket of my peacoat kissed my uncle's cheek before leaving.
"Make sure Carol attempts to eat something." I reminded as I made my way from the room.
"What's that?" Kurt asked as I took the present out of my pocket.
"Something from Finn." I answered.
Kurt nodded and started getting out of the car when I grabbed his hand.
"Stay with me while I open it?" I asked quietly.
My cousin nodded and watched as I took the paper off to reveal a box.
Inside was a small piece of paper that read: "For Angel, a unique person with a voice and kindness worthy of her name. Love ya, Angie. Miss you. Happy birthday."
I couldn't stop the water works.
This was the birthday present he had been so proud of and wanted to give me next time he came home.
Under the note and tissue paper was a silver charm bracelet.
I turned it over in my hands, studying the charms.
I found a vintage muscle car that symbolized my mustang. A snowflake that represented my unique personality. A piano, song note, book, an angel, and a number five. His jersey number.
Kurt snatched it from me and fastened it around my wrist before getting out of the car.
I followed suit and looped my arm with his.
"How's Rachel?" I asked.
"Hasn't left her room." Kurt answered as we walked the halls.
I nodded, knowing that there wasn't much I could say to that.
The week went by in a blur for me. I remember some of it, like Santana's breakdown, but I tried to forget most of it.
When I was ready, I decided to pay my tribute.
"Um, I don't quite know what to say. Finn was my family. But since I am better with singing than speaking, this is my tribute to him." I said, walking over to the piano where I began to play then sing "One sweet day" by Mariah Carey.
When I finished, I received applause and a hug from Mr. Shue.
"That was beautiful, Angel." he said.
I nodded in thanks and sat back down. Kurt took my hand. "He would have loved it." he whispered.
I smiled a little bit and patted his hand.
Rachel looked at me and I couldn't see her usual disdain for me. She looked at me like I was her best friend.
"Thank you, Angelique. You sang beautifully." she said, placing her hand on my knee.
I took covered it with mine and smiled at her.
After class, I sat at the piano absentmindedly hitting the same note over and over while Mr. Shue talked to Rachel.
"What're you doing here, Angelique?" my former rival asked curiously, sitting down beside me on the bench.
"Afraid to go home. I know that when I walk in the house, there will be something to set me off again." I answered, turning to look at her.
Rachel gave me a sad smile.
"Finn wouldn't want you to run from your emotions, Angel." She said.
I nodded, for once agreeing with her.
"What're you going to do now?" I asked.
"Take a page out of your book and survive. I will always love Finn, but I know he would want me to continue to live." Rachel answered.
I just gave her the same smile she'd given me a few minutes before.
"What about you, Angel?" she questions.
"Mike got me an audition at Joffrey a few months ago. I've been accepted. So, I'm going to be a dancer. Mike's already agreed to work with me." I said.
Rachel squealed and hugged me.
"That's amazing! Congratulations." She said.
I hugged her back.
"This is another thing Finn would have wanted." I said, referring to us getting along.
Rachel laughed and wiped away a tear.
"Keep in touch, Angel." She sniffed, giving me another hug before leaving.
I waved. "Did I just see the possible alliance of two Lima divas?" Mr. Shue teased.
"Maybe." I chuckled, putting on my coat and bidding him farewell.
I was ready to move on now.
"Thank you, Rach." I said to myself.
~A year later~
I walked into the café where Kurt, Rachel, Santana and I usually had coffee, tugging Michael Chang behind me.
We were waved over and our orders were taken before we all started talking about our lives.
In the past year, Kurt's band had played several local gigs. Santana and Dani were considering getting married. Rachel had been in major productions, slowly following in the footsteps of her idols. Blaine and Kurt still hadn't settled a date. And with Tina's blessing, I began my first romantic relationship with Mike.
We still talked about Finn and how we missed him every now and then, but it didn't hurt that much anymore.
I knew deep down that the series of events over the year had been Finn's grand design.
Somewhere in the café, I heard "Don't stop believing" and shared a glance with Kurt and Rachel before we each smirked before I leaned in to kiss Mike's cheek and Rachel went back to talking to Kurt.