AN : This is my first story, so please be nice. Also I am sorry is this story is sad (which it is) but I heard the song (I've changed some of it to suit the story), and had an idea.
I don't own Glee, the characters in this story, or the song. They all belong to their rightful owners. NOT ME!
Now that's done with…
You Can Let Go Now.
It was the day of the funeral. Beth had been dreading this day ever since her father was diagnosed with cancer three years ago. She was only 15 years old, and was the hardest thing that she has ever had to go through. Her Mom had been there for her and her father through it all, but Beth could tell it was killing her inside. They'd been married for 8 years. Beth was born whilst they were in high school, Puck had always promised Quinn that he'd be a good father to their daughter, and he had, Beth loved her Dad so much, and he'd given her everything she had ever wanted, but now he was gone Quinn was falling apart.
'Mom, you need to get ready. We have to be at the church in an hour and a half.' Beth said to her mother, who was still curled up in bed. Quinn hadn't showered for 3 days, her hair was a mess, and she had hardly eaten since her father passed away.
'Beth, I can't go. I-I just can't.' Quinn was now crying. Again. Beth understood, she'd lost her father, but during that process, it felt like she had lost her mother too.
'Mom, seriously, just get up! You have to get ready. You've done nothing but lie there for 3 days straight. I know you miss him,' Beth was now on the verge of tears, 'but mom, I do too. I don't have a Dad anymore. And I know I am being harsh right now, but you can't just lie here and do nothing. Dad's funeral is today. You can't just not go!'
'Yes I can Beth! Now go. I don't want company right now.' Quinn spat back at her daughter.
'Fine. Do whatever you want. But you know if Dad was here, he would tell you to get up, get dressed and just push yourself forwards. Mom, this funeral may give you some closure!'
'Well Beth, he's not here, so he can't do anything. And I don't think anything will give me closure right now. My whole life has been destroyed! The one person I truly loved with all my heart is gone. And I'm never going to see him again!'
'The one person you truly loved? Well that obviously doesn't include me does it? Since I was a mistake and all?' Beth shouted at her Mom, 'I'm going to get ready now, and It's up to you whether or not you turn up to the funeral!'
Beth stormed out of her mothers room, and into her own. She jumped in the shower and hurried with her hair, no make-up though, it didn't feel right, why should she hide the fact that she had been crying? She loved her Dad, and she wasn't going to be ashamed of all the crying she had done - her puffy eyes were proof of it. As soon as she was dressed she walked to the church.
When she arrived she was greeted by Rachel and Finn. 'Hey Beth. You doing okay?' Rachel asked.
'I'm doing better than my Mom. Thanks for coming.' Beth gave a fake smile and started to walk away, but a pair of arms wrapped around her waist.
'Hey babe, I haven't seen you or spoke to you in weeks. How you doing?' Beths boyfriend, Adam, asked.
'I'm okay, I guess. I suppose I'm doing as good as I can considering my Dad is dead!' Beth spat.
'Woah, woah, woah! Calm down babe.' Adam said as he turned Beth around and pulled her into his arms.
'I'm sorry Ad. Me and my Mom kinda got into a fight this morning. I shouldn't take it out on you. I'm so sorry.' Beth said but started to cry into his chest.
'Come on, you. Lets go sit down for the service.' Adam led Beth inside, and they sat at the front of the church.
Once everyone had arrived the church service started.
'Noah's daughter now has a few words.' The minister said. Beth walked up to where the minister stood, and took his place.
'My Dad was great. And I'm sure, as most of you probably know, he was the most caring Man I will ever meet. I didn't always show it, but I loved him so much.' Beth paused, swallowing hard, taking a deep breath, and a glance around the room. There was still no sign of her mother, so she continued, 'No-one ever thinks that they'll be in this situation. That there Dad will be taken away from them. But I suppose it can happed to anyone,' Beth paused again, fighting back the tears in her eyes, and swallowing the lump that kept appearing at the back of her throat. 'I didn't really know what to say today, but I wrote a song, so hopefully this says it all.' Beth walked over to the piano, sat down and started to play,
Wind blowing on my face,
Sidewalk flying beneath my bike,
A five year olds first taste,
Of what freedom's really like.
He was running right beside me,
his hand holding on the seat,
I took a deep breath and hollered,
As I headed for the street.
You can let go now, Daddy,
You can let go,
Oh, I think I'm ready,
To do this on my own,
It's still a little bit scary,
But I want you to know,
I'll be okay now, Daddy,
You can let go.
Beth looked around, she swore she couldn't see a dry eye in the room, but she didn't care about that. She cared about the fact that her Mom was sat in the front row next to Adam. Beth smiled at her Mom, her eyes filled with tears. At that moment Beth couldn't hold her own tears back. They flowed down her face, but she carried on singing.
Could've been standing at the alter,
Between the two loves of my life,
To one I've been a daughter,
To one I soon would be a wife.
When the preacher asks,
'Who gives this woman?'
Daddy's eyes would fill up with tears,
He'd keep holding tightly to my arm,
'Til I whisper in his ear.
You can let go now, Daddy,
You can let go,
Oh, I think I'm ready,
To do this on my own,
It still feels a little bit scary,
But I want you to know,
I'll be okay now, Daddy,
You can let go.
Beth continued to play the melody but her eyes were blurred from crying. Luckily she had played this song so much that she could play it with her eyes closed anyway, but the part of the song she had already sung was the easy bit. The part coming up? Not so much. Beth remembered from practicing, that her voice would always break, and she would have to stop, and so she was just praying that wouldn't happen today.
It was killing me to see,
The strongest man I ever knew,
Wasting away to nothing,
In that hospital room.
'You know he's only hanging on for you'
That's what the night nurse said.
My voice and heart were breaking,
As I crawled up in his bed,
And said...
You can let go now, Daddy,
You can let go,
Your little girl is ready,
To do this on my own,
It's gonna be a little bit scary,
But I want you to know,
I'll be okay now, Daddy,
You can let go.
You can let go.
Beth stopped playing and the room was filled with clapping. Beth stood up to walk back to her seat, but as soon as she stood up, she collapsed to her knees on the floor, crying her heart out. She thought she could handle it, which she did, but she didn't think about what would happen afterwards. Adam rushed to her side, scooped her up in his arms and walked back to his seat. He kept her in his lap and held her close, stroking her hair, trying to calm her.
The minister stood up again, 'Now Noah's wife.'
Quinn took her place and began 'I'm not going to lie. I didn't want to come here today. I didn't want to say goodbye, but something that Beth said to me earlier made me realise, Noah...Puck...wouldn't have wanted that. He would have wanted us to remember the good times we had with him.'
Quinn stopped looking a Beth curled up in a ball on her boyfriend's lap, 'I told Beth that I didn't want to come here today because 'My whole life had been destroyed! The one person I truly loved with all my heart is gone. And I'm never going to see him again!' That was my excuse. That's true, but the real reason...it's because it kills me to see Beth unhappy. Beth wasn't planned, and yes, I hated being pregnant, I was 16, I had no idea how to care for a baby, but Puck told me he'd help, and do whatever he could to be a good father, and as soon as I saw her face...'
Quinn had to stop for a moment. She tried to continue but it came out in broken sobs, so she stopped again, took a deep breath and continued, 'Beth I've always loved you. It was just hard for me, but your Dad made it easier. I always thought you favoured him over me, I suppose that's because I wanted to give you up for adoption, but he refused to give you away, but thinking about it now, I realise why that's stupid. You loved your Dad because he was an amazing man. Yes, he had his moments where he could be a jerk, but as the years passed, those moments happened less and less, do you know why that is? Because he got to keep you, Beth. And each year, on your birthday, he was so happy and each year I had less regret about keeping you, because I realised...you had the family that I wanted for you. Me and your Dad. Everyone says you look like me, which yes I see it, but every time I look at you I see your Dad. And Beth you're right, coming here today, will give me some closure. Thank you Beth.' Quinn looked down at her hands, and saw them shaking. 'I'm going to miss Noah, but I know that I'm always going to have a piece of him, because I have Beth.'
Once the service was done, Quinn turned to Beth, 'That was beautiful baby. Your voice is wonderful.'
'Thanks, I just wish Dad could have heard.' Beth replied.
When the whole funeral was over, Quinn and Beth returned home. Finally both of them had some closure.