There must have been hundreds of people at the service. Several stood and spoke of the man's accomplishments.
He was a fine doctor, husband, father, grandfather. He had traveled the world with The Peace Corps in his youth, before college. He loved to help people and volunteered at free clinics and traveled to impoverished nations to give free medical care to the poorest of people.
He met his wife, a nurse working in the same country, where they worked side by side to help and care for the most vulnerable of humanity. She took one look into his blue eyes and fell in love.
They were soul mates, people said. Good people who truly cared about others, who wanted to do good.
Eventually they married and she became pregnant with their first of 3 children.
So they returned stateside and built a life there, raising their kids and still helping and volunteering when they could.
Thier oldest son also became a doctor. The middle child, a veterinarian, and the youngest, was a journalist who traveled the world reporting on whatever injustices she found.
Eventually they had 7 grandchildren, whom the man doted on.
He retired and spent time volunteering at local homeless shelters and soup kitchens, until he became ill.
After a long illness, and soon after the birth of his first great grandchild, the man went to the hospital and fought as long as he could, but eventually his body gave out, and he slipped through the veil.
His wife, children, and grandchildren by his side.
His sister watching silently, unseen, tears slipping down her cheeks. Her husband standing quietly behind her, a hand on her shoulder.
Very few knew he even had a sister. She had long ago left to marry a man she met in her teen years and moved far away. Through it all they wrote and shared pictures of their families, She had visited every few years, and been at both of their parents' funerals. She called when she could, but few beyond his immediate family knew she even existed. As they had gotten older the visits had become less and less. The letters always came, no matter what. He had a box in the attic with every single one. Hundreds, over the years.
At the service, people were astonished at the huge amount of flowers there. Hundreds of all colors, all bought and paid for by The King estate. His wife had to explain that his sister had married a wealthy man with the name King, and they had insisted.
Even though very few knew about her, she was always there for him. She was so proud of the man her brother came to be. He had a good life, and she could not ask for more for him.
The elderly couple stood in back, a man and woman. A few people wondered who they were, but in their grief, didn't feel it was prudent to ask.
The man whose service it was had known many people and touched many lives.
The service was beautiful, sad, but poignant. The woman no one recognized cried quietly as the man held her close and whispered in her ear.
Afterwards they slipped away from the crowd of people and disappeared.
No one noticed them leaving.
The couple reappeared in another world.
Their facade of age disappeared.
No longer elderly, but young and beautiful, shimmering in the sun.
The woman clutched a picture of a little boy in striped pajamas as she wept into the shoulder of the man.
He tipped her face to his and wiped her tears. "I promised precious, I'm here for you. As the world falls down."
She nodded and kissed him. She also noticed his eyes were filled with tears as well, although unshed.
He was being strong, for her. She knew he had cared for him too.
"I can't ever go back now. It would be too hard now that he is gone. They are all gone." She sobbed anew, a fresh wash of tears running down her cheeks.
He held her tight. "They are always within you Sarah. You can visit them in your dreams. You were able to make sure Toby found his true love, and he had a wonderful life. Someday they will be together again in The Summerlands."
She gave him a small smile through her tears. "I love you, Jareth."
He smoothed her hair back and kissed her forehead. "And I you, my Sarah."
As the sun set over The Labyrinth, the Goblin King and Queen said a silent goodbye to the boy who had started them on their journey to finding each other.
I don't know why it came to me, but it did. Just thinking how it would feel to be immortal and see everyone you know who wasn't pass on to the other side. I don't consider it a tragedy or angst though, because it is the natural order of things, really. This is a companion piece to "Meringue." I know it's not really an "M" piece, but since the other is I'm keeping it in the same rating category.