Madilyn's POV

I stared up at the building dreading to go inside. I couldn't do this, it was too much. How could I face the fact that I would never see him again? I couldn't do it, if I had known that he would not be here I would have changed the last time we talked. We had argued, and I didn't tell him that I loved him when I had the chance. Now he was gone, and I wouldn't ever be able to tell him again. It felt like my whole world had crumbled around me when I had gotten that last phone call. It has been deteriorating piece by piece the last week to this exact moment, where I didn't know if I could survive another day.

As I stared up at the building, I felt a hand being placed on my shoulder. I hurried and wiped my tears away, as I felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around me. I turned and collapsed into his chest, sobbing from my broken heart.

"Shh…It's going to be okay" he whispered into my ear holding me tight.

I just held on tightly trying to let his scent calm me down. We just stood like that for about ten minutes until I had stopped sobbing. He pulled away and ran the pad of his rough guitar playing hand across my cheek, wiping away any stray tears.

"Are you ready to go inside?" he whispered almost like he was afraid I would break down again.

I nodded as he pulled me into his side, wrapping his arms around me once again. We slowly walked up the stone steps, to the lofty mahogany opening. Once I opened the door, I felt over one hundred eyes turn to my direction filled with pity, sympathy, and sadness. That just made me feel worse I didn't want their pity or sympathy, I loathed receiving it. It was time to put on my façade, I had to be strong for my mom and little sister. I was here for them to lean on, I only cried and broke down when I was by myself or with Chase. He was the only one to ever see me like this, in my vulnerable state, the only one able to break down the walls around my heart. I tended not to think of my feelings or myself, I always put others before me. I didn't want to burden anyone else. The only person who was ever able to see straight through my act was Chase. My best friend.

"Will you sit next to me?" I asked so softly I could barely even hear myself.

"Of course I will" he replied taking a seat next to me on the wooden pew next to my family and I.

The priest walked up to the podium and began his sermon

"Family and friends we are gathered here to mourn and celebrate the life of Michael Perry. Beloved husband, father, and friend. He will be missed greatly, but we will continue on in our lives, and he will be with us, always. "He paused

I already felt the tears running down my face, just thinking about him. I missed him so much he was not only my father but, my best friend. I just wished he was here today. I felt Chase put his arm around my shoulders, and a hand on my knee. I looked back to the priest as he continued his sermon.

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me…"

I zoned out again getting lost in my memories of him. Like when every summer we always just to go on a trip just the two of us, or when every Wednesday we used to go out on daddy daughter dates. Or on Saturday morning he would always make breakfast, and we just used to sit and laugh and bond as a family. I will never have those experiences again. Tears were clouding my vision for the millionth time that day, but this time I would not let them fall. I looked up when I heard my name called.

"Michael's daughter, Madilyn, is now going to sing a song for her father" he stepped down from the podium.

I walked up the four steps to where they piano was, I placed my fingers on the keys and began to play the song I had been sung many times in my life. It was Lullaby (Goodnight my Angel) by Billy Joel, my dad used to sing it every night to me before I would go to sleep. Now it was my turn to sing to him. My voice floated throughout the church as I tried not to cry, it was one of the hardest things that I ever had to do. But I knew I had to continue on for him, he would want me too.

I finished singing and looked up from the piano to my mother, she was smiling at me through the tears on her face. I knew how hard it was for her to do that, it was the first time in a little over a week I had seen her with some sort of smile. I walked back down the steps and took my original seat as the priest said his final words.

After the ceremony we walked over to the cemetery where he would be buried. I stood lifeless with my back up against Chase's chest. I walked forward before they lowered the black casket into the ground. I placed a single white rose on it then backed into my original position. They slowly lowered his casket into the ground, and covered it with dirt and new grass. It was official I would never be this close to him again, I felt my heart breaking all over again. I stood as I watched my mom pick up my sobbing little sister from the ground with her own tears in her eyes, and walk towards us. She spoke something to Chase and he just nodded.

I noticed everyone had left, and it was just Chase and I. I felt every tear that I had held back today, break from the damn in my eyes. I collapsed onto the ground with Chase's arms around me.