May Angels Lead You In.
It was under a bright, rudely cheerful sky as Joey Wheeler went to lay the pink rose at the grave of Tea Gardner. Joey cast a bitter eye to the chirping birds, the flowers nodding in the wind, the mocking serenity of this day, as he clutched the pink rose in a protective gesture. Tea's grave
was serenely placed under the shadows of a towering maple that cloaked her stone in dappled shadows, and covered it in a steady stream of
jewel toned leaves. It had been two long years since she was taken, and Joey knew in his heart of hearts, if she was given the chance and the choice to live out the rest of her life again, she would not trade it, or change it at the price of useless years toiled out in a humdrum cage.
No, her spirit was too bright, and her heart too big for a path that was anything less.
He recalled with a bittersweet ache the last time he had saw her face to face. It was in that vague, strange transition between high school graduation, and the real world,where the gang had struggled to find their footing in this alien, adult world. One by one, they had drifted to their own seperate paths, though their bonds remained strong.
It was a solemn gathering at Yugi's house, with the usual-Joey, Tristen, Tea, and the bizzare appearance of Yami. She had been radiating with excitment that night-she had gotten a dance scholarship, and seemed so hopeful that her long-cherished dream might finally come true.
Yugi had some vague plan of puttering around the Game Shop for the summer, and maybe going to school when he knew what he wanted.
Yami just gave him a comforting hand on his shoulder, and reassured him with his usual regal tone he would find his footing when he was ready to walk. Joey and Tristen were planning on renting an apartment together and living off campus. Joey had scrounched up enough funds to pay for his schooling, with the aid of a scholarship, and Tristen planned on working at the local car garage until the end of the year. It was a sweet, but sad occasion, to look upon the beloved faces of his friends today and realize that they weren't going to be there tomorrow. That the ending he had always feared would come tomorrow and seperate them to go where ever destiny and the heart dictated. It was inevidible, and right, and necessary...but it still hurt. It was Tea, who had glanced at the clock with an apologetic look, as she stood and yawned. It was getting late, she mentioned. She needed to get home, because her flight was early, and she had to pack, and she wanted their email addresses-
It all came out in one big spew before she sobbed. She loved them all, she said. Considered them her family. Hated the idea of leaving them, even if it was for her dreams to come true. It wasn't too long before Yugi was openly sobbing, and Tristen had a suspicious glint of moisture in his eyes. They had hugged, fiercely, promised to keep in touch, swore that they would stay close, friends forever, all of that.
Things he had meant with all his heart then, and now. Things that they all drew comfort from.
Tea had kept her promise as best she could, of course. Sporatic phone calls, and birthday cards, and mailed brochures of her concert schedule, with her glowing smile and glittering heels, and legs arched in a dizzying kick in the flash of the stage lights and the thunderous applause of the crowd. And a lengthy, chatty email, at least once a week, that was as warm as a hug and as personal as a journal entry. Always fresh with happiness, and somehow making him feel, in some way, that she was there with him. And she was. She knew of his woman troubles, his worries, and somehow always sent back a cheery reply that never failed to make him smile. That was just how Tea was.
His hands clenched when he recalled the last email she sent him. He had skimmed it at the time, never knowing that it would be the one thing she left behind to help him through the dark grief he felt.
Guys-
Hello from my happy little corner of the world. I am sorry that I haven't been able to keep up with the corrospondance as much as I would like,
but such is the life of a busy dancer! Just kidding. How is life treating you all? I miss you all so much! Life here in the city is something else. It's busy, and everybody here runs at such a frantic pace, all the time, and sometimes, for no reason. I really miss the quiet nights of Domino...little things, like being able to see the stars without these big city lights blotting them out, or being able to hear the crickets chirp, or even a patch of green grass and an open field. You don't really much of that here, but...I think I am finally where I want to be...living my dream, and loving it! I cannot believe how blessed I am! The dance routine I am working on is the hardest, complicated thing I have ever attempted. Me and the girls are getting ready to dance at the Christian's Charity Ball for their holiday fund-raiser. The money they raise goes to help orphans overseas, and fund their homeless shelters here. I am glad that my dancing can help people in such a way. It's rewarding, you know? I have been so blessed by God to have this talent and go so far with it, I am glad to give some of it back for the good of other people. I think that is why I am here, as bizarre as it sounds...to dance. Anyway, I am getting a bit deep, aren't I? I might as well go on one of my friendship rants while I am at it...Stop worrying, Joey, I will spare you that! Anyway, I am hoping to make my way back home for the holidays for a visit, if I can. I will definitely keep you posted.
Write soon!
Hugs, and prayers-
Tea
Joey never got the chance to write her back, or call. The day after she had sent the email, he was awoken with a phone call at 1:00 in the morning. In a shaking, but restrained voice, Yami told him that after she and the rest of the girls had done their dance routine, and had climbed, chattering excitedly into their waiting van to drive to the airport, they were hit headon by a drunk driver. The van had been totaled, the battered survivors taken to the hospital. Tea had been killed upon impact, so quickly that she wouldn't have had time to suffer, or even the awareness of it.
Joey drew some comfort in that, the idea that Tea was enjoying a good chat with her friends, in one instant and then taken to heaven in the next.
Joey didn't answer Yami, just threw the phone down. He punched a hole into the wall until his knuckles bled, and then wailed like an animal, as he buried his face in his hands and cried harder than he thought humanly possible.
He remembered very little of that daze of grief and rage of the next few days. The Gardner family had arranged to bring their daughter home to be buried in the Haven Cementary. The day of the funeral still cut into his memory with its resulting scars, but offered him a bit of hope. It was a bright, cheery day, as if Heaven was happy to greet its newest addition. It was the sort of sky that suited Tea's taste, and even matched her eyes.
Joey had shrugged his arms into the snug funeral attire-a dark suit that felt alien and stiff and wrong- Serenity had dressed in black as well, but carried a pink rose in contrast. Pink was Tea's favorite color, the rose her favorite flower. It had been Tristen's idea that they each bring a pink rose to lay at her grave...sort of a way to pay tribute to their fallen friend, or at least head off some of the gut-wrenching seperation. He met the remainder of the gang at the chapel steps-Tristen trying manfully to dab his tears away, Yugi openly sobbing, with Yami's comforting hand squeezing a shoulder, and that horrible gap between the three where she should have been. They had quietly filed in, and slid into the white bench,
in one, forlorn, huddled group. The church had been bueatiful. The altar, and every available space was drenched with the scent of the sea of pink roses that were in white baskets, and held by pink ribbons, everywhere. And,in the middle of it all, the white casket, with its pink liner, and heavy lid gaping wide, cradling Tea's earthly remains. Joey paid little attention to the eulogy, dismissed as pointless, obligating drabble, but he smiled at some of the memories that it invoked. His main gripe was that it wasn't deep, or long enough to capture her life and years in such a speech. He realized, though, that nobody could. They were filing past the casket, now. Yami still had his steadying hand on Yugi's quaking back, as Yugi bowed his head and cried and lay the trembling rose at her side. Joey didn't intend to look...it would make it too real...too final...but, he had to.
And it hurt! Tea was clad in a long, silken gown, the lightest shade of pink, flattering her slim form, without violating the modesty she had in life.
Her head was swathed in roses, her hair artfully styled to become her face, her eyes closed peacefully, and a serene smile gently gracing the lips. She had on her glittering tapshoes on each foot, and Joey smiled inspite of himself. That was Tea, all over again. Joey lay the shaking rose beside her hands, as the tears streamed down, and then he filed past, trailed by Tristen.
He remembered very little about the graveside portion. Something about an exhortation of trusting the Lord and His ways, and drawing comfort that Tea was in heaven,and rejoicing with the angels. He certainly hoped that was where she was.
Two years it had been. Two long, weary years. The gang had recovered, of course. They had all gone on with their lives, their seperate paths, and kept their friendships strong. The gaping fracture of Tea's abscence became a dull ache. She was eventually remembered and reminised about with smiles instead of tears, in those elusive times they had together. Serenity had found a picture of all of them together, that last night, blown it up, and had it copied, to give out to each of them. Joey had his picture mounted on a wall in his bedroom, as some sort of altar. Yami and Yugi kept their picture on the exalted mantle, next to Grampa Muto's picture, in a glittering silver frame. Tristen kept a small copy in his wallet. Joey gazed down at the stone that bore Tea's name, the inscriptions of "beloved daughter, friend on earth, angel in heaven," and his eyes swam with the tears, as he lay the rose at the grave, and stared silently.
He did not notice the quiet, hesitant footsteps approaching behind, or the shadowed features of Yami as he stood in respectful distance away from the very private grief that Joey was clearly suffering. Maybe it was the snap of the twig beneith his boot, or the brilliant, glittering spikes of his hair in the failing light, but Yami was startled when Joey abruptly jerked his head up,and peered at him in astonishment. Yami watched him, clearly not wanting intrude on his private weeping, but at a loss of how to leave. Joey was even more suprised to see the uncharacteristic shining of Yami's eyes. Though his regal face betrayed no emotion, it was obvious that Yami had cried, too.
"Grief is the one human emotion that I wish I could stop experiencing." Yami said quietly, as he lowered his head to stare at the stone.
"Even after five thousand years, it never gets any easier." Joey offered him a sad smile, nodded his head in silent agreement.
"It doesn't get any easier after two, Yams. I don' know how you deal wid it." Yami gave him a look of wry understanding, and Joey's eyes fell to the glittering gold that shimmered on the chain at Yami's throat.
"New jewelry, Yami? Or are you trying to pimp yourself out?" Yami arched an eyebrow high, a scowl deepening his features.
"I don't know what attempting to 'pimp myself out means,' but I am certain that I am not attempting it at the moment, Joey."
Joey dropped his head in embarassment. "Sorry, Yam. I didn't mean anythin' by dat." Yami ignored it, as he unhitched the glittering chain, and drew out the necklace, slowly.
With reverence, he held it out to Joey, and said, quietly, "Anzu gave me this, Joey. Do you know what this is?"
Joey stared, brow wrinkled. It was a delicately carved golden cross, except where the top beam should have been a straight point, it was an oblong loop.
"A cross of some sort?" Yami cupped it in his hand, and nodded. "It is an ankh-the Egyptian symbol of life. Anzu gave it to me to symbolize her beliefs in God,when she took me to that museam, so long ago. I don't think she would consider it too much of a departure from her Christian cross, do you?"
Joey stared at it, with a raised eyebrow. "I don't know, Yams. I never knew you had a religion." Yami offered a wry smile.
"I was considered a god in ancient Egypt, Joey. I daresay I have a belief of some sort, even if it was false at the time. I never considered myself to be devine. Look at how I have failed over the years."
Joey gave him a sad smile. "Yeah, yeah. But if Tea was here, wouldn't she be exhortin' ya to remember dat you can be forgiven for all dat? At least, her faith tol her dat."
Yami did not answer, but gave the gravestone a long, considering look, as he looped the chain back around his neck.
"Yes, her faith did tell her that. And I would much rather believe that she is "up there" as you modern folks say, than ceasing to exist, or simply decaying under a stone."
"Do you believe dat, Yami?" Yami raised his violet eyes to look at Joey, his hand still gripping the ankh.
"Yes, Joey. I believe that I do." Yami watched in silence as Joey lay the rose at her grave. And somewhere, he was sure that Tea was smiling.