The bus ride was bumpy and silent, save for the few coughs, wheezes, and occasional whine from a baby. She leaned her head against the cold glass, the image wouldn't go from her mind. The touch of the cold casket wood had brought reality to the forefront. Her mother shared no words, no shows of comfort, just an icy glare to the front. She hadn't been expecting one anyways, after all these years why would she expect her to change now. She glanced around to the few people haphazardly mottled around the room. Not one of her fathers family were here, as per her mothers wishes.
They weren't close ever since the oldest Stilinski boy had set his sights on the Anderson girl, not even when she made him promise to break contact with his family to make her happy. She still didn't know why he stayed with her, when he saw the way she neglected their daughter. Maybe she had been the reason, worth the constant cold shoulder and sleepless nights.
Sometimes she liked to think that.
But she knew it wasn't true. Somewhere deep inside he still loved her, and held on to the belief that she still did too. That's what made it hard still. The fact that all that remained of that hopeless love was lying in a burnt pile of ashes in front of her. The tears would fall later.
The services had been short and sweet. She figured he would have liked that. A choir sang but no music touched her ears, she could do nothing but stare at her mother, still no words nor tears. A heart set in stone even now. When all was said and done. All the mourners had given condolences, and her mother had put on her widows face, could she finally release the breath that had taken residence inside her chest since the beginning of this whole debacle. It was bittersweet in the fact that it was finally over.
It had been only a few hours later when she had finally managed to break away from the small booth of the coffee shop. The funeral after-service had to have been over by now. This whole time spent mulling over the consequences of what took place today. But the time for that was over, it was now time to head home. Down that long empty street towards the small apartment the church had secured for them. It didn't feel right. But then again when would it ever feel right.
Sliding the key into the door, expecting lights to greet her, she was met with a cool darkness. Fumbling around for the light switch, the blinding light illuminated a single piece of paper lying on the table. She figure it was her mother telling her what needed to be done around the place before she got back. A ever constant factor in her life, her little cinderella. This wasn't the case, it simply read:
'I'm not coming back. We're free.'
Those few words hit her hard. This wasn't totally unexpected. What did she think was going to happen now that he was gone, close bonding time. The old 'now we only have each other' talk? Who was free? Her or her mother? From the corner of her eye she could see her belongings neatly sitting near the door.
She had never been one for goodbyes.