A huge shout out to my friend, LonelyKangaroo, who proofread this for me and caught all my silly mistakes! If you haven't read her stories, you definitely should. They're really great!
Collins laid a final rose on Angel's coffin and slowly walked away, his face contorted into a frown, tears streaming down his cheeks, as if each step away from his beloved pained him.
The group of eight, now down to seven, grudgingly trudged up the hill that would lead them out of the cemetery and into the parking lot.
Roger stormed off, Mark running after him like a pathetic puppy, and Mimi turned away, unwilling to show the hurt in her eyes. Benny put an arm around her shoulders, and they slowly walked away.
Collins ambled aimlessly, tears streaming down his face, both hands clutching at the leather jacket Angel had bought him the year before.
That left only Maureen and Joanne.
Joanne sat slumped against a wall, looking utterly helpless as tears leaked out of her brown eyes.
Seeing this broke Maureen's heart. She took a deep breath, and headed over to where Joanne sat, silently wiping away the tears that rested on Joanne's cheeks with the pads of her fingers.
"I'm so sorry, pookie," whispered Maureen, gently pressing her lips against Joanne's.
Joanne made to move away, to tell her that it was over, but the desperate look in Maureen's eyes stopped her.
Joanne kissed her back, running her fingers through Maureen's thick hair.
Without breaking the kiss, Maureen sat down on the ground, and Joanne climbed into her lap.
Maureen moaned against her lips. "I love you, baby."
"I know," Joanne slid her tongue into Maureen's mouth, deepening the kiss.
A few minutes later, Joanne rolled off Maureen's lap, pulling Maureen up with her.
Maureen tried to kiss her again, but Joanne pulled away. Maureen pouted.
"Let's go home," Joanne told her, sliding her hand into Maureen's.
Together they walked up the hill, the autumn leaves swirling around them.
Tears dripped from Maureen's cheeks, smudging her mascara.
They had known Angel for less than a year, but she had touched all their lives in more ways imaginable.
Maureen was tough, and tough people didn't cry, but she decided to make an exception for Angel.
Some of the tears, though, were of joy.
She had Joanne back, And Maureen would never let her go again.
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