The next day Addison appeared at her boyfriend's house at precisely 9 AM. She knocked on the door, whilst she waited for zed to answer she observed her surroundings. The street had been lit with blue and green lights, a Zombies farewell. Zed had told her that the funeral would be different from a human one. Whilst humans mourned, Zombies partied for a week before the dead's funeral. He had explained that it was Zombies way of saying screw you to humans. That just like their living counterparts the undead could actually die. Addison found the tradition both unsettling and amusing, death was sad but on the other hand, it was also a celebration of life.

As she looked around the street however it was quiet. Which was very unusual, she wondered if it was another Zombie tradition. She was pulled from her musings when the door opened to reveal Eliza if Addison was shocked Eliza was there she didn't show it. Instead, she smiled warmly t the zombie
"Thank god you are here!" Eliza gasped. Addison looked at her concerned
"Why, what's happened?" she asked. Eliza ran a hand through her hair before wiping her blue dress. It was unusual to see the girl in a dress and in any other circumstances, Addison would have made a joke about it. At the look on Eliza's face, she refrained from doing such a thing.
"Zoey's upstairs, nobody can calm her down, Zed had to run and grab something"
"What did he have to grab?" Addison asked as she followed her friend into the back of the house. Eliza shrugged and carried on walking up the stairs. She stopped outside Zoey's door, Addison peered in, the youngest zombie was shaking, her entire body wracked with tears. Bonzo was whispering something to her in Zombie-tongue. When he noticed Addison his face lit up, he stood up and rushed over to her, gripping her into a hug. Addison returned the gesture with equal force. When he let go Addison gave her Zombie friend a reassuring nod, she then walked over to Zoey.

Without saying a word Addison sat next to the preteen. For a moment nothing happened and then Zoey crawled into Addison's lap, Addison pulled her into the tightest and most the comforting hug she could manage.
"Where's Zed?" Zoey asked after a moment. Addison laughed
"Probably doing Zed things, being all adulty" she quipped. Zoey snorted, if there was anything Zed wasn't it was an adult.
"When will he be back?" she asked. Addison didn't reply, instead, she pulled out her phone from her pocket.
"Why don't we ask him" and then Addison rang her boyfriend. When he didn't pick up she began to worry but thankfully he rang back after a few minutes.
"Addy?" he asked, sounding out of breath. Addison didn't know whether to be angry or upset at her boyfriend. He had disappeared on perhaps one of the most important days of his life.
"You know when I told you I would be here for 9, I kind of expected you to be here too." Her voice was strained, she had no idea why he decided now would be a good time to run away.
"I'm sorry, I thought I would be back quicker than this. I'll be home in ten minutes tops!" he promised. Addison rolled her eyes and explained that he better has a good dan explanation for disappearing on his sister. When he realised that Zoey was awake he swore under his breath and promised he would be home as quick as he could.

Whilst waiting for him Addison turned to Zoey, she was still in her pyjamas.
"Right young lady, you need to get in the shower and then we will help you get ready, I know you're worried about Zed but he will be home soon and we can yell at him together" she promised. Zoey smiled at her, then she got up and headed to the bathroom.

Whilst Zoey was in the shower Addison turned to Bonzo and Eliza.
"I am going to kill him" she fumed.
"What happened?" Eliza took a step forward.
"He asked us to come round earlier than planned, said that he had to get something and then asked us to watch Zoey. She was asleep but when she woke up and realised Zed was gone she just started crying. We couldn't calm her down." Bonzo nodded in agreement and once again Addison fought the urge to murder her boyfriend. What could be so damn important he would leave Zoey on the day of their fathers funeral.

As it turned out it was pom-poms. When Zed had arrived home, he was carrying paper pom-poms that looked like they were crafted by a two-year-old. Addison had stared at him in confusion
"What?" he asked. Addison just stared at him dumbstruck
"If I look stupid you can tell me, I'll just get a new suit" he laughed, albeit nervously. Addison didn't say anything. Now Addison loved cheer as much as the next girl but why were pom-poms so important on the day of a funeral.

She was interrupted from her staring when a shout of Zed reverberated around the room.
"You found them!" Zoey yelled. Zed nodded and handed the paper pom-poms to his sister.
"Yeah… you said last night that you wanted to cheer dads life so I thought that you know with these you could!" he said softly. Zoey looked between the pom-poms in her hand and Zed, her eyes shining. She launched herself int her brothers' arms.
"I love you" she whispered. Zed gripped her tighter, well aware that his best friends and girlfriend had no idea what was going on. Zoey took the Pom-poms and went upstairs to get ready.

Zed then turned to his guests and explained that Zoey didn't want the funeral to be upsetting, she wanted to celebrate her father. So, Zed had remembered that when Zoey was younger both her and her father had made paper pom-poms, Zoey had forgotten all about them but Zevon had kept them on his desk in his office. Zed had remembered and anted to get them, to make the day more bearable for the little girl. Addison bit her lip, feeling slightly bad for being mad at him. Eliza however, sighed
"As nice as that was Zed you could have told us, Zoey thought you weren't coming back!" she growled. Zed hung his head
"I'm sorry… I didn't think I'd be gone that long, whilst I was there I just got distracted I guess" a thick tension built over the room. Once Zed realised no one was going to say anything he excused himself.

He had to get ready to lay his father to rest.