Author's Note: Haley Braddock next! Not much to say about her chapter just that it's more ensemble because I also have Becca, Vanessa, and Charlotte in this chapter too. I don't have many more characters to go, so if you have someone in mind let me know. All of the characters were in the books at some point (except for the mention of Vanessa's husband).
Happy reading!
Haley Braddock glanced around making sure that everything was set up the way it was supposed to be. Snacks were sitting at the tables and people started to trickle in. She smoothed her blond French braid and straightened her black dress. Today was going to be hard enough facing her old friends. The funeral just seemed to make it worse.
"Thanks for helping us out Haley," said Greg Roberts, who looked like he had been crying. This was after all his sister's… She couldn't finish that sentence. He held Tori, Danielle's daughter, in his arms.
Next to him his parents were crying as they went up to the casket. Haley bit her bottom lip to keep herself from crying. Danielle was one of her best friends and now she was just gone. Danielle Roberts had passed away from cancer. After surviving childhood leukemia, she thought she was out of the woods, until recently that is. What was worse was that Tori wouldn't have her mother around since she was only 4. With her dad out of the picture, Haley just wanted to hug her.
"It's no problem," she said lightly making sure that a lamp shade wasn't crooked.
Friends and family were piling in for the wake and then the funeral proceeding at Stoneybrook Cemetery. Haley kept her brown eyes to stray to the door occasionally looking for her old friends. Tori was walking around holding Greg's hand.
Danielle was the one keeping her friends together. Back in high school she was labeled the freaky weird chick for dressing like a hippie. Becca, Charlotte, and herself eventually all shifted away from each other. Danielle was the glue keeping them from breaking up completely. Just before she died, Danielle wanted all three of them together at the funeral.
Haley was still friends with Vanessa. She wasn't really friends with Charlotte and Becca anymore. Vanessa was friends with her and Charlotte but not with Becca. Charlotte was friends with Vanessa and friendly with Becca but not friends with Haley. Becca is friends with Charlotte and friendly with Vanessa but no longer friends with Haley. It was confusing and in a time of a crisis different things happen.
Then she saw Becca Rodowsky walk into the room. Her arms interlinked with Shea, who seemed to be helping her stand.
"Becca," said Haley rushing over to her.
"Haley," she said throwing her arms around her.
Happy to see her too Haley hugged Becca back who was really crying hard. If there was one thing all the girls had in common, it was Danielle. It hurt knowing that she was gone.
"I'm sorry to hear about Danielle," said Shea. "I know you guy were best friends and you were living with her."
"Thanks Shea."
Her own face started to feel damp a little and showed them a plate of cheese and crackers. They had taken a couple and went over to the casket. Unable to face them together, Haley stood by the door waiting for either Vanessa or Charlotte.
Half heartedly she waved to Carolyn Arnold who was in town for the weekend visiting her sister. They had already talked awhile ago. Haley wished that Matt was with her, but baseball season wasn't going to end until next month. Her parents were still on their cross country trip.
"Haley," said a voice coming in next to her.
Vanessa had thrown herself into her arms next.
"Oh my gosh I can't believe that this happened. I knew her cancer had come back but I didn't think…" She pulled her tighter into the hug. "Josh is home with Elle and I just came by myself, so I could spend some time with you and my family."
"Thanks Vanessa," said Haley drying her face.
She didn't expect to be crying this much. Finally, Charlotte had found them when she had hugged Vanessa and then Haley. Honestly that was a little weird because they were the two first to stop talking to each other. Nevertheless, Charlotte hugged her just as tightly.
Haley finally pulled apart from her before the wake was over and gathered all her friends around. She had pulled out her note from Danielle and showed the three girls. Together they had made themselves comfy on the couch set up in the funeral home. Several of Danielle's friends and family had gathered all talking and sharing memories of her.
"I had this note from Danielle," said Haley passing it around. "She wanted all of us together. We were her first friends she had made that saw past her leukemia."
A lump formed in the back of her throat imaging her writing those words. That they were all going to be her friends and she wasn't going to forget them, despite the time that had passed. Things were quiet between them as Shea handed them more snacks. Becca had cracked a smile and blew her nose.
"Do you remember how excited she got when she was able to go to Disney World for the first time? She was so excited," said Becca.
"I remember that," said Charlotte.
"What about that time she got us into that car accident," said Vanessa. "I had to get stitches. Or that play we had with the kids club."
"We had a lot of fun had kids," agreed Haley. "Or that time in middle school where we stayed up all night for the sleepover. Or when we did the talent show together. Do you think we could still do that dance together?"
"Somehow I doubt it," said Charlotte looking down at her baby weight she never lost.
Haley just laughed remembering the dance. "Or when we had the roller skating party."
Everyone around her had cracked up telling the stories from when they were younger. Anything from making friendship bracelets together and catching up with each other and gossip. Usually remembering stuff from when they were kids.
"We watched so much TVLand growing up that you'd think we grew up in the 60s instead of the 90s," joked Charlotte. "My favorite show was the Cosby Show."
"Mine was P.S. 192 or something," said Becca. "I had a huge crush on the guy who plays as Lamont."
They just continued to talk on. Charlotte and Byron usually send out RSVP's for Thanksgiving. Becca and Shea were visiting a real TV set not too long ago. Vanessa had her baby two months ago. Haley was going to visit Matt soon. Until finally they heard the wake coming to an end. They all had to go out to the funeral at the cemetery together. Becca found Shea and Charlotte found Byron.
Vanessa had walked besides her keeping her close. Nearby Shea and Becca were whispering to each other and smiles on their faces. In front of everyone was Greg, Tori, and the parents.
Things were quiet again as Haley felt the chilly September air. Things were sure changing, she thought, an looked around. Haley just hoped that it was for the better.
