Cornelia:
The rain made the day that much more depressing as Cana held her umbrella high. The gray clouds darkened the sky as the water droplets landed heavily on the ground.
Sighing, Cana took a swing on her beer bottle. Damn the tears that threatened to spill. Damn this day. Damn it all.
Another sip of beer was swallowed. Maybe her grief would drown too. Yet, a voice interrupted her from her thoughts.
"Hey Sweetie! Ready to go?" It was Gildarts.
"Don't call me that," Cana growled and Gildarts had enough sense to back off, but simply offered his hand, which Cana took blushing. Together, they walked from the guild hall to the train station where they boarded the 4:47 train headed to a small town quite out of the ways.
Cana spent the 2 hours ride in silence, staring out the window as the scenery passed by the window. Gildarts didn't press his daughter, knowing fully well what she was feeling.
The misery.
The longing.
The guilt.
The selfish wish that she was still here.
These consumed both of their hearts, trapping them in solitude.
When they arrived, Cana wasn't surprise at her lack of will to move, but she forced herself to anyway. Dragging herself off the train, she paid no attention to her father lagging behind a little or the flower vender that had caught his attention.
Cana knew this path very well as she walked it for many years. She knew where to turn left and where to veer off the road. Gildarts dutifully followed, now with a bouqet of flowers in his hands.
Soon they reached a clearing in the dense cluster of trees where Cana broke out three bottles of beer, shocing one in her father's arms. She made her way over to a gray rock which read: "Here lies Cornelia Alberona, a beloved mother and fighter"
The tears slid down as she set one down at the base of the rock.
"Happy Mother's Day, mom." She whispered and opened her own bottle. Taking a swig, she closed her eyes. When she opened them, her father was kneeling down, laying the previously unnoticed bouqet of flowers next to the beer.
"Cheers, Cornelia." He said and followed his duaghter's actions in taking a sip.
"You know what, Cana?"
Cana looked up at her father.
"You mother would have been so proud of you," He said warmly. "You're just like her."
"Thanks, dad."