CHAPTER 5
Adriane was determined. Since Gran had died, Adriane hadn't cried. She hadn't been happy either. Kara and Emily had noticed a difference about her too. She didn't talk as much.
Of course, Adriane had never told them about Aric.
Adriane decided it was time to bury Gran. She knew exactly where, too. She would be right next to her grandson, Aric. Adriane decided to do it alone. She called to Dreamer. "Dreamer? I need you to carry Gran for me."
"I am always here for you, Warrior," was his reply.
Adriane walked out the door, and waited.
Kara couldn't take it anymore. She stood up and walked past her door frame, passing her fingers along the woodwork. "DADDY!" she screamed.
"Yes, princess?" he shouted from down the stairs.
"I need to go to Ravenswood! Stat!"
Kara peeked out from the bushes. She saw Adriane and Dreamer carrying a bundle. Then, Adriane looked up and something splashed on Kara's head. She looked up and realized it was raining. She turned her focus back to Adriane and Dreamer, but they were gone. Kara quickly ran, and found them again, still hiding behind trees. Adriane approached a cliff, and Kara saw her carrying a shovel. Adriane was burying Gran.
Kara knew she shouldn't be there, besides it was a private moment. But she couldn't pull her attention away. She was mesmerized.
Dreamer sniffed at Adriane. Adriane was oblivious to Dreamer. She was completely focused on her job. As soon as the hole was deep enough, Kara decided this was when Adriane needed her most.
Adriane wiped her nose. Her eyes were stinging as she dug the grave. As soon as it was deep, Adriane turned to Dreamer.
"This is the hard part," Adriane half-smiled. "Giving up."
Dreamer's eyes turned to Adriane and he spoke, "Warrior. You aren't giving up. You are saying good-bye."
Adriane heard rustling from the bushes. She quickly whirled around and shouted. "Who's there!?"
"Relax Xena. It's just me," Kara walked out from the bushes.
Adriane turned back to her job. "How long have YOU been here?"
"Long enough. Listen, I want to help. I miss Gran too." Kara grabbed a shovel. Together the too friends dug in silence.
"That looks good," Kara said. She grinned at Adriane and flipped her wet hair from her eyes. Yep, it was still raining. Then Kara noticed Aric's grave. "Who's this?" she asked as she read the gravestone.
Here lies,
Aric Dillon Charday.
We'll miss you.
Return to us one day, our love.
"By the morning light, we'll be half-way to anywhere,
Where love is nore than just your name."
Anywhere
Love forever,
Willow, Luc, Nakoda, and Adriane
"Adriane? Who was this?" Kara asked as she traced the letters of the inscription. Adriane glanced over her shoulder, and put her shovel down. "Was this Gran's husband?"
Adriane snickered through her tears. "No, Kara. That was Aric. M...My B...Brother." Adriane manged to choke out, before she burst into tears.
Kara was astonished. "Aric? How come you never told us about him?"
Adriane swallowed, "I don't need anymore pity my life."
"ADRIANE! You deserve pity! I cried when my hamster died! That's the only sadness I've ever knew. Then, Gran died, and I knew real pain. But now I know what's happened to you. How old was he?"
"Six-teen, and he was the best brother ever. He went driving, because he just got his license. I remember hearing my parents talking that night. They were waiting for Aric to come home, but he never did. They kept calling his cell phone, but he didn't answer. By that time, I was scared. I remembered all the times me and Aric had spent together, and everything seemed okay. I know God wouldn't dish out something that I couldn't handle."
"I recalled the time he took me bowling for my first time, and he brought his girlfriend, Kristen. I really liked talking to her."
"But, when Aric didn't come home, my parents called the police. They told mom that there had been a car crash. A young man was severly injured, and the other was...dead. So we asked them which was which. A young guy we didn't know survived the crash, and Aric was the one tha died..." Adriane tried to calm herself, but when it came to her brother, she couldn't hold in. She missed more than anything.
Kara stared at Adriane. Then she made a swift movment to her jewel. "Emily? Zach? Yeah come over. We're camping out in the Ravenswood Forest. Bring your stuff, we're by the cliff." Adriane smiled.
Then Kara did something that Adriane never thought she would do. She wrapped her arms around Adriane, and Adriane hugged her back. Then they waited for their friends, in the steady moonlight.