Everything will be ok

The Okens' spare room was small but I didn't mind. It was either move to Florida with my Dad or stay here just so I could see Oliver. I was missing my mom loads. The first night of me staying at Oliver's, I had to cry myself to sleep. Her funeral was in a week. At first I wasn't sure whether I would cope but I knew as long as Oliver was with me, I'd be ok, everything would be ok.

"Lilly," he chapped my door and entered.
"Hi," I said.
"Just checking you're ok."
"I'm good thanks," I smiled. I suppose I wasn't 'good' but close enough. Oliver sat on the other side of me bed where I sat.
"I know it's not home and my mom won't come close to being a mom to you-"
"Oliver, it's fine, " I paused, " I miss my mom, a lot but I know she'll be happy for me because she knows I'm happy when I'm with you. She adored you, you know."
"Well, don't all Truscott's?"
I laughed, "I more than adore you. You're my everything. "
He smiled, "I've had special orders from my mom, no more calling her Mrs Oken, it's Nancy from now on and my dad is Rob and for my brother? anything you want, pain might be appropriate."

Oliver's family was nice but he was right, his brother Nathan was a pain. I didn't have any brothers or sister, not yet anyway, but seeing him made me glad. My mom wanted another child but after divorcing my dad, she never got the chance.

"I'm going to school tomorrow." I told Oliver "Isn't it a bit soon?" he asked.
"No, I want things to get back to normal."
"But it's only been two days since-" he stopped, not wanting me to become upset.
"I know but I want my mind off it."
Oliver nodded, understanding me.
"I'll have to speak to Miley." I said "Are you sure you want to?"
"No, but there's some things in life we just have to do? Like how I'm going to have to suffer my mom's funeral next week...."
"Lilly, I'll be with you, I promise you. I'll hold your hand, help you get through it."
"Thanks," I smiled.
"I'd do anything for you."
"And I love you for that," I paused, " actually I'd love you even if you didn't"

Oliver lay on my bed and I lay beside him with my head resting on his chest.
"Oliver I've known you since we were 4. That's 12 years. Did you know that?" I asked "Yeah," he answered, " I work it out everyday."
"Who would of thought we'd be together now?"
"I did," his mom said standing at my door, "Your mom did Lilly."
"Really?" I asked She nodded sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I remember standing with your mom in my kitchen, watching you both play in the back yard. It was the first time you had visited. Oliver came home everyday from preschool talkin about you so your mom brought you over and well we watched and knew that there was something special between you both, we just knew it."
I smiled, "I remember that day."
"Yeah, it was the start of your real friendship. You saw each other almost everyday after that. Then Miley came and I thought you would soon break away, but you didn't. You stayed strong. And it is strange for a mom to tell her 16 year old son and his girlfriend this, but you are meant for each other."
Oliver squeezed my hand.
"And your mom would agree,"she continued," I know it."
"Yeah," I said," I agree."
Oliver nodded, "Thanks mom"
"Yeah, thanks Mrs O- Nancy," I added.
"Right well I think it's time for your bed guys? ae?" she told us "Two minutes mom."
Nancy left the room.

"Will you be ok tonight?" Oliver asked "I'll be fine" I assured him.
He kissed me on the lips.
"I love you and I'm glad you're staying in California, Florida doesn't deserve you."
"I'm glad too."
Oliver headed for the door.
"And I love you too." I said and he blew me a kiss.

I lay in bed. In my head I spoke to my mom.

'Hey Mom. I really miss you. I can't stop thinking about you. Well you and Oliver. Mom, just so you know, I'm really happy with him. I love him. What 16 year old girl can honestly say she loves her boyfriend? well for once, me. I'm sure you're happy for me being with him, I know you loved him. Starting school tomorrow? why? because I know you would want me to get on with my life. Mom, I love you and will never forget you....'

I eventually fell asleep.

As I walked into school the next day many people stared. Oliver was by my side, which helped me a lot and I also my mom was with me, always. Walking down the corridor felt weird. I knew what everything was think but no one said a word. Then I saw Miley. She stood metres in front of me.

"Lilly?" she said shocked to see me.
"Miley?" I said back.
We ran to each other and hugged. No matter how badly we fell out, we always made up, always.
"Lilly, I'm so sorry for everything and about your mom-"
"Miley its fine," I told her, " I've missed you."
"Where are you staying?"
"Oliver's spare room."
She smiled, "I was finding it hard to live without you Lilly, you're my best friend.
We hugged again and walked together with our arms linked to our first class. Oliver didn't mind, he knew how much I wanted things to be back to normal.

The day wasn't too bad. A few people saying 'Ohhh Lilly I'm so sorry' or ' Lilly, Are you ok?'. That drove me insane. People who never cared before, caring now. I just wanted to grieve in own way thanks. I enjoyed lunch. Sitting with Miley and Oliver was good. It felt like it used to. We were happy again.

Each day leading to my mom's funeral felt like this. Miley and I were best friends once again, going to the mall and the beach. I loved it.

Saturday, the day of my mom's funeral came. I woke up with a sick feeling in my stomach, as if today I was finally saying goodbye to her. I walked into the kitchen.
"Your dad will be here soon," Mrs Oken said, trying to lighten the mood.
"Yeah," I replied. I was happy to see him, sure I was but today didn't seem the right day to be in a good mood.
"Lilly, If you're finding today hard, remember I'm always here and Miley and I know Oliver will be with you the whole day, beind you the whole way."
"Thanks."
Oliver walked in and sat beside me at the kitchen table. He grabbed hold of my hand and smiled. I tried to give him as much of a smile back that I could.
"It'll be ok, I promise." He whispered. I simply nodded.

Unable to eat much, I headed upstairs to get dressed. I opened my wardrobe door. I hadn't been able to take all my clothes with me when I moved in to the Okens' so I was limited. What could I wear to my mom's funeral? I looked in the mirror and had a flash back to when my Grandma died.

My mom walked up behind me.
"Mom, what can I wear?" I asked "I'll find you something," she answered.
As my mom looked through my clothes I said, "I miss her mom."
"So do I sweetie, so do I...."
Tears ran down my face and when my mom noticed, she stopped what she was doing and turned to me.
"Shh don't cry," she said, wiping the tears off my face, " She's with you everyday. She'll watch over you always, keep you safe."
I nodded. "She loves you, " she added, " So do I, you're my little girl."
"She loves you too, you're her little girl."
My mom hugged me.
"Now," my took out something from the wardrope and putting it in front of me, "I think you should wear this."

I looked back in the mirror a few years later, in the same situation that I was then. This time, I had no mom to tell me what to wear and to tell me she loved me. I needed her. I started to cry. I then heard a knock at the door. I turned around. Oliver stood at the door. He noticed that I was crying and rushed over to hug me. As we did, I just cried harder.

"Oliver, I need her," I said through my tears, "I need her here to tell me what to do and what to wear and how to cope."
Oliver pulled away and open my wardrope and picked up a black dress and a black cardigan. "Help much?" he asked "Yeahh, thanks," I said, slightly laughing. I took the clothes off him.
"And as for what to do and how to cope," he paused, "I'm here for you. I know, I'm sorry, I'll ever come close to being like your mom, but Lilly remember you're not alone, and never will be."
I nodded, "Oliver, I really need help. I don't think I'll cope with today."
"I know you can. I'm here. Hold my hand, I'll support you. Cry, I'll wipe away the tears. Believe, I'll believe it with you..."
"Thanks," I said feeling kinda stupid. "You go get ready."
"Ok..."

I went into the bathroom and got dressed. When I came out, my dad was downstairs. I raced down, I was dying to see him. As I entered the room, one thing caught my eye, Cassie, my dad's wife. Why was she here? She didn't even know my mom. I knew she was about to tell me she's sorry and try to convince me to come to Florida. Not that she cared though, she was soon to have her own kids. She did it to keep my dad happy, or was about to, I knew it. To prevent this, I ran to my dad to hug him, starting to cry... again.

"It's ok sweetie." he told me I mumbled something. What else could I say? Yeah, dad, my mom's dead but i'll be fine? "Come on, we need to get there early." he said, taking Cassie on one hand, me on the other. I stopped and looked at Oliver.
"Lilly, we need to go now. We'll see Oliver later," he sighed. I didn't move.
"I'll be there soon, I promise you." Oliver assured me.
I nodded and followed my dad. We drove to the church by ourselves, the body had already arrived.

I stepped through the big church doors. Cassie and my dad had gone somewhere, I didn't know where, I didn't actually care. In front of me was the coffin. Inside it, was my mom. It was a disturbing thought. She was actually in this wooden box. I stood staring at it, desperate for the lid to just open and for my mom to pop out and tell me everything would be ok.

"Everything will be ok." said a voice behind me.

It was Oliver. I hurried over to him. Uh oh, tears again.

"Everything will be ok...." he whispered into my ear....