One week later was Jenny's funeral. The entire Gibbs family except for Darla was going to attend. Being eight months pregnant Darla was feeling pretty bad. She wasn't sick just drained of energy from the baby. Besides none of her clothes that were appropriate for a funeral fit her anymore. All the maternity clothes she had bought for this stage were stretch pants and t-shirts. Her one dress was her wine red church dress which she felt was to flashy and cheery for the funeral of a teenager. Especially the beloved fiancée of her step-son.
"You sure you don't want to go?" Jack asked.
"I really don't feel up to it." Darla replied.
"Are you sure?" Jack asked.
"I am just so tired. It's really had managing the store and the younger kids while you and Leroy are gone on top of being pregnant. I feel bad but I don't think I could sit that long either. My back is sore and I would be better off just sitting in the bathroom through the whole service." Darla explained.
"I understand Ann had a very hard time with Jethro. With Abby she had bad morning sickness most of the pregnancy but other than that she was OK. With Leroy she was on bed-rest for months. We were told at every appointment that she would lose him. He ended up being an emergency c-section at thirty-two weeks." Jack explained.
"Well this pregnancy is much smoother than that but it is exactly the same as with Timmy. I was fine right up until the eighth month. I started feeling terrible." Darla replied.
"Well I should be going. I hope you feel better and you don't give your mommy anymore trouble." Jack replied kissing Darla and her stomach respectively.
Jethro took a seat in the front row. He could not believe that Jenny's grandparents had the nerve to show-up. They had not spoken to her since she told them she was pregnant. Now that she was gone they were acting all sad and like they missed her. If they really missed her they would have patched things up before she died. Even if they were sitting on the back-row. In Jethro's opinion they had no right to be here. Jenny's mother had made an appearance too. The same woman who had abandoned her in a strange town with the grand-parents she had never met and replaced her with a new family. Had shown up to her funeral. Jethro knew that she was only coming to get sympathy. The same reason as her grand-parents. Beside her was a girl who looked like she was eleven or twelve. Who was texting on her phone and asking if they could leave yet. The service hadn't even started yet and Jenny's sister. No her replacement didn't even want to be there. Meanwhile Jethro had left her premature baby girl in the hospital. To drive back to Stillwater for the funeral. He didn't want to be either place but he had too for his girls Jenny and Kelly. He had changed Emily's name to Kelly after learning from G who was thankfully doing well and would hopefully be moved closer to home soon. That Tobias Fornell, Jethro's main rival from the East Columbia County High basketball team. Had also had a daughter and had named her Emily as well. She was now Kelly after the only retaliative of Jenny's that he had met who he could stand. The late sister of Jenny's father Jasper, Kelly Sheppard. She adored Jenny but had been diagnosed with ALS shortly before her brother died and was unable to care for a child. Jethro met her once or twice before the disease took over. She was sweet, smart, and funny just like Jenny. She had been a fifth grade teacher in a small town in Florida before she got sick. Jethro remembered the first time she visited. She was already wheel-chair bound but she put him on her lap and raced him around Jack's store. The second time she was weaker and barely had any use of her hands but she let Jenny and him sit in bed with her and look at old photo albums. She died just before Jenny found out that her mom had abandoned her. That was another time he held Jenny while she cried. At least they were together now with Jenny's father and his mom. Heaven is where Jenny deserved to be actually. Somewhere warm and filled with love and without pain. Not here on Earth where she was abandoned and criticized. The service began. After a few hymns and a reading of the twenty-third Psalm. Pastor O'Dell called Jethro up to the pulpit to deliver the eulogy.
"Jenny and I met in kindergarten. Some big kids had pushed her down and taken her lunch. I came to her rescue sharing my lunch with her and helping her clean her dress. I was there for her when her aunt died and a few weeks later when her mom abandoned her. She was there for me when my mom died and when my dad remarried. There were plenty of good times too. She was there when my baby sister was born and when my dad adopted both of my brothers and Darla adopted Tony. When my dad adopted Timmy. I was there when her volleyball team went to state and when she was Valid Victorian at our graduation from Stillwater K-8. I will never forget the speech she gave. About how we should live our lives because they could be taken at any second. How most of the stuff that we thought was a big tragedy now. Won't be anything in ten years. Even with her pregnancy she was on track to be Valid Victorian of Stillwater high. Her speech for high school would have been even more amazing. She was the most amazing and beautiful girl I have ever met and she gave me a beautiful baby girl. Whom I named Kelly after Jenny's aunt. The only relative Jenny had that I met and liked. She was originally called Emily but I found out that my rival from baseball had a daughter named Emily. So I changed it. Trust me Jenny would adore this story. Jenny you were the love of my life. The only woman I will ever love more is our baby girl Kelly. Rest In Peace and I will become a better person so I can see you again one day. Please watch over me and our girl." Jethro spoke.
A/N: I am sorry for changing the name but I decided liked Kelly better. They were tied after all. New chapter will be up soon. Please review and thanks for reading.