Authors Note:
Okay, so I don't know about you, but I really enjoyed this chapter! I thought it was heartfelt, and a great way to show the celebration of one's life, and I hope you feel the same way! Let me know what you all think! :)
Chapter Forty One
Time Jump – Funeral
Clary POV:
After reading through my mom's will, and her very unusual funeral arrangements, I had finally finished planning, and I was just waiting for everyone else to get to the rink. My mom didn't want anything big, mainly just family, and a couple of close friends along the way. I had strapped on my skates, and was mindlessly skating around when I heard the doors swing open. I looked up, and there stood my family, along with Jace's and a few of her friends, all dressed warmly, and wearing skates. Jace held tightly to PJ, while Patrick helped Sammi, and Tucker needed help from both Karina and Jacqueline. Despite this being a funeral, I couldn't help the smile on my face as I saw some of them struggling. Especially Alec, Magnus, Izzy, and Simon. They finally made it over to where I was standing and they all got their balance and I took a deep breath.
"I know this is unusual, but it's what my mom wanted, and even in her death I can't really say no to her." I said with a laugh. "She didn't want anything big. Mainly just her family, and a few close friend if they were still alive, and well, here you all are." I said to the women who my mom was close too. "After reading through what my mom wanted, I couldn't help but laugh at how utterly ridiculous she was." I said and everyone laughed. "I mean, who wants their funeral service done on ice? But I guess that's the part of the skater in her she was never able to let go." I said. "For those of you, and mainly I mean Simon, who knew my mom and me while growing up, the first word that came to mind to describe her was probably not a nice one." I said and Simon laughed.
"I used to call her so many mean things." Simon said and I laughed.
"She was strict, and she was disciplined, and kind of hard to get along with. Especially when she was in coach mode." I said with a sad smile. "But on the rare occasion, where she was just simply my mom, and not my coach, were the times that I knew how truly blessed I was to have her as a mom. She's the reason I am where I am today, and I never got the opportunity to thank her for that, but I am truly grateful she got my ass out of bed at 3 am, to train from 4 am until my feet started bleeding." I said and everyone laughed. "Her last wish, which is incredibly odd to me, was that I perform my gold medal routine in her honor, and that her ashes be placed in the rink at the facility so that she will forever be near her family, and one true passion. So sorry babe, but looks like our rinks are where her final resting spot will be."
"I wouldn't imagine it any other way." Jace said and I smiled.
"Now, I'm a little rusty, so I apologize in advance if this routine is sloppy." I said and everyone nodded and made their way off the ice. I gave Jace the urn, and skated out into the middle of the ice, just like I had done all those years ago.
Jace POV:
Once we were all off the ice, I stood at the side and watched Clary. The music started and Clary lost herself in the world that she shared for so long with her mother. I could tell how emotional this was for her, but she was executing it flawlessly, until she got to her one trick. She landed right on her ass, and didn't move. I could see the subtleness of her body moving, indicating that she was crying, and the music cut off, and whole rink was silent. Patrick started to walk towards the ice, but I grabbed his jacket and stopped him.
"She could be hurt dad." He said and I shook my head.
"She needs to do this alone Pat. She's not hurt, she's grieving." I said and he was reluctant, but stepped back. Her cries were echoing softly through the silent rink, and after about 7 minutes, I made my way onto the ice, and when I got her, I kneeled down, and gently put my hand on her back. She looked up at me with bloodshot eyes, and gave me a sad smile. "You did absolutely amazing Clary."
"I didn't realize how hard that was going to be." She said and I smiled and pressed my lips to her forehead.
"How do you feel?" I asked as I helped her up onto her skates.
"At peace." She said and I smiled. I took her hand and we skated back to the sideline where Jacqueline, Patrick and Karina came over and we had a nice family hug.
"Alright Herondales' and guests, let's head home." I said and everyone nodded. We all made our way back to the house where we would just relax, eat, and enjoy each other's company. We were heading home in a couple days, and right now this was all the relaxing time we got to spend as a family before having to jump back into work again and we were all going to savor this time.
Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later
Clary POV:
We were all sitting around in the living room talking, and laughing, and having a great time. I didn't think today was going to end like this, but I was glad that my mom was no longer in pain, and that I had such an amazing support system. As I cuddled into Jace's side I took a look around the room. Tucker and Jacqueline were curled up on the couch together. Patrick had PJ in his lap while Sammi sat beside them with her head rested on his shoulder. Simon and Izzy were cuddled up on a couch, and that just made me smile even more. And Alec and Magnus were currently holding Karina. I don't think it matter how old that girl got, she would always be their favorite niece. Karina sat upon Magnus's lap, with her head on his shoulder, while her legs crossed Alec. She might be 12, but she was still just as tiny as she was when she was 7.
"Jack!" Karina called throughout the room and interrupted everyone's conversation.
"What K?" Jacqueline asked.
"Did you know that now that you married Tucker, and your last name isn't Herondale anymore that your initials are JIL, which means you're literally Jack and JIL!" She said and everyone burst into a fit of laughter as realization spread across Jacqueline's face.
"Oh my god." She said after a minute, which caused everyone to laugh even more. "How the hell did nobody notice that?"
"Bad word Aunt Jack!" PJ said and the laughter just continued.
"Sorry buddy." Jacqueline said and he just smiled as leaned back into Patrick. "How did you figure it out K?"
"Well, I was thinking about it after you got married. You will never be a Herondale again. Sammi will eventually become a Herondale, and I was wondering if I ever wanted to get rid of the name. You know, when I get married." Karina explained.
"Baby, you're 12." Jace said and she laughed.
"But I won't be 12 forever daddy, and I was just testing my name out with all the letters of the alphabet. I was comparing KGH with all the possible combinations." She said and I just couldn't believe she had thought that much into this.
"And what did your findings result in?" I asked and she laughed.
"I want to be a Herondale forever!" She said and I laughed.
"Well, you can be a Herondale forever." Jace said and she smiled.
"But what if my future husband doesn't like that?" Karina asked.
"Than he isn't for you baby." I said and she leaned back into Magnus. "Your future husband will love you no matter if you take his name, or keep your own."
"You can always do what Uncle Alec, and I did." Magnus said. "We hyphenated our names."
"But isn't that because you're gay?" Karina asked and Izzy burst out laughing.
"I love this kid." She said through the tears and Alec just glared at her.
"No. I would have been honored to be a Lightwood." Magnus explained.
"And I would have been honored to be a Bane." Alec said next.
"So why did you keep them both?" Karina asked.
"Because they both meant so much to us, that we wanted to keep our old family name, and mesh it together with our new one." Magnus explained and Karina nodded.
"Why did you take daddy's last name mommy?" She asked me.
"Because when we got married, there wasn't any other name that I wanted at the end of mine than Herondale." I explained and she nodded. "Trust me sweetheart, you want to keep Herondale in your name, but that may change, but that doesn't mean you can't keep it."
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"Well, how attached are you to your middle name?" I asked and she shrugged. "You can always get rid of Grace, and make your middle name Herondale, that way you always have it with you."
"Why didn't I think of that?" Jacqueline said which caused Izzy to scoff.
"I'm offended. You don't want to be named after your godmother?" Izzy said and Jacqueline smiled.
"It's an honor to be named after you Aunt Iz." She said and Izzy smiled. "I was just saying, I didn't know that was an option."
"There are many options out there in the world kids. Don't limit yourselves." Jace said and everyone nodded. Everyone eventually got back into their own private conversations, and I sunk further into Jace. Not having my mom in my life was definitely going to be weird, but I couldn't imagine getting through it without the love and support of my family, and I was grateful for them.