Ch 40

The air was thick with grief as the funeral service was about to begin. Jessica sat in the front row, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, her face pale and emotionless. She had cried so much over the last few days that now she just felt empty.

Mark sat beside her, his large hand resting protectively on her shoulder. Kane was on her other side, a silent pillar of support. Bella sat next to Mark, her own emotions kept in check, though the weight of the day pressed heavily on her. Samantha sat next to Bella and kept a hold of her aunt's hand. When Hunter arrived, Samantha hugged her Dad close making his eyes fill with tears. She kept a tight hold of his hand as he sat down next to her. He looked at Bella seeing she was fighting to keep her composure.

The priest started speaking solemn words of remembrance, but Jessica barely heard them. It all felt like a nightmare. She couldn't wake up.

Then, someone unexpected arrived.

Randy Orton stood near the back of the room, his hands tucked into the pockets of his dress slacks. He had flown in after Jessica had called him the night before telling him how she wasn't sure she would be able to handle the funeral. He didn't know if Jessica would even want him here, but that didn't matter—he wasn't going to let her go through this alone.

Mark, Kane, and Bella all exchanged glances, surprised to see him. Jessica hadn't mentioned him once in the past few days, and yet here he was. They had all heard her talking to someone at night. They had no idea it was him. Randy sat in the back as the service went on.

When the service ended, and the crowd began dispersing, Randy hesitated for a moment before stepping forward.

"Jessica, I'm so sorry for your loss. I had to come and make sure you're ok," he said softly.

She looked up, her green eyes widening in surprise. For a second, she didn't know what to say. Then, her lower lip quivered, and without a word, she nodded.

"Do you want to take a walk with me?" he asked.

Jessica swallowed hard and nodded yes.

Bella and Mark watched as Jessica walked off with Randy.

"She'll be okay," Bella murmured, seeing the way Mark tensed.

Mark nodded, his gaze following Jessica until she and Randy disappeared into the cemetery's pathways.

Jessica walked beside Randy in silence for a long time. The gravel crunched beneath their feet, the cool air wrapping around them.

Finally, she stopped.

"I don't know how to do this," she whispered. Her voice cracked, and her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "I keep thinking I'm dreaming. I can't believe my mom is really gone. I'm turning 17 in two weeks and she won't be there to celebrate with me. She won't be there to see me graduate high school. I need my mom."

Randy turned to her, watching as she tried to hold it together. He didn't know what to say.

A broken sob tore from her throat, and before she knew it, Randy pulled her into his arms.

Jessica collapsed against him, burying her face in his chest, sobbing uncontrollably.

"I can't live without her," she gasped between cries.

Randy held her tighter. "You have to, Jess. She would want you to live your life. She will be watching over. I've got you. I'll help you," he murmured. "Let it out."

And she did.

For the first time since the accident, Jessica let herself completely break. She almost dropped to her knees but Randy held onto her slowly lowering to the ground with her.

Randy didn't try to fix it, didn't try to tell her it would be okay. He just held her as she cried out her pain and sorrow till Kane came looking for them saying it was time to say goodbye to Jessica's mother.

At the gravesite, Hunter stood beside Bella, staring at the coffin waiting to be lowered into the ground. The weight of the past pressed on both of them.

As people started to slowly gather, Bella turned slightly and and her eyes met Hunter's.

That was all it took.

Her composure shattered. Tears spilled down her cheeks before she could stop them.

Hunter didn't hesitate.

He went straight to her, wrapping her in his arms.

Bella clung to him, her shoulders shaking as memories of their own parents' deaths resurfaced.

"I know," Hunter whispered, holding her tight. "I understand. It's ok."

For all their differences, for all their fights, at this moment, they were just two siblings who had been through the same pain.

Bella closed her eyes, taking comfort in the fact that he understood. She held onto him till Mark approached them. Mark finally broke the silence. "I want to take Jessica to the ranch for a few days."

Bella nodded immediately. "Of course."

Mark hesitated. "I know it's your family's ranch. I should've asked you guys first before I told Kane about going there."

Hunter cut him off letting Bella go. "Mark, the ranch is yours too now. You don't have to ask our permission. Jessica, Kane and you are part of our family. Whatever we own is yours."

"I keep trying to tell him that," Bella softly said, going to Mark wrapping her arms around him.

"I know I'm just still getting used to it," Mark said as he noticed Kane and Samantha heading their way with Randy and Jessica not far behind them. "Jessica definitely needs all the family she can get right now."

"We are all there for her," Bella said, seeing the concern in her husband's eyes as he watched his daughter approach.

Hunter feel the usual bear down on him. "I'll come too," he said. "We need to talk once everything settles down."

Bella met his eyes seeing something different in them. She hoped it meant he was finally going to tell her what was going on.

The wind whispered through the trees as Jessica and Randy stood near the gravesite, watching in silence as the coffin was slowly lowered into the ground. Each movement felt like another cruel reminder that her mother was truly gone.

Jessica gripped Randy's hand, but it wasn't enough—she needed more. Turning into him, she clung to him desperately, as if holding on to him could somehow keep her from falling apart completely.

Randy didn't hesitate. He wrapped his arms around her, shielding her from the world as she buried her face in his chest. He could feel the weight of her grief in every shaky breath, in the way her fingers clutched his jacket like a lifeline.

Mark stood a few feet away, watching them. His heart ached for his daughter. He wanted to take her pain away, but he knew this wasn't something he could fix. Jessica needed someone to lean on, and right now, that person was Randy.

As the final prayers were spoken and people began to leave, Mark walked over to them. He placed a firm, grateful hand on Randy's shoulder.

"Thank you," he said, his voice heavy with emotion. "For being here for her."

Randy nodded. "She doesn't have to go through this alone."

Mark studied him for a moment before speaking again.

"We're heading to the ranch for a few days," he said. "If you want to keep supporting Jessica, you're welcome to join us."

Randy glanced down at Jessica, still clinging to him. Her grip hadn't loosened, and he wasn't about to walk away now.

"I'll be there to help her," he promised.

Mark nodded, then gave Jessica's shoulder a gentle squeeze before stepping away.

Jessica didn't say a word, but as she clung to Randy, a silent understanding passed between them. She wasn't alone. He would watch out for her.