Uncle William's Mate

Chapter 9

Ciera’s POV:

In my room I sat all night watching movies. Most of them were Adam Sandler comedies. I have been trying to relax my mind. With all this confusing stuff happening lately it’s been hard on me. I guess there’s a lot going on in my head that I haven’t completely processed yet. What am I going to do with William? I ask myself with a sigh. I’ve been feeling a pull towards him ever since yesterday. He’s so mysterious that my mind obsesses over him. I think about how he made me feel that night on his bed and I yearn for more. 

Eventually my eyes start getting heavy and I fall into a deep sleep.

…

“Ciera... “ 

“Ciera..!”

“Hunny, wake up.”

A sudden jerk wakes me up from my slumber. My mother’s voice trailing through one ear out the other. “Mom? What’s going on?” I ask rubbing my eyes that are still blurry with sleep.

“Oh sweetie.” My mom whines as she puts her arms around me in a warm tight hug. 

“What’s going on? Why are you acting like this? What’s wrong?” My mom couldn’t be acting like this for no reason. She hasn’t answered my questions and I start to worry even more. “Mom?”

She slowly loosens her hold on me and cups my face. Her eyes are red and wet with tears. At this point. I know what has happened. The only thing my mother could possibly be crying over is the death of my grandmother. My face turns from confused and worried to a knowing and sympathetic one. “Oh mom, I’m so sorry.” My voice cracks with sobs. I hug her tight to my chest. 

My grandma was a simple woman who passed away the way most people would want to; in her sleep. Despite knowing she did not suffer it still didn’t make our empty hearts full and void of loss. She was the most generous and kind person I have ever met. She took us in when we had nowhere else to go. She made us smile with her quirky personality. On the weekends we would all take a stroll to the park where she would pretend to be sight seeing and would point out every bird or creature she knew the name of. Grandma will undeniably be missed.

A few days after her passing were her funeral services. All residents of Bridge came to the service to pay their respects to my grandmother. This town has the beauty of being connected. We are one small community. Everyone knows everyone. As I look at her in her casket I can’t help, but feel as if she would come back alive. I stared for a long time and when nothing happened my eyes swelled up with tears. 

“Hey, come here.” A soft gentle voice came from beside me. Large arms wrapped around my shoulders. A hand cupping my face to hide in his chest. I grab onto his suit jacket as tears flow down my face. He holds onto me, gently rubbing my back, as he walks me to a seat. Setting me down onto the chair he takes a knee in front of me wiping my tears away with a tissue from his pocket. “Shhhh… It’s okay, let it out.”