Bared Souls - Ellie Wade Page 0,109

the seat next to my mother, and I sit between him and the aisle. Cat squeezes my hand before taking her seat across the space, next to Stephen.

A string quartet starts to play a breathtaking ballad, an enchanting tune full of love and loss. It takes everything in me not to crumble at the sound. I press the tissue beneath my eyes as a minister I’ve never seen before stands on the podium and starts a generic monologue about life and grief. A tiny smile tugs at my heart as I imagine what Leo would be saying about this guy if he were sitting next to me. What a joke.

The quartet plays another song, and then Cat walks up to the podium. She looks at me and presses her lips together in a tight smile.

“I’m not going to talk long because Leo would hate it if I did.” She chuckles to herself, and I nod through my tears. “But I have to say something about my brother-in-law and friend. Most people only saw Leo’s rough exterior, but to those of us who were lucky enough to be loved by him, there was so much more. Leo was a kind soul, a loyal friend, and so very loving. He had a tremendous fighting spirit, and I know he fought to the end. Leo loved his wife, Alma, more than anything in the universe. He once told me that she filled his soul with life, and it wasn’t until her that he truly wanted to live. He would still be here if he could, but life has a way of stealing those who are the most precious and the most gentle-hearted.” She looks up to the sky, her hand against her chest. “I love you, Leo, my gentle lion. I will miss you every day. Until we meet again.”

As Cat steps down from the podium, tears streaming down her face, she looks to me for approval, and I nod and blow her a kiss. Her words were perfect, and Leo wouldn’t have hated them … too much.

A stringed melody plays again, and I expect the minister to say something in closing, but instead, Mr. Harding walks up to the podium in his suit that probably cost more than my car, a solemn expression on his face and notecards in his hand.

I turn to Cat, wide-eyed, for only she could understand my trepidation in this moment. She appears as equally bewildered and shrugs, telling me she didn’t know this was happening.

I steeple my hands in front of my face, my eyes shut, and pray. Please don’t do this. Sit down.

Leo’s dad doesn’t have the right to say anything today. He’s not up there because he cares. He’s up there because it looks good, and he has a reputation to uphold.

I can’t sit through this. I squirm in my seat, ready to bolt.

Amos puts his hand atop my leg and whispers, “It’s almost over. You can do this.”

Peering toward my best friend, I shake my head. You don’t know! I want to scream to him.

He nods, oblivious to my rising rage.

The music stops, and my stare darts toward Victor Harding.

Please sit down. Can’t you even be decent now that he’s gone?

Leo’s dad starts talking. My breakfast rolls within my belly, and I clamp my mouth shut.

“Leo was a pistol when he was young. Always running through the house, bumping into irreplaceable art pieces, hiding on the grounds when we had to be somewhere. He sure gave me and his mother a run for our money.” He chuckles, and there are some laughs among the crowd. “You know what they say, all we can do as parents is provide our children with love and a good example. But children are born with their own personalities, and what they choose to do with them is often out of our control. Regardless, we loved our boy, bruises and all.”

I stand from my seat and scream, “No!”

Amos pulls my arm in an attempt to get me to sit. “Alma,” he urges, but I shrug him off and march toward the podium.

My entire body trembles with fury. He is not going to make Leo’s death about him.

“No!” I scream again, tears streaming down my face. “Sit down!”

Mr. Harding stares at me, terrified, and it gives me the strength to go on.

For Leo.

He was silent long enough, and now, he’s gone. I won’t be quiet … never again.

I walk up and snatch the microphone from the podium, and Victor stands