“It’ll be hours before Mo wakes up. You guys have school tomorrow,” Ethic said. “Don’t worry, she’ll be home soon,” Ethic said. He escorted his children to his truck and quickly dropped them off at home with his nanny. He had somewhere he needed to be, and he couldn’t get there fast enough.

It was a beautiful day. The sky was like sapphires, blue and clear with beautiful, billowy white clouds floating by. The wind blew gently, kissing Alani’s face and the birds chirped a jovial tune. It looked like a scene out of a fairy tale, as if someone had illustrated a page out of the happiest storybook in the world. It was much too pretty of a day for the task at hand. Alani was burying two people that she loved today. On the inside, there was a storm plaguing her. Alani stood in front of two caskets, her high heels sinking into the green grass, as the pastor gave a short sermon. She had chosen to eulogize her brother and daughter outside at the gravesite because she wasn’t sure if she could survive a full service in a church. She was numb, as she stood there. She couldn’t even cry anymore. She couldn’t release one more tear because she had cried them all out. She felt like she was standing there outside of herself, having an outer body experience, as everyone around her broke down. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from Kenzie. She was so pretty, just lying there, as if she was only asleep. It felt like it was a sin to put something so pretty in the dirt. It was hard for her to tear her eyes away from her angel, but when she saw the police car pull up and a handcuffed Cream exit from the back of the vehicle, she wanted desperately to see him. He was the only person present who could understand what she was going through. Two officers escorted him over to the ceremony, and Alani stepped up to the casket, meeting him there. She gripped the edge of the metal box and he placed a shackled hand over hers.

“I’m gonna handle it,” he whispered. He leaned and kissed the side of Alani’s head, inhaling her scent. She let him, because she knew it brought him comfort. Who was she to deprive him of comfort on such a hard day? She wished it was as easy for her to attain.