Vivian stood with a solemn look on her face and a bitter feeling in her heart.
The sky was bright, with a partly cloudy undertone and swift breeze that ruffled one's hair occasionally. Not the typical weather for a funeral, she thought, it's usually meant to be dark and gloomy right?
Then again, she looked at the weeping old man infront of the small grave, this wasn't a human funeral. Poor Mister Smith's dog had died two days ago and the Watterson family had come for its funeral. Not that they were alone, Mariah had come with her three boys and Mister Smith's son came too.
A strapping young man, in his mid twenties, who had not a single resemblance with his father. One had brown hair with green eyes and the other was a black haired with brown eyes, there was no Mrs Smith to do a comparison, so Vivian put it out of her mind. Her eyes were drifting more to Mariah, when she wasn't looking glum for the old man's benefit. Personally she had never liked the dog, but she'd keep up appearances if it would prevent him from hating her.
Speaking of hate, Mariah moved closer, and whispered in her ear," Why are you here Che- Vivian? You hated the beast."
Vivian looked at the Smith son to make sure he wasn't looking, finding his gaze directed at his weeping father.
"I did, but so did you. You complained about it whenever you came, so why are you here?" Vivian replied.
Mariah gave a small smile," I came to see my old friends, your sweet brood. It has been a long time, since they've been with mine."
"I don't want you here. Not after what you did." Vivian whispered vehemently and Mariah sighed.
"I told you, I am sorry. But what did you want me to do? You were still fresh on your feet at your work. Telling you would have made you stressed, you would have been thinking nonstop and-"
"It still wasn't your call to make. My children, my responsibility. You crossed a line when you answered that phone, everytime." Vivian glared at her," I told you, hundreds of times, since we met, I want to struggle and learn how to do this on my own."
"And I said I'd help, which you were happy to hear." Mariah looked her dead in the eye.
"Yes, help but you just shoved me to curb, and when I went to that school -"
"Oh, those teachers were leeches, and you know it chérie !" Mariah shouted.
"And they made me look a fool!" Vivian shouted back.
"Mom!"
Both women turned to see all eyes on them. Mr Smith gave them a salty look as he stood by the tombstone, his son behind him trying to give a comforting hand. The Watterson kids were holding little tulips and Maria's kids held white roses in their hands. Nicole was hugging Nicholas and crying, whilst Nicholas was looking at them with cold eyes, different from the angry scowl on Nikolai's face hot with anger. Natasha had a large pout and Nikki just looked sadly and the fresh grave, his green eyes glazed over and not even focusing on what was happening.
"Mom you made Nicole cry." Natasha said crossly and Vivian opened her mouth but Nicholas spoke up first.
"I do not. I do not care if Mother and Aunt Mariah are fighting. But do not let us see it." Nicholas gave them both a cold look as memories swarmed his thoughts," I hate seeing it. I hate it. "
Nicholas turned around and ran, leaving Nicole to fall on his bum and Natasha quickly pulled him up and comfort him. Nikolai and Natasha look at Nicholas running away figure and look like they're about to cry too, which brings Nikki out of his thoughts and he finally looked at them and...he ran away too.
"Nicholas! Nikki!" Vivian shouted after them but they were rushing away.
"It's okay chérie, you go after them, I'll take everyone else home. Go, now." Mariah gave her a quick peck on the cheeks and Vivian raced after the two boys, but it was hard.
She was wearing white heals.
"Shit," she pulled her shoes off and ran bare foot, not caring how she looked right then," where did they go?"
Vivian looked around, her eyes darting every which way amidst the graves and trees.
"Nicholas! Nikki! Kids, please come back!" Vivian shouted as she jogged around.
Her heart was racing, her pulse quick, fear and terrible thoughts were about to take root. What if they were taken? Hurt? Why did she make a scene infront of them? This was all her fault. She even did that infront of Mr Smith, what must he think of her? What about Mr Smith son? He must think she's a crazy young mother. Her family was right. She tried for nearly half a decade but it was still hard. What was she doing? What if she didn't find them? What if her family finds out? No, she stomped her foot hard.
I won't let that happen, she thought and carried on looking and calling out. She'd search the whole cemetery if she had to!
...
Nicholas sat behind a grave, his breaths coming in gasps, and his eyes murky with tears. He had a rock in his hand and was constantly hitting his head with it, trying get rid of the feeling and thought swarming in his head.
"Stop it. Stop thinking. Stop..." Nicholas muttered softly as he bashed his head repeatedly. Forgotten memories twisted in his mind, whispering nasty thoughts, harsh thoughts, that he just couldn't silence.
"Big brother." Nikki rushed over and grabbed his brother's hand, but Nicholas just dropped the rock and hit himself with a fist instead. Nikki went down and hugged him tightly, stopping his arms from doing more damage.
"Big brother I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had kill Mr Smith dog. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Nikki cried and Nicholas stopped struggling, hearing his brother's cries made him put the thoughts away.
"Nikki? What are you doing?" Nicholas asked in a calm voice.
"Brother, I'm sorry. I made you mad, about killing Mr Smith dog." Nikki whimpered and Nicholas took a deep breath.
"You can let me go, I will not do anything. I was not mad at you. I was just upset that Mother and aunt Mariah were fighting. Did it scare you?" Nicholas asked his sibling.
"No, I wasn't looking at them. I was looking at Mr Smith dog's grave." Nikki let him go and sat down," Do you think he's in heaven?"
"Heaven? I don't know. I don't think so." Nicholas said as he took his glasses off and wiped them with a cloth in his pocket.
"Really? Why not?" Nikki tilted his head in confusion.
"Aunt Mariah used to read the Bible to us, and I asked her that question. She didn't answer, so I don't think so." Nicholas saw Nikki look saddened," But, in other religions I heard that animals that die got to a different heaven."
"So, Mr Smith dog is in heaven?" Nikki asked and Nicholas gave a short nod.
"Yay! Oh, brother, Mom is calling us. Should we go?" Nikki asked as he heard his mother yelling.
Nicholas raised his hand and wiped some of the blood on his scalp away.
"Okay, but if she asks about this, tell her I fell and hit my head." Nicholas said softly.
"Why?" Nikki asked.
"Because she will be sad if she knows I hurt myself. So, I just fell okay?" Nikki seemed confused but nodded his head anyway," Let us go then. Come on."
"Okay, and don't worry brother. I won't make you hurt anything else again." Nikki said, and none would know until later how true that was.
"It is alright. I will try not to scare you, little brother." Nicholas said softly, the two boys started to go towards the shouting.
Unbeknownst to the two children, a man had been standing a few metres away, under a tree, listening to them. A small smile appeared on the man's lips as he turned and left.