67 You Had A Funeral (1/2)

It was quiet in the kitchen.Nana Tina had stabbed a knife into the cutting board and Papi Bernie refused to stop looking out the window when Eli walked into the room.Olivia looked up from the chair pitifully and gave him a shaky smile.She was happy to see Eli's old self again even though it looked like he need a good night's sleep, he was still breath taking to her.

Eli was alarmed by her smile and rushed to her side ”Are you ok?” he asked as he placed the palm of his hand on her cheek.Olivia placed her own hand on top of his and nuzzled against his warmth. ”Ya” she calmly said.Eli didn't seem to believe her as he looked at the elder.

Olivia sighed and kissed the inside of is hand.”I told them everything... there is nothing to hide from them.So can you tell me what happened the last several weeks while I was gone?”Eli was taken aback that she told the elders so much.He coughed as he pulled out a chair to sit.

He locked eyes with Olivia and gripped her hand. ”Everyone is safe... No one else has been threatened or harmed in any way.” he said firmly and Olivia felt a giant wave of relief wash over her.Eli gave her a moment before he continued.

”We all tried looking for you for weeks.Your father put up a reward for any information on you, no matter how insignificant it was but we couldn't find any trace of you.It looked like you got spirited away, that is until exam day.You were there writing your exam and we only realized after we all saw you walk out the door!” he exclaimed but Olivia brought her hand up and started waving the air in front of her ”I never went back once.” she said.

”....I see... I think it was part of Agni's plan because a week later your charred body was found inside the cottage...” Olivia's jaw dropped, Papi Bernie tore his gaze from the window and Nana Tina stared at the two youth.”I'm sorry Olivia but the cottage is gone...” he whispered sorrowfully.Olivia let silent tears fall as she bit her trembling lip.

Eli sighed and squeezed her hand ”Your father couldn't believe it, nobody wanted to believe it but when dental and DNA came back saying it was you....ugh... I caught your father calling your phone just to listen to your voice on the answering machine... hell I did it too...It's been mostly Robin and I running the company but when they held your funeral last week I lost it and took time off to get my shit together.”

”You see I refused to believe it was you and caused a scene at the wake.So your dad thought it best to take time to come to terms with your death... I barely ate, barely slept, told people if it was really you I wanted to join you and I drove up to the cottage to just stare at what was left of it.” Olivia stood up abruptly staring daggers at Eli ”Why would you...” she started to shout but Eli interrupted her.

”You were gone!” he shouted back as he stood up and knocked his chair back.”No phone call, email, text, letter, nothing!That one little ray of hope I thought I had... when we thought we saw you at school was ripped away and I had a carcass thrown in my face!Olivia please tell me how was I supposed to feel?!I'll tell you right now that I'd been living in an abyss!Nothing felt right! Nothing was good enough!I wondered everyday why you left and then to see you're 'body' I wondered if you committed suicide to get away from everyone!” he spat at her before he took a couple of steps back.

Olivia was silent as she watched him back away from her, his face twisted with pain and sadness.He clutched the front of his shirt where his heart would be and slammed his back against the wall. ”How did you find me?” Olivia whispered into the room.Eli started to take deep breathes and calmed himself down but never left the wall.

”Edmond... Edmond stopped me from... he told me you were alive and that I should go to the small towns close by.To ask if they had seen you and he promised one day we would meet if I tried hard enough.” the look of determination in his eyes never faltered.Olivia hugged herself despite how warm it was in the kitchen.

An alarm went off and Nana Tina jumped right out of skin ”Crap! Good thing we set this blasted thing up or else our dinner would have been burnt!” she shouted as she rushed towards the stove.She quickly pulled off the lid from a big pot, stirred the contents with a ladle and added pasta.She then opened the oven and pulled off the tin foil that covered a pan with a chicken in it.”Bernard flip the chicken for me!” she yelled at her husband.

He quickly stepped over and skillfully flipped the chicken onto its breast and watched his wife put it back into the oven.She reset the alarm and shooed her husband out of the way.She looked at Olivia then at Eli, neither one moved from their spot.She sighed and straightened up her back.”Olivia sweetie...” she started and waited till Olivia made eye contact with her.