Days passed very quickly, and the world carried on. Kelly couldn't bring herself to do anything.
"Babe," Brianna called as she entered the living room, "Rick said he was coming...oh, you're here,"
Eric shushed her as he continued to pat Kelly's hair.
"You should eat something," Brianna said.
Kelly sat up. She peeked into the steaming bowl. "You made soup?"
Eric peeked as well, "not bad,"
"Thanks Brie," she didn't want to eat, but she couldn't survive without it.
Brianna and Eric shared a look, "is there anyone you want to tell about what happened?" Brie asked.
Kelly shrugged, "it was always me and mom. Nani visited sometimes. I could tell her coworkers... I don't know,"
"I thought your mom remarried," Eric mentioned. "Do you have relatives from that side of your family?"
"Yeah," she wasn't sure she wanted to call them. They were friendly, but her stepdad and her mom split long ago.
Her mother had a sister though, Aunt Davi. She hadn't heard from her, she didn't even know how to contact her.
Kelly sighed. She placed the bowl down and laid on the couch; Eric led her head back to him as he continued to stroke it.
"We're here for you. Just tell us what you need, okay?" Brie said.
"Thanks guys," it would be sad if she alone poured dust over her mother's grave. "Could you call them for me? They were friends with her,"
Brianna hummed a reply and Kelly shut her eyes as she felt them pool with tears. Why would someone do that to her mother? She was the sweetest, kindest person she'd ever met. It wasn't fair.
___
"Kelly,"
Kelly woke with a start. The sun peeked through the binds, she turned from it and saw Brianna hovering over her.
"Hey, we're gonna be late,"
Right. The funeral.
It went just like her Grandmother's. Everyone was supportive until she chanced on a conversation.
"So she finally kicked the bucket," Iris, her step aunt spoke.
"After hopping from man to man. How did she even get that daughter?" Laura replied.
"She wants money," Laura continued. "We wouldn't be here if she didn't,"
"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," Iris said.
The comments pilled until she couldn't breath through the rage,
"How can you say that?" she asked, "do you have a heart? This is my mother's funeral! Get out."
"Kelly," Iris called sweetly.
Brie pulled her back when she lurched at the woman, "get out!"
Iris sneered, "you don't want to hear the truth! Your mother was a..."
The bubbling reception quietened, Iris held her seething jaw as her eyes widened.
"I said, get out"
After she left, Brianna and Rick got everything back to normal but Kelly couldn't breathe with the stares, she needed air. She shook her aching hand as she left the hall.
Kelly's eyes caught a red vase; Laura brought it, saying she'd made it for her mother.
With a yell, it hit the ground. She sighed heavily, she needed a broom. Though, that was oddly rewarding.
Kelly sucked a breath when it nicked her. Just great.
"Bad day?"
The hairs on her nape stood and Kelly whipped her head around with a gasp. Gold eyes. What was he doing here?
She shook her head tiredly. "What...?"
He sniffed the air, "you're bleeding," he mumbled.
No shit, Sherlock. "Yeah," she said. For a moment, the light bounced off his eyes giving it a strange light. He frowned,
"I know what you are,"
"Tired." She said, "I'm tired. What do you want?"
"Why're you dressed in black?" He asked.
"I'm coming from a funeral,"
"Whose?"
"My mother,"
He tilted his head calmly, "did you kill her?"
"What?"
His frown deepened. He sniffed the air again, confusion mirrored in his eyes; "am I wrong?" He asked.
Kelly sighed. Crazy. She was talking to an insane man. She got up and left, only this time he followed.
"What do you want?"
"You," he said, before proceeding to shove a random passerby into the wall.
"What is your problem?!" Kelly quickly recoiled when she realized who she'd yelled at. "Sorry,"
He turned and she flinched,
"I'm sorry,"
For the first time, he smiled, "you are scared," he gestured at the poor guy still pressed to the wall, "he could have bumped into you,"
What? Kelly's face fell: insane; insane insane insane. He walked behind as she got fresh flowers for her mother's grave; she refused returning to the funeral reception.
As she paid for them, he pulled her hand, "you've healed," he said in an unfathomable tone.
"Yeah,"
"Your blood heals you,"
How did he know that? Her phone chirped. Kelly saw her account details and sighed, "maybe I really should sell it?" She muttered.
Kelly stopped at the freshly covered grave, place the flowers, made a prayer before sitting on the grass.
What hadn't she chased this psycho away? She didn't want to be alone. The glaring reminder of her mother's tombstone was enough, she didn't want to feel physically alone too.
As she got up, he spoke, "you'll get over it,"
"What?"
He gestured at the tombstone, "your mother's death, you'll get over it,"