Burial 2( Emily POV)
Emily's hands trembled as she gripped the phone, her friend's words echoing in her mind. James is gone. The news hit her harder than she expected. Memories of the past swirled through her mind — the conflicts, the mistakes, the regrets. Despite everything, James had been a part of her life. Saying goodbye felt necessary.
But it wasn't just James she was hoping to see. A whisper of hope fluttered in her chest, fragile and fleeting. Perhaps she would see him — Ethan. Even if it was only for a moment. Even if it was only from afar.
The funeral was set in the same small town she had left behind years ago. Emily wrapped a black shawl around her shoulders and stood at the edge of the cemetery, just beyond the reach of the crowd. Her heart pounded as she saw the mourners gathered around the casket. She kept to the shadows, hidden beneath the low branches of an old oak tree.
Her eyes searched the crowd until they found him.
Ethan.
He stood near the front, his head bowed, the weight of grief draped over his broad shoulders. Beside him was a beautiful blonde woman, her hand resting gently on his arm, her presence a quiet source of comfort. Emily's chest tightened. That should be me, she thought. She should be the one to console him, to share in his sorrow, to be his strength when he felt weak.
Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. She clenched her jaw, willing herself to stay still, to stay unseen. This wasn't the time. It wasn't the place.
But seeing him again reminded her of everything she had tried to bury. The way his smile could light up a room. The warmth of his touch. The love they had shared — a love that still lived inside her, no matter how much she had tried to deny it.
Why does he look so pale? Her heart clenched. Was he not doing well? Was the weight of everything too much for him? Worry surged through her, and the instinct to rush to him, to ask if he was okay, almost overwhelmed her. But she stayed rooted to the spot. She couldn't disrupt his life. Not like this.
And then her thoughts drifted to their son.
Alex.
Their little boy, with his wide eyes and inquisitive mind, looked so much like Ethan. The same deep-set eyes, the same determined chin. She smiled softly, even through the pain. He should know his father. But how could she bridge the distance between them, the chasm created by forgotten memories and deep seated pain
A cold breeze swept through the cemetery, rustling the leaves and carrying away the whispered prayers of the mourners. The service was ending. People began to drift away, their faces etched with grief and loss.
Emily watched as Ethan turned toward the blonde woman, his eyes hollow. He nodded as she spoke to him, though his mind seemed distant. Emily's heart ached, knowing that she couldn't be there for him. Not now. Maybe not ever.
She took a step back, the weight of reality settling over her. It was time to go. Time to leave the past where it belonged, no matter how much it hurt.
But as she turned away, she whispered into the wind, a promise only the trees could hear.
"Goodbye, Ethan. I hope you're okay. And maybe… someday, you'll meet Alex."
She wiped away a tear, pulled the shawl tighter around her shoulders, and disappeared into the cold embrace of the afternoon.