Chapter 12-The Funeral

The day after all of the festivities and my proposal, it was time to mourn the loss of Brandon and Rose. It was an early, rainy New Seattle morning, and the streets were quiet. No one was at work, and no cars were being driven around. On the north end of the city, thousands of people in a huge crowd, all in black suits with ponchos or umbrellas were making their way to the edge of the city where the funeral was being held. Everyone had their faces pointed downwards and were silent. At the front, Mary Anne and I were given chairs to sit in, although we didn't because they were wet. In front of us, two beautiful coffins with American flags laying over them were under a tent-like structure. The speaker began the procession by saying kind words and citing scripture. Mary Anne and I had the opportunity to speak, so in front of thousands of people, we poured out our hearts and expressed how much Rose and Brandon meant to us. It was a very emotional time, but the grieving was necessary.

Afterwards, Mary Anne and I walked to our brand new car and decided to go to the coast to spend some time with our thoughts and grief. The sun was just beginning to set over the horizon, and the waves were crashing against the large rocks on the shore. We walked along the coast together for a mile or so before stopping to take a look at the view. In the ocean, we could see the old skyscrapers from Seattle and the sun setting behind them. The waves crashing against the rocks created beautiful reflections from the orange light, and the salty breeze was soothing to our mourning hearts. The city was directly behind us, and one could see all of the reconstruction going on with the battered buildings, and the snow-capped mountains behind the reborn city were the cherry on top to the stunning view. Mary Anne and I faced each other, holding both of our hands. A tear rolled down Mary Anne's beautiful blue eyes. I placed my hand on her cheek and wiped the tear away with my thumb. "Don't be sad anymore!" I said, "Rose and Brandon sacrificed themselves so that we could live our lives in prosperity. From coast to coast, everyone can live the American dream, and I get to live it with you. We're free." With that, Mary Anne gave me that charming smile that always melts my heart, and we leaned in for a passionate kiss just as the sun set and the waves crashed once again all around us.