Mourning End Part 1 Novels & Stories

"But that's sudden. We just got into a partnership. You're just going to throw it away?" I pulled her fingers off me and stepped away. "It's in its final phase. My partner can handle the rest. I have another project to handle." My stepping away hurt her heart. She stared at me, dazed. Lauren extended her trembling hand, and it hung in midair. Her instincts told her I was not coming back, but she asked, "When are you coming home?" I shook my head and put on a smile. "Never." Sorrow crept onto her face. She stared at me in disbelief. She kept trying to grab me, but I kept moving back, so she stopped. Like an abandoned puppy, she did not have the courage to move forward to someone who had just

Will this be the moment Alena finally talks? I watch as Alena gets up, walking to talk. Her eyes are full of grief, and I know that I will die inside if I listen to her words. Closing my eyes, my mind screams, trying to block out her words, yet I can still hear her faint sobs. The funeral ends, and we all go back to Jackson's home. Maria hugs me. It feels wrong. I shouldn’t be getting embraced in front of Alena while she is alone and hurting.

* * We arrive at the graveyard, where the final act of farewell takes place, with the family standing together near the freshly dug grave, surrounded by close friends and mourners. After a brief speech, the coffin is lowered into the ground, and the gravity of the situation becomes too much to bear, and tears begin to fall down everyone's faces, including mine, even though I know I must remain strong for Reed. But the loss—the finality of death—is all too real in this moment. Leaning my head against Reed’s shoulder, who’s quietly sobbing, I tighten my grip on his, desperate to be his anchor in this storm of emotions, and it’s then that I see his grandmother.

It’s the end, an end without cure. “No,” Kloper chuckled sarcastically, “I CAN’T ACCEPT THIS! NO!” Groid bit his lower lip as he lowered his head. Kloper then realized right then that it’s inevitable. Their fear will soon happen before their eyes, and all will be left are regrets and pain. A moment of silence fell into the space. Only sound of sobs filled the air, as they mourned at the coming death of their friend, the special woman who once showed them the beautiful spring.

Hazel's tears fell anew, her body trembling as she watched the sea of flowers grow, a vibrant tapestry of color and love. Noah's arm encircled her waist, his hand cradling hers as they stood together, lost in the sorrow of the moment. Mrs. Wynn's face contorted in anguish, her eyes pouring forth tears like a river. Mr. Wynn's jaw remained set, his eyes fixed on the grave, his heart heavy with the weight of his loss. Maya and Naya clung to each other, their faces etched with pain, their bodies swaying in unison as they mourned the loss of their beloved sister.

Donovan had not come begging for it. Perhaps he was too ashamed. Perhaps he did not even know about it, or perhaps my mother-in-law had finally understood something. Either way, my connection to her ended with that money and the prepaid fees. It would be the best ending if both of us could find peace. The evening glow filtered through the balcony glass door, painting the living room in warm golden orange. I stood up, slid open the glass door, and stepped onto the balcony. The evening breeze was gentle, carrying the fresh scent of early summer plants growing.

The next morning, she heard from Lucas’s assistant that Vanessa had suffered a miscarriage. … Vanessa sat weakly atop the horse, her voice hoarse as she pleaded for mercy. From the raised platform, Lucas idly toyed with a lighter, his expression unreadable. Only after a long pause did he finally light his cigarette as he decided to let her go. Desperate, Vanessa reached for him, unwilling to accept her fate. But all she received in return was a cold, mocking sneer.

And now, I was done believing him. The silence stretched on, and the man on the phone asked again. I steadied myself and answered calmly. "Yes. I accept." We exchanged a few more words, settled on a start date, and I hung up. Then I hailed a cab and went home. I pushed open the front door and went straight upstairs to pack. I was moving out. If I was going to end things, there was no point dragging it out. Packing did not take long. Looking down at the worn-out clothes and pants so faded they had turned white, it hit me just how lean these years had really been.

He knelt beside me, wrapping his arms around me without hesitation. “I’m here,” I whispered into his chest. “I’m okay.” He pulled back slightly to look into my eyes. “You weren’t just okay. You were… unstoppable.” I let out a broken laugh, tears slipping down my cheeks. “I didn’t want to be. I just wanted it to end.” He cupped my face. “It did. Because of you.” A distant howl rose from the eastern edge of the forest—the call of mourning. It was Thane, signaling the end of battle and honoring the fallen. More howls joined his, a solemn, rising wave of unity.

Together, we bid a final goodbye, and the coffins are lowered into their final resting places. The funeral ends, and the mourners disperse, leaving behind a sea of flowers and memories. Karma's heart remains heavy, but she knows she's not alone. The Delacroix family, her family will stand by her, a constant reminder of love and support, as she navigates the darkness of her grief.