The Big Fish by Madison Henley (best free e reader .TXT) 📕

in a cold one. There were times when Gabrielle was pissed at Meredith for not accepting her apology and just being a complete ass to her. And there were times when Gabrielle wanted to just curse Meredith out and yell at her while crying on her shoulder. She was just a big emotional mess and Gabrielle couldn’t stand that. Gabrielle was strong; she held her own, she didn’t need anyone in her life to make her happy. She was an independent woman. It was just pathetic to Gabrielle to think that here she was still sobbing over her ex-girlfriend from almost three years ago and Meredith had already moved on. Gabrielle figured it was time for her to move on as well.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“Of course.”

Georgia scoffed as she looked at the raindrops pouring heavily on her windows. Of course it would rain the day she would bury her father. All she needed was a melancholy soundtrack to accompany this montage of depression and she could be the starring character in an Oscar worthy movie. Georgia gripped the sides of her steering wheel, knuckles turning white as she commanded herself to breathe. She sighed and looked out the window as she came to a red light. Why now? Georgia felt like just when her life was going right and things were starting to get good, something tragic would happen and bring her back to ground zero again. It wasn’t fair and Georgia was tired. Georgia was tired of constantly being in emotional pain. Between the constant, heavy rain smashing onto Georgia’s window and the blur of her tears, Georgia couldn’t make out whether the light had changed or not. Georgia furiously wiped her eyes, hoping the pain could be wiped away as easily as her tears could but more tears were replaced and so was the pain in her chest.

***

 

You can come if you want.

Keliah furrowed her eyebrows and stared at herself in the mirror. Did Georgia really want Keliah to come? Or was she just saying that to be polite? Keliah didn’t know and that annoyed the hell out of her. Keliah stared at herself in the mirror, overlooking her dress trying to decide whether she should go to the funeral or not.

Does she even want me there?

Keliah bit her lip, her body tingling from being too worked up and unable to think clearly. If she did go to the funeral she sure didn’t want to be late. That would be so disrespectful of her. Keliah said fuck it and grabbed her purse and walked out the door only to stumble into a tall and lean body. Keliah gasped and muttered a quiet oh not expecting someone standing outside of her bedroom door.

“Georgia?”

“You ready?”

Despite the tired blue eyes due to lack of sleep and the way her lips frowned in a natural state now, Georgia looked stunning. Black was her color. Keliah nodded and followed Georgia underneath the umbrella to her car. The car ride was silent. Keliah pressed her forehead against the frigid window, listening to the sound of Georgia’s soft engine as she drove to the church. She watched as the falling of the rain grew heavier and her thoughts began to drift. Keliah had said sorry but was that enough? Should she say thank you for inviting her? Is Georgia going to sit with her family and leave her all by herself? It was sort of awkward going to a funeral where you didn’t know anyone except for the person that was deceased. Keliah glanced to her left at Georgia who was driving with all expression drained from her face and put her running mind to rest for a moment. None of that mattered right now. Georgia did. That was it. Georgia pulled into a large church with black cars parked all around it. Georgia stepped out of car, umbrella in hand and walked over to the passenger side of her car to get Keliah out. The two walked quietly underneath the umbrella except for the sounds of their heels clicking against the pavement. They walked into the church, bombarded with several somber faces and weak smiles. Keliah immediately spotted the silver and black coffin sitting in the center of the church. She was going to miss Mr. Kerouac. Sure she didn’t know him long, but she did long enough to realize that he was a good man and obviously played a huge role in her professor’s life. Keliah didn’t know anyone therefore, she stood by Georgia wherever she went. Georgia was greeted by several unfamiliar faces giving her their condolences and prayers. Keliah remained within an inch beside her and smiled softly whenever a person would acknowledge her. It wasn’t the right place or time to ask Georgia why she brought a stranger along to the funeral so no one did, but everyone wanted to. Keliah searched for familiar features in the guests’ faces to spot out who could possibly be Georgia’s family but no one looked like they would be related to Georgia.

“Georgie. I’m so sorry. How are you holding up?”

Georgia was embraced in a hug by a large woman, causing Keliah to stumble back a couple of feet.

“I’m okay.”

Georgia assured her in a soft, innocent tone that was barely recognizable as Georgia’s. Keliah looked around the church, trying to find someone to engage into a conversation with rather than standing beside Georgia dumbly, like a bum on a log while everyone talked to her and just pretended like Keliah was the usher.

“I know this is tough. Losing both of your parents- -”

Keliah’s ears tuned back into Georgia’s conversation. Georgia had lost both of her parents? Keliah was soon interrupted by someone touching