Opening the door, Simon allowed his parents inside. All of them looked as though they were going through the motions and not one hundred percent present. He handed Jasmine off to his mother while he held onto his son for the day. Both men in Emily’s life would represent her with adoration and love.
Margaret stared at Jasmine before she sighed, “oh hello baby.” She whispered kissing her small forehead. She then looked to Simon as her husband shut the door, “Miriam and Jack will be here in a few minutes. They stopped to get breakfast at McDonalds.” She said numbly. Looking over her baby boy holding his son, Margaret huffed out sadly as she patted along Jasmine’s back, “So I take it Cherish found the dress Miriam bought her and she’s coming? Good. When Jr. is hungry, you let me know and we will sneak out to feed him, alright?”
Simon Sr. rubbed his wife’s back as their son answered, “He’s always hungry…” Right on cue, Jr.’s face twisted. Simon stood there and stared down at his boy dumbly as he began to cry out. It didn’t even register that he had to do anything to comfort him.
Margaret didn’t know what else to say and could only to shake her head, “God, I wish today was over.” She muttered to herself.
After pinning her hair up and trying to make herself presentable, Cherish sighed softly to herself. Without another word, she shut all the lights off and made her way down the steps. Soft murmurs echoed from the lower floor followed by a coughed cry. Simon was the first to catch sight of her, “You look nice.” He commented.
Stepping off the final step, Cherish made eye contact with he and his parents by the front door, “Thank you. Hello Mr. and Mrs. Gabot.” She said approaching them. She saw that Jr.’s face had taken on a red hue and reached over, “Here. I’ll take him really quick.” She whispered pulling his crunched body onto her shoulder. She grabbed a receiving blanket from the back of the couch and sat down; covering Jr. and her breasts from view.
Simon watched Cherish take his son away. Though he lacked the energy, he was still as pleasant as ever, “I have coffee in the kitchen if you want some, dad.”
Simon Sr. simply shook his head and waved his hand to refuse, “I’m fine. Thank you.”
As Cherish worked on Jr. to latch on, she then looked to Margaret, “Thank you for the dress, Mrs. Gabot.” She said.
Margaret approached with a sullen half-smile and sat down on the cushion beside her, “No, no need to thank me. It was Miriam.” She replied much to Cherish’s surprise.
While Jr. nursed, time seemed to drag by in thick silence. Cherish tapped a finger along his back while Margaret stared at the clock. Before long, the doorbell rang, and Margaret glanced over her shoulder to her boys, “They’re here.” She stated.
Simon Sr. opened the door and placed a hand on each of their backs as they walked in, “Cherish has decided to come.” He said to them.
Jack gave a weak, waning smile to Cherish, he was thankful she wouldn’t miss out, “Thank you.” He said as he nodded to her.
Cherish shook her head, “It’s not a problem.” She whispered in return.
Jack wrapped his arms around Simon and could feel the pain in him; the same pain in himself, “Are you holding up?” he asked. Simon silently nodded and avoided everyone’s gaze.
Margaret stood with Jasmine in her arms and made her way to Miriam. The latter tearfully stared at her before she lowered her head onto her shoulder. Margaret rested against her hair, “Shhh…shhh now. We’re going to get through this.” She whispered.
Cherish watched from the sidelines quietly before she pulled Jr. off and began to pat his back. He whined out in protest before a gas bubble emitted from his little mouth. Standing, she returned to Simon’s side and waited. Jack pat his flat palm against Simon’s back, sighed, and wiped the corners of his eyes, “…Is everyone ready?” he asked.
She handed Jr. to Simon turning her back to them, “I’ll grab the baby bags and meet you all in the cars.” She responded quietly.
Margaret blew out before she looked to her husband, “Will you drive Simon’s car for the babies? I’ll drive with Miriam and Jack.”
Simon Sr. nodded without hesitation and grabbed his son’s keys from the dining table. Leading the way, he and Cherish buckled the babies into their car seats with her sitting between them.
The ride to the funeral home was suffocating and tense with unspeakable sadness filling the never-ending void. Cherish stared down at Jr.’s face with a heavy feeling her chest. He would never understand the full weight of grief that surrounded his birth. She didn’t want him to think about his mother’s death in a negative light when he grew up and didn’t want him to blame himself. She ran her fingertips along his hairline and lost herself in thought. If she was to be in Jr.’s life through the years, and if Simon would allow, she wouldn’t let him forget who his mother was. He would grow up to
