Run, Girl (If You Can)

Chapter 429: Condolences

A coworker Robert was particularly close to spoke next of his intelligence, work ethic, and sense of humor. Those two had hung out a lot working at the construction firm but even more since they both retired.

He had been quite upset when Robert needed to be moved to the care facility. Since he was getting on in years too, it was difficult for him to go visit but they video chatted whenever his friend was lucid and could remember him.

After he sat down it was Violet\'s turn. Even though black wasn\'t technically required at funerals, she had worn a simple black dress and tied her hair up with a black ribbon for the occasion. Keeley was wearing black too since it matched the color of her despair.

"Hello everyone, I\'m Violet and I wanted to speak today so I could tell my grandpa I loved him one last time. We were very close. He never missed a single one of my concerts or recitals before he was too sick to drive on his own."

Tears filled her eyes and she continued in a choked voice. "He was there for every holiday, every Sunday dinner, and almost every vacation. My childhood would have been completely different without him in it. I\'ll always miss him but I\'m glad he\'s able to be with Grandma and Uncle Kaleb again. He missed them for a really long time."

Violet burst out crying and had to sit back down, unable to finish what she had planned to say. Since she was in between Kaleb and Oliver, they both ended up wrapping their arms around her as she buried her face in her hands.

Tears of their own stained their cheeks at her words. Robert had always supported them too. He went to almost all of Kaleb\'s sports games (there were too many of them to count) and never missed any of Oliver\'s robotics competitions either.

Those two had many long discussions about engineering over the years, even though civil engineering and mechanical engineering were very different practices. Robert had been the one to encourage his grandson\'s love of building things from the time he was a toddler who loved making towers out of blocks.

After Violet sat back down, the pastor said a few words to direct those who wished to pay their respects at the graveside to head to the cemetery. People began making their way out but most stopped to talk to the Hales and give their condolences.

Keeley and Nathan were both clinging to Aaron, who was managing to hold it together for his family\'s sake, and he shook people\'s hands as his wife was barely able to nod around her tears.

A few brave souls approached Violet, who was still sobbing into her twin\'s shoulder as Oliver stood protectively next to them. One of them was Lila Clark, Alice\'s oldest daughter.

"I liked your tribute, Violet. It captured your grandpa\'s essence well," she said softly. "I\'m so sorry for your loss."

"Thank you," Kaleb said on his sister\'s behalf. She was still crying too hard to speak.

Lila nodded and hurried off toward her family. A few of their other family friends made their ways over as well, such as Liam and Elsa Quinn. Liam was a particular friend of Oliver\'s since they were both into building things.

Kaleb was a bit surprised Noah didn\'t make his way over while they were still at the church but he supposed he knew his sister best. Noah probably figured she didn\'t want to be disturbed as she cried.

He ended up catching up with her at the graveside as she stood alone with the rose she was going to drop on her grandfather\'s casket. It had already been lowered into the ground.

"Hey Vi," Noah said gently. He held up his own rose. "Want to drop them together?"

Violet blinked up at him with red, puffy eyes. "If I drop it then it will mean he\'s really gone."

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I know. But we\'re the last ones here. Everybody else is waiting to go get ice cream. It was your mom\'s idea because she thought sugar might perk everyone up."

She nearly smiled. It seemed like the end of the funeral had brought her mom back down to earth. Keeley Hale had been a million miles away all week.

Violet nodded at her best friend and without even doing a countdown, they let go of their roses at the exact same time. She stared down at the pile of roses on the grave for a moment before glancing up at the headstone.

Her mother had brought her here a couple of times before on the anniversary of Monica and Kaleb Hall\'s deaths. It was strange finally seeing a death date on the joint headstone Robert had bought for him and his wife. There hadn\'t been one for so many years.

With a sad sigh, Violet let her friend lead her back to the cemetery parking lot.

===

Aaron was relieved beyond words that his family finally started snapping out of their funks a little after the funeral. Keeley had gone back to work two days earlier so he felt like he was able to finally go and visit his half-brother in prison.

Normally he went on the second Wednesday of each month but that had been last week when his wife was still a total wreck. He had taken the week off work to stay with her, unable to leave her side when she was so upset.

Discovering that Keeley wasn\'t going to spiral back into the depression she had in their first life took such a weight off of his shoulders. So Aaron reluctantly rescheduled with the prison.

Visiting Gray had been a monthly chore the past seventeen years but it needed to be done. The man would probably be released within the next five years and Aaron did not want him to hold a grudge when that happened. He had a family to protect.