Chapter 10- Tears Are For The Weak?

Tears.

I hated crying.

But today I had the right to cry. Mom always said tears are for the weak and I wasn't weak. I still remember the day when mom told me to stay strong no matter what happens.

It was the day when my grandfather died. I was only 4 years old.

Mom, Dad, Keechee, I and few other people were in a room. A room which was filled with sadness and death. Today was the day that grandfather died.

"Mommy? Can you please call grandpapa?" I asked and everybody's head turned my way.

Keechee was crying and mom's eyes were teary, it looked like she was about to cry. "Olive, grandpapa can't come," mom spoke with sadness in her voice.

I shifted my balance to my other leg and rested my chin on my palms. "But mommy, grandpapa promised me that he will take me out to eat ice cream," I spoke with my baby voice.

"Baby you know grandpapa is tired right?" Mom started slowly.

"Right," I looked at her. She looked at dad who held her hand and I followed her gaze.

"So grandpapa told me that he needed to take a nap,"

"But you said we cannot take nap in evenings."

"But grandpapa was really tired so I gave him a free pass."

"Is it because he is old?"

Mom chuckled slightly and nodded along with "yes baby." She pulled me into a long hug.

"Mommy I checked his room but he wasn't there," I started again.

"It's because he is here," she pointed towards a big box, at the time I didn't know what it was but it was a coffin.

I slowly walked towards the coffin and saw grandpapa lying in the big box. "Mommy grandpapa has a box to sleep in. Where is mine?" I asked.

Mom came towards me and sat on her knees in front of me. "Because it's not time for you yet."

"Time for what mommy?"

"Time to die," I heard someone shout from the crowd. I heard mom gasp and many other gasped loudly. I turned around and saw a small guy, he looked as old as me. He came jumping towards me. "He is dead," he spoke again.

"What? No," I shrieked. I looked at mom, who stood up and was crying on dad's shoulder. "He can't die, right mommy?" I asked mom but she didn't reply instead she looked at me with straight expressions.

"Everybody dies one day and his day is today," the boy spoke.

"But he promised me that he won't ever leave me."

"Everybody leave one day."

"Mommy where is grandpapa now?" I asked mom.

"Jesus decided to invite him over at his house so grandpapa is safe there," mom spoke slowly.

"So he'll come soon?" I asked, looking at mom and she nodded.

"No," the boy argued. "Your grandpapa is never coming back," the boy said.

"No he will come back."

"He will not."

"He has to," I spoke and I was at the urge of crying.

Someone came forward and pulled the boy back into the crowd. I heard "Dead people never come back," from the boy and then he was nowhere to be seen.

I started crying, hard. Mom rushed to me and so did dad. Dad picked me up in his arms and mom made me face her.

"Olive, don't cry," mom spoke softly.

"He said dead people don't ever come back. So I will never see grandpapa again," I cried again.

"It's okay, you don't need to see him to remember him. We have a picture of him so whenever you miss him just look at the picture," mom spoke slowly.

"But I want him," I cried once more.

"Olive, we don't cry. Always remember, tears are for the weak and you, my little princess, aren't weak. If you cry then grandpapa will also cry," mom started sternly but then her voice dissolved into a sweet voice.

I wiped away my tears. "I will never cry now because then grandpapa will also cry," I finally said. I hugged dad and mom hugged me from the back.

"Earth to Olive," I heard someone calling out my name and waving their hands in front of my face.

"I'm sorry," I said and looked to see Rhea with a sandwich and a bag of chips.

"You didn't hear anything I said, did you?" She asked, narrowing her eyes.

I nodded no and she groaned. "And now I have to repeat all of that again? Oh god! Let me just make it short and simple," she started. "So when you stormed off, chase came to me and asked for you. I told him I didn't know where you left and he started searching for you. He has been trying to reach you since you left so I really think you should give that rabbit a piece of carrot."

I looked at her confusingly. "Give the rabbit a piece of carrot?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes "Go to him and tell him that you are safe or else he will legit post your pictures outside and confirm that you are missing."

I chuckled at what she said and she joined me. I just met Rhea today and she knew how to cheer me up even when I was down.

"Rhea, you never asked me where I stormed off like that to?" I asked her.

"You'll tell me when you're ready, so no pressure," she stated, putting her hands up in the air. "Now go and feed that rabbit."

She was always smiling. I just looked at her as she pointed towards the elevator for me to leave. I reached out and hugged her tightly, she didn't take time to think and just hugged me back.

"I think I heard you say something about your brother?" I asked her.

"I'll tell you later, now go," she led me to the elevator.

I reached Chase's office and stood outside the door. I looked at him through the glass door, he was talking to someone on the phone and he was also working on his laptop. Importantly, he was panicking.

I slowly opened the door but he didn't pay attention. I knocked on the door and he finally looked up. His eyes looked delighted and his face was shocked.

He ran to me and threw himself at me in a tight hug. I was taken off guard but him and didn't know if to hug him or not. I slowly placed my hand on his back. He finally pulled out of the hug and there was a huge smile crept on his face. There he goes.

"Where were you? Are you okay? Why didn't you tell me before leaving? Or Rhea? Did something happen? Why didn't you pick up my calls? You know I was so worried?" He shot all those questions and I just looked at him while he was trying to catch his breath.

"Take a breath," I said.

"Take a breath? How could I take a breath when you were missing? You know I have been looking for you since 6 hours? You don't even have any idea how scared I was," he started again.

He reminded me of my mother. She always cared for me and whenever I used to come home late, she would ask me all these questions about how scared she was of losing me.

I miss you mom.

"Earth to Olive? What happened? Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm okay, did you need me?" I asked him.

"Are you sure?"

"Am I sure about you needing me?" I asked confusingly.

"No about if you're okay," he stated.

"Yes I am okay," I replied.

"So father was planning on throwing a success party as this being mine and Jeremy's first contract. I just wanted to ask if you'd like to come because this couldn't have been possible without you?" He asked.

I wanted to say yes but I thought of staying home with Keechee. "I'm sorry but I can't make it."

"Is everything alright?" He asked me.

"Uh- yeah, everything's alright," I replied.

"You don't seem okay, do you want to talk about it?" He asked me.

"I uh- I- my mom- she uh- she got into a-" I started but was interrupted by Mr. Cavalry. He suddenly came in and both Chase and I turned to look at him.

"Am I interrupting?" He asked. "I can come back later."

"No, you aren't interrupting anything Mr. Cavalry," I answered.

"Well I just came over to ask you about something. I called you earlier but Chase told me you went to go see your grandma so I left but I wanted to ask if you could make it to the success party tonight?" He stated.

I looked at Chase who was standing there with straight expression. "Oh uh- I can't make it tonight for the party, I'm sorry," I answered.

"Is everything alright?" He asked.

Like Son, like Father.

"Uh- yeah everything's okay," I spaced out.

"Well I can arrange the party maybe tomorrow?" He asked.

"Sure tomorrow sounds like a good idea."

"Alright tomorrow it is then, I'll see you tomorrow morning. Good Night!" He said and just with that he left the room.

"You were saying?" Chase started to fill up the silence.

"Um... my mother met with a car accident and she didn't make it," I said, trying to sound tough and all.

"Oh are you okay?" He asked again.

"I'm okay. Uh- I gotta go home so see you tomorrow?" I said.

"Uh- yeah sure Good Night!" He said as he turned his laptop off.

"Night," I said and left the room.

~~~

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