Playing the Death Card

People were hurt. People were crying for her, and she was watching it all. Who would have thought that her first funeral would have been her own.

Vivian was sitting in the back, watching as everyone cried for the girl who had died. It was heartbreaking to watch the family wish their daughter goodbye, knowing they could never talk to her again.

Vivian turned her head to see the old high school students who had once attended the same school as the girl, seeing them all stricken with grief. A woman, with brown hair, was crying on the shoulder of a young man who continued to pat her head and whisper hushing words in her ear. Two more young men stood behind them: one with messy black hair, and the other with slicked back blonde hair and silver framed glasses. Both looked just as depressed as the others in the room, but just looking at the anguished expressions of those two young men, one in particular, made her heart break.

Vivian looked back to the coffin sitting at the front of the church, closed. It was a dark oak with silver handles and design. Next to the coffin, was a picture of the girl who had died. She had blonde, long and curly, hair with deep sea green eyes; fair skinned; and wearing a light blue sweater.

Vivian looked up when suddenly an old man took the seat next to her.

“It always breaks my heart seeing things like this,” the old man muttered, setting his cane against the chair in front of him. “No parent should lose a child before themselves.”

The woman looked away, looking to the coffin with a sad expression. The old man was right, no parent should lose their child. But in this case, it had to be done, for their safety. For everyone’s safety.

“What’s your name, Miss?” the old man asked, shifting in his seat a bit.

Vivian turned to the man, taking off her sunglasses, revealing a pair of sea green eyes. “Vivian Hendricks, Sir.”

The old man raised a bushy eyebrow and chuckled to himself. “Well, Miss Hendricks, it‘s very surprising the find you a beautiful woman like yourself here by yourself.” Vivian laughed. “For a moment I thought you were my granddaughter, but that’s not possible.”

Vivian gave a smirk, laughing softly to herself at the irony. “Do I look like her?” Vivian crossed her legs, placing her hands neatly in her lap.

“Yes, you do, you both have the same kindness and determination in your eyes,” the old man said, smiling.

Vivian laughed.

“Did you know my granddaughter, Miss Hendricks?”

Vivian gave another sad smirk. “Yes, I did… I knew her very well.” Vivian chuckled. “We knew each other so well we could have been the same person.”

The old man gave a sad smile and looked to his hands. “I never knew my granddaughter had such a friend other then Sally, Edward, Harry, and Daniel over there.” The old man pointed to the young adults to the side, making Vivian look over at them again. The old man then placed his hand back in front of him, looking down once again. “I always figured she was too shy to find anyone else other then them. I pretty much thought that the closest person she had a special relationship was Daniel.” The old man sat back in his chair, looking to Vivian again. “Would you mind me asking how you met my granddaughter, Miss Hendricks?”

Vivian sat back also. “I’m sorry to say, Sir, but I don’t remember.”

The two were soon interrupted by a young gentleman in a clean black suit and a chauffeur cap on his head, covering his black hair and most of his handsome face. The man placed a hand on Vivian’s shoulder, leaning down to speak with her.

“Miss Hendricks, I apologize to interrupt your conversation,” he said, “but we must be leaving.”

Vivian nodded. “Thank you, Leon.”

The man, Leon, turned away and walked toward the door, waiting there for Vivian.

Vivian stood, releasing a small sigh from her lips. “I’m terrible sorry about this, Sir, but I must be leaving.”

The old man stood to his feet and shook hands with Vivian. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Hendricks.”

Vivian smiled caringly and walked past the old man toward Leon.

“Mr. Livingston.” The old man looked to his side, seeing the blonde young man in glasses walking to him. “Who were you talking to just then?”

“Oh, Daniel my boy,” the old man said, smiling, “that was Vivian Hendricks.” The man tapped his cane against the ground, chuckling to himself. “She was friends with Lucy, before the accident took her.”

“Really?” Daniel said, turning his head to look at the door.

Vivian stopped walking before she and Leon left the church. She turned back and looked over her shoulder, meeting eyes with Daniel. Daniel felt his heart jump in surprise and his eyes widened in disbelief. The similarities to Lucy was astounding, but he knew it couldn’t have been her. But Vivian smiled calmingly to him, just like Lucy always did, before looking away.

“Miss Hendricks,” Leon said, “we must be going. Mr. Fuller won’t appreciate you being late on your first day.”

“Oh, hush,” Vivian said, looking back to see Daniel still looking at her. Another sad smile crossed Vivian‘s expression as she looked into his shocked green eyes. “I’m sure Mr. Fuller would understand.” Vivian’s smile turned a bit sadder. “After all, this is the last time I get to see them, and him.”

Leon looked up, seeing who his mistress was staring at. “Are you sure this was the right thing to do?” Leon looked out the doors, toward the car. “Once you past these doors, there’s no going back to being ‘Lucy’.”

Vivian laughed, turning her back to Daniel and the old man. “There’s no turning back from playing the Death Card, Leon.” Vivian began walking away, towards the black car sitting out front. “Plus, ‘Lucy’ was long dead.”

Vivian stepped into the car as Leon shut the door behind her. He took one last look to Daniel and the old man, giving a small bow before taking his place in the drivers seat.

Even if ‘Lucy’ is gone, Vivian thought, smiling solemnly as she watched the church get further from her view, we‘ll see her again…-Vivian turned her back, sitting in the seat as the car continued to drive away from the church smiling to herself-…right, Daniel?

Reviews

[decemberalways]

Well, this was definitely a good read. I love how everything flowed. As I am probably missing a little back story, I'm not sure if Lucy is now Vivian...? Haha Anywho.. excellent nonetheless.