Chapter 7

A Chapter by Keevan

Let's get this thing rolling once again!

Edward

Things were boring without Lucy around. Al was still working, Winry was busy, so I just sat on the porch steps staring to my right at the river. After a while, my neck started hurting at the uncomfortable angle it was at.

I groaned and stood up, hearing my stomach signaling that I needed food.

As soon as I entered the house again, the phone started ringing. I walked over to it and answered without much enthusiasm. "Hello?"

"Ed," Lucy said. "It's me."

"Why are you calling?" I asked, kind of shocked she called at all.

"What do you mean?" she asked back, a hint of aggitation in her voice. "You weren't worried at all when I didn't call hours ago? You didn't think I could've gotten killed on the train or anything?"

"Lucy, I know you can take care of yourself enough to not die," I said to her. "You're a fricken' assassin for God's sake."

"Not anymore," was Lucy's response. There were a few moments of silence, and then I asked, "So, how's Central? Meet any relatives yet?"

"Central is nice and boring," Lucy said, sounding like she was stifling a yawn. "and, I've met my cousin and aunt. I just got back from their room, actually."

"They good people?"

"Camille is seventeen, and her mother, Antoinette, is just a tired mess," Lucy said. "Call it a hunch, but I'm guessing it's because she's dealing with a fussy baby boy who looks like he's a few months old."

"You'd probably look like that, too, if you were a single parent with a baby and seventeen year old daughter," I said, just trying to annoy her.

"Shut up," she muttered. I grinned, even though she couldn't see it, and said, "Well, I'll see you Monday."

"Yeah, see you Monday," she said.

"Ah," I started, trying to say something before she hung up. "Lucy, I, uh, I-I love you, so take care of yourself out there, okay?"

After a few moments of silence, she said, "Y-Yeah, you too." She quickly hung up after that.

"Oh, Lucy," I muttered as I hung up the phone. I was startled by a knock at the door. Wondering who it was, I went to answer it.

I almost had a heart attack when I opened the door.

"Hello, Edwawrd," Katsura said. "Did you loose my number or something? I haven't heard from you since we met in Central."

"I, uh--" I stammered, wishing she would just go away. She smirked and let herself into the house, walking past me and closing the door herself.

Lucy's going to fricken' murder me if she finds out about this...!

______________________________________________________________________________

Lucy

"Y-Yeah, you too," I said, and quickly hung up the phone. That was the first time he'd said that to me since that night last year when we both confessed after my "insanity" episode, which we still don't bring up.

Then I remembered that I had to write a speech for Marn's funeral.

"Damn," I muttered, and then I heard a knock at my door. "Coming," I said as I crossed the room from the phone to the door. I opened it and was face to face with a short man with hair the same color as mine, eyes a blue like my mother's.

"You are Lucille Riinath, correct?" the man asked. He had a kind smile.

"Yeah, that's me," I replied. "Lucy Mustang, actually." He held out his hand, and I shook it.

"Mustang, huh?" he said, cocking his head to the side. "Interesting."

"After I got taken away from m-my dad," I started, having trouble calling that b*****d my father. "I was taken in by a colonel in the military. His last name is Mustang. I remembered my last name was Riinath about a year ago when Marn told me."

"I see," he said, dropping my hand. "You've got something to include in your speech, right there. Started it yet?"

"Nope."

"Well, better get cracking, then," the man said. "and while you're at it, I guess I should introduce myself.

"My name is James," he said. "I was Mizune's younger brother."

"Younger is right," I found myself saying. "you're barely taller than me." He pulled an Edward and looked like he was going to get mad, but he covered it up with a smile and said through clenched teeth, "Well, I'll see you at the service tomorrow. Bye, Lucy!" And with that, he shuffled down the hallway to the stairs.

My thoughts when I closed my door: I have a fricken' wierd family.

______________________________________________________________________________

The introduction took an hour, and finally, the minister announced for Lucille Riinath to go to the front podium in front of the open casket to read off her speech. Lucky me.

I slowly stood up from my seat in a pew in the back and walked to the front, keeping my eyes ahead and my face emotionless.

"That's Mizune's daughter," I heard someone whisper. "the one who was abused by that damn husband of her's."

I didn't have a speech in my hand. I was going to say exactly what was on my mind and heart and not give a damn about what anyone else thought.

I stood at that podium and stared hard into the rows of people in Marn's life.

"My name is Lucy," I began. "I am the youngest daughter of Mizune Rose Riinath. I know that Marn wanted her eldest granddaughter to give a speech at her funeral, but..." I paused and looked at the poduim. "I'm all she's got. If my sister, Serah, was alive today, it would be her up here, not me.

"I'll admit, I really haven't had any connections with Marn in my life," I continued. "I've really only met her once, and talked to her maybe twice." I felt a pang of guilt at the bitter truth. "I know she was a good woman, and cared deeply about everyone she met. For my ninteenth birthday, she sent me a picture of my mother, who I barely even remember.

"The first time I met her, it seemed she welcomed me back into her family instantly, wanting to know more about me and have a bond. But sadly, that really didn't happen.

"All I can really say now, is that Marn Maya will be missed by everyone in this room, and that is that."

Quiet applause and a few tears were shed when I finished.

______________________________________________________________________________

The burial was right after the events in the church. Marn's casket, now nailed shut, was carried out by six men and gently lowered into her own personal hole in the ground. I stood in the back again, feeling like I wasn't worthy enough to witness Marn's burial.

I stood there for hours after the men buried her, just staring at her head stone. Most people left by then, and the sun started setting when I realized I had been crying.

It was like I was in a trance the whole time. That was the first time I had ever been to a funeral in my life, and I truly witnessed how people were affected by death of a loved one. It really made me think of all those men and women I killed back when I was in the military, if their friends and family cared for them.

"--now?"

I blinked. "I'm sorry, what?" I turned to my right, Camille standing there with her mother and little brother.

"I said," Camille began. "it's getting late, so what're you going to do now?"

I looked up at the sky, fading orange and purple, and made up my mind.

"I'm going home," I said. "I don't think I should attend the reception tomorrow."

"Where did you say you lived again?" Antoinette asked, cradeling a fussy Kouta.

"Resembool," I answered. "My boyfriend should be happy to see me, I guess." The three of us, not counting Kouta, walked away from Marn Maya's grave and away from the cemetary.

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