Page 78 of With This Witch
Petra nods into his chest.
Sniffling, she turns away from him, running a sleeve over her face to wipe the tears away. Silently, she moves to the side of the bed, Gammy facing her. Petra slides in beside her, curling her body to face her. Tucking a hand under her face, she reaches out with the other, taking hold of Gammy’s free hand.
Cold. She’s so cold.
“I’m sorry, Gammy,” she squeaks, tears spilling onto the pillow. Clearing her throat, she continues, her voice breaking, “I love you. I’m sorry I was such a shithead sometimes as a teen. I will do my best to approach the rest of my life with the tenacity and compassion you taught me. I hope I’ll make you proud.”
He’s been quiet, but Petra knows Lachlan has stayed with her, leaning on the doorframe so as not to intrude. She hears a slight sniffle behind her.
Petra stays on the bed, holding Gammy’s cold hand for a while longer. How long, she isn’t sure. Eventually, Lachlan comes to her, placing a loving hand on her hip and crouches down behind her. “We should call someone,” he says.
“I know.”
“Do you want me to call?”
“Please. I want to stay with her a little longer,” she tells him, her voice thick with emotion.
“Ok. I’ll call and be right back.” He leans over as he stands, kissing the side of her head. “I love you,” he says before turning and leaving the room. She hears him make a call; the rumble in his voice carries, though the words are indistinguishable. He returns shortly, letting her know they are on their way.
Petra stays holding Gammy’s hand until the coroner arrives. As reality sets in that she will need to let go, the world around her becomes muffled. She hears them talk to Lachlan, likely asking him to move her, worried that she will hinder their ability to take Gammy away. Before he can come over, she whispers, “I love you. Goodbye, Gammy.” She releases Gammy’s hand, pushes herself up and slides off the bed. Lachlan is at her instantly, catching her as she falls to the floor. One arm on her back, he sweeps the other under her legs. Curling into his chest, he carries her out of the room. They settle in the sitting room on the main floor, Petra still wrapped in his arms, tears flowing freely from her eyes onto his shirt.
It takes about an hour for the coroner to remove Gammy’s body. They quickly check for any signs of unnatural passing, then wrap her and place her in the body bag. Petra, fingers laced with Lachlan’s, follows them out and watches as Gammy is loaded into the van.
“We are sorry for your loss. Do you have a preferred funeral home to which you would like her brought?”
Petra looks to Lachlan. She hadn’t thought of where Gammy would be going.
“Take her to Last Walk Funerals. Tell them to call Lachlan Grace for details.”
“Got it,” the coroner responds, writing down the information on his clipboard. “Again, I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you,” Petra responds, her voice tired.
The coroner opens the driver’s door, hops in, and leaves, taking her Gammy with him.
Petra spends the next few days in a haze of grief. Thankfully, Gammy had planned ahead, and many arrangements for her service and aftercare are already set. The casket, music, flowers, service location, and who would be doing the service were already chosen by Gammy, which Petra was thankful for. She’s not sure she would have been able to make such delicate decisions on her own.
Lachlan has been a loving source of strength during these few days, providing a shoulder to cry on or making decisions when she couldn’t. He took control of sending out notices to important people and writing the obituary for the local paper. She would not have made it through these days without him.
On the day of the funeral, Petra dresses in a soft blue flowing dress with a flower crown made of conjured wildflowers. While funerals are generally a sad affair, Gammy requested no black. She wanted to be celebrated for who she was rather than mourned for no longer being here. The celebration of her life was to take place at sunset in the Leeside forest, a place where she felt most connected to the earth and her power.
When they arrive at the location of Gammy’s celebration, Daisy meets Petra and Lachlan at the entrance to the forest. Petra hugs Daisy, and then Daisy moves to stand on her other side. The three of them forming their own family, bound together by circumstance, trauma, and love.
Petra stops, speechless, as she looks over the large crowd gathered in the trees. Trolls, shifters, vampires, and many more supernatural creatures stand shoulder-to-shoulder with humans. Gammy has touched everyone here in some way during their life. Petra’s eyes well up, but they are happy tears for the first time in days. Knowing how much of an impact Gammy had on everyone here fills her with hope. She can only hope she can maintain this legacy as she steps forward in her own life.
After the celebration, many beings come to Petra, sharing their condolences and stories of how they knew her grandmother. She hears stories of how Gammy saved their lives, helped them in time of need, and lent a compassionate ear when needed. She feels the hole in her chest fill little by little with each story. Gammy may be gone, but she will live on in all of these beings. She learns so much more about her grandmother, understanding her in ways she never did before. She was a truly remarkable woman.
After everyone is gone, Petra walks to the now-closed casket with Lachlan and Daisy, her misfit family, at her side. She places her hand atop the coffin and recites a parting spell to help carry Gammy on in peace. As she draws power from the earth below, swirls of sapphire pink magic work their way around the casket, sealing it, before it takes Gammy’s body into the afterworld.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-EIGHT
Lachlan
Daisy has been spending the past couple of days at their place, keeping close to Petra. She’s managed to get Petra to agree to go out for the afternoon. Lachlan would give anything to be able to help make it all better, but he knows all he can do is be there for her. So he is. Every minute he can be.
Without Petra home for the day, he takes the time to review some council business he has been avoiding. He spends the afternoon working his way through various requests ranging from the need for accessible entry ramps to funding new businesses from community members. Some of them, like the ramps, are a no-brainer and are immediately accepted; others, like building permits and business funding, are put in the “need review” pile, and then others, asking for the right to refuse service to people they don’t like are outright denied. Closing his eyes, he leans his head back on the top of his chair, pinching his nose in frustration. The gall of some of these people openly asking for permission from the council to discriminate against others.
The jockeying for position at the top of the supernatural being tower is wild to Lachlan. Maybe it’s because of his experience in the underworld and knowing that every being ends up there that helps him to see that the disdain for others is pointless. If his dark life in the underworld has taught him anything, everyone deserves a chance. A chance to be loved, valued, and seen as living beings, regardless of any abilities. Even the worst of the worst are loved by someone. He’s also aware that the most heinous beings deserve to suffer the proper consequences of their actions. But no, he will not sanction hatred.
