Her Eyes

The day of Mason O’Rear’s funeral was just the way she would’ve wanted: cold, dreary and rainy. ‘She loved days like this’ was all Jordan Staal could think of as he stepped out of his apartment building, and into Kris Letang’s car. Neither of them spoke as they drove to the cemetery and Jordan stared out the window in front of him watching the raindrops splatter on the windshield in strange patterns.

A familiar piano rift drifted from the speakers and once it hit him, he found himself choking back hot, salty tears. He couldn’t seem to understand the fact that the girl he had spent the last five months with was gone.

Kris pulled up to the cemetery and parked before looking at Jordan.

“I know you’re hurting. It’s normal to hurt when someone you love dies. It’s also normal to cry. In fact, it’s therapeutic to cry. But you haven’t cried yet, and that’s a little scary. I know that you’re trying to be a man and everything, but keeping your emotions bottled up is never healthy. When Luc died, I-I didn’t know what to do. I sat in my room for days, staring at the walls, not saying anything. And it wasn’t until Maryse told me it was okay to cry, that I did. And I was better, and it got better, and you will be better, if you cry. Look, time may seem like it’s moving slowly, but it’s still moving. Everything’s going to be okay Jordan, and I’m here for you if you need me.”

And if you looked in the window a moment later, you would have seen Jordan Staal, with his head in his hands, and tears falling off his face.

* * *

Mason O’Rear’s service was the most beautiful thing Jordan thought he’d ever seen. Before she died, Mason had joked about choosing six of Jordan’s teammates to be pallbearers, and that was who carried her coffin out of the hearse and towards the grave. Both Jordan and his brothers spoke about what a kind, honest, and shy person Mason was, and how their lives – all of their lives – were enriched by just knowing her, and at the end, her body was lowered into the ground gracefully. And Jordan cried openly. And then, it was over.

After making their way toward the parking lot, Jordan stood around, shaking hands, accepting condolences and staring at Mason’s headstone. And that’s when he saw the man staring at her headstone as well. Though Jordan had never met the man, he immediately recognized him.

He was tall and lean, with dark hair, and a light complexion. Jordan set out across the cemetery toward the man, much to the confusion of his mother, and brothers. As he got closer, he slowed down, and approached the man, and Mason’s grave, almost with caution. Then he saw the tears rolling down the man’s face.

“Mr. O’Rear?”

“Yes?” Jordan stuck out his hand and grasped the older man’s in a firm handshake.

“I’m Jordan Staal. And I was in love with your daughter.”

Notes

I wrote this story 5 years ago. It was the first story I wrote from beginning to end, and the first I truly loved. I will be posting a link to my blog/where I post excerpts from new stuff I'm writing, if anyone is interested.

Thanks for sticking with me till the end.