Post by onyxfyrefly on Oct 10, 2012 20:21:10 GMT -5
Neil sank onto the bench with a sigh and let his head rest in his hands. From between his fingers he could see fragments of bright sunshine and frowned. It wasn’t fair. The weather shouldn’t be this beautiful, not on a day like this.
“Hello, Neil.”
The familiar voice made his head snap up and his eyes widened. “Ryan? What are you doing here?”
“I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” replied the singer with an easy grin.
Neil studied his friend for a moment then tried to smile. “You look good.” The last time he saw Ryan the young man had been pale and drawn, hooked up to so many machines that he couldn’t tell all of the wires and tubes apart.
“Thanks, mate. I feel good too. You on the other hand look terrible.”
The guitarist ran a hand through his hair. “Can you blame me?” Neil knew he had bags under his eyes and couldn’t remember the last time that he’d had a proper meal.
Ryan placed a hand on his knee. “It’ll get better.”
Neil shook his head. “No it won’t. My family has been ripped apart, how can things ever go back to they way they were?”
“They can’t and they won’t. Nothing will ever be the same but one day you’ll wake up and it won’t hurt as much. The next day will be easier and the next will be even easier.”
“I don’t want to forget.” Neil swallowed hard against the lump in his throat.
“You don’t have to forget but you have to keep going, you have to stay strong.”
“What’s the point?” Letting his elbows rest on his knees Neil squinted into the bright sunlight. “My world is falling to pieces and nothing I do will put it back together.”
“That doesn’t sound like the Neil Byrne that I know.” Ryan sat back against the bench and crossed his arms. “The Neil that I know will grieve, will mourn, will hurt, will get drunk, will pour himself into his music, and most of all he will survive.”
“Why? Why did this have to happen? It isn’t fair!”
Ryan sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know. No, it isn’t fair but it happened and now you have to deal with it.” He leaned forward and turned to meet Neil’s eyes. “Just remember that you don’t have to deal with it alone. No matter what, you’re never alone.”
Neil nodded and sat staring into space with Ryan’s comforting presence at his side. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed but George’s strong hand on his shoulder made him jump.
“It’s time, lad.”
He stood and brushed off his pants as he followed George. Turning he looked back at the bench but Ryan was gone. Neil scrubbed his hand over his eyes as he walked towards the cemetery where his best friend, his band mate, his brother Ryan John Kelly was being laid to rest.
“Hello, Neil.”
The familiar voice made his head snap up and his eyes widened. “Ryan? What are you doing here?”
“I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” replied the singer with an easy grin.
Neil studied his friend for a moment then tried to smile. “You look good.” The last time he saw Ryan the young man had been pale and drawn, hooked up to so many machines that he couldn’t tell all of the wires and tubes apart.
“Thanks, mate. I feel good too. You on the other hand look terrible.”
The guitarist ran a hand through his hair. “Can you blame me?” Neil knew he had bags under his eyes and couldn’t remember the last time that he’d had a proper meal.
Ryan placed a hand on his knee. “It’ll get better.”
Neil shook his head. “No it won’t. My family has been ripped apart, how can things ever go back to they way they were?”
“They can’t and they won’t. Nothing will ever be the same but one day you’ll wake up and it won’t hurt as much. The next day will be easier and the next will be even easier.”
“I don’t want to forget.” Neil swallowed hard against the lump in his throat.
“You don’t have to forget but you have to keep going, you have to stay strong.”
“What’s the point?” Letting his elbows rest on his knees Neil squinted into the bright sunlight. “My world is falling to pieces and nothing I do will put it back together.”
“That doesn’t sound like the Neil Byrne that I know.” Ryan sat back against the bench and crossed his arms. “The Neil that I know will grieve, will mourn, will hurt, will get drunk, will pour himself into his music, and most of all he will survive.”
“Why? Why did this have to happen? It isn’t fair!”
Ryan sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know. No, it isn’t fair but it happened and now you have to deal with it.” He leaned forward and turned to meet Neil’s eyes. “Just remember that you don’t have to deal with it alone. No matter what, you’re never alone.”
Neil nodded and sat staring into space with Ryan’s comforting presence at his side. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed but George’s strong hand on his shoulder made him jump.
“It’s time, lad.”
He stood and brushed off his pants as he followed George. Turning he looked back at the bench but Ryan was gone. Neil scrubbed his hand over his eyes as he walked towards the cemetery where his best friend, his band mate, his brother Ryan John Kelly was being laid to rest.