One of these days someone was going to call Florence to give her good news, she was sure of it. Three agonizing phone calls, each one grimmer than the last. First the news of Dad’s death. The moment she got off the phone she’d packed up and driven to Vertmoor. She’d been there to distribute hugs and tissues, though it should come as no surprise that her family had been reluctant to accept either. At the time it had felt like the beginning of the end, but in a good sort of way. Vidal’s death marked the end of an era and perhaps once this was all over her family could finally let go and find peace. She’d left as soon as the funeral ended. If her siblings needed her she’d come back in a heartbeat, but Dad had promised her a lovely life and she intended to go out into the world and live it. Then she’d gotten the second call. Mom was gone. That one… hurt.
The third call was enough to summon her back to the old house on the hill. Last time she’d arrived with cupcakes for everyone, trying to lift her family’s spirits. This time she arrived with sunflowers and instead of going inside to greet her siblings she made her way to the back to greet an empty grave. She sat on the damp ground, looking down at the flowers in her hands for a moment. For anyone who didn’t know Florence it might seem strange to see the young woman with sunflowers sitting cross legged in the mud, talking to an empty grave. But Florence didn’t mind. The memorial might be gone, the body might be gone, but the memory was not. “Hey Pacifico,” she whispered after a moment. “I’m sorry I’ve been away for so long,” she continued, a sad smile painted on her pretty pink lips. “I know I should have come back to visit more often. I never forgot, you know. Wherever you are, I want you to know I never forgot you, or the family, or this place… Anyways, I brought you flowers.” She went quiet, fiddling with the yellow petals until something off to her left caught her attention. Or rather someone. “How long have you been standing there? You really shouldn’t be sulking around eavesdropping, but you’re welcome to join me if you want some company.”
He had been lounging around the house -- a habit nowadays since everyone was back home. It was easier to feel at ease since dad died, and easier to sleep as well, if he ever let himself sleep. It wasn’t a gloomy day, the sun was slightly shining through the clouds in the sky, which made some of the lazier parts of the house the best places to hide. When the rays peeked out behind the clouds, they hit his legs as he read to himself in a nook, the warmth bringing back memories of his days with Emilio. As he turned a page, a shadow walked across the window by his seat, a whip of curls turning the corner of the house and into the back. Once again, the sun was gone as it hid, and as quickly as the warmth faded, Erebus shot up from his chair to investigate.
The ground outside was damp and muddy from the rain days prior and as he stepped he could feel himself sink. From afar he could see a figure of a woman standing by Pacifico’s empty memorial, flowers beside her. The closer he got, the more his heart raced. Erebus could pinpoint her out anywhere, that hair and her gestures. Just her sitting and talking to the grave was enough to make this empty house feel more like home -- familiar.
“oh... I -- have not, am not, eavesdropping,” he cleared his throat, pulled from his thoughts as Florence caught him off guard and turned around. He looked around for a moment before taking her offer and bending down to sit beside her in the mud. “Who were you talking to?” His words came out quickly from the nerves and as he settled in, Erebus rubbed his hands on his pants to break some of his tension.
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