Andy

Mom and Dad were talking about the trip we'd have to make to California next week to visit my great Grandma, who was currently ill in her beach house by the bay. I had never been there personally, because normally Gram travels to Utah to see us.

I worked on homework, listening to them talk, trying to remain on top of my work, no matter what was being thrown my way right now.

A knock at the front door distracted me.

"Ash, could you grab that?" My Dad asked me, washing his hands in the sink as he did so. I nodded and hopped up, heading to the front door.

"Oh, hey... Mr. Turner?"

"Hello, Ash? Is your father home?"

"Oh, yeah, just a minute. Come on in." I stepped aside and held the door open as he walked past me into the foyer.

I'd never really interacted with the Turners much. And especially now, considering the circumstances, I wasn't sure why he was here now.

"Andrew!" My Dad greeted cheerfully as he walked in, his Italian accent showing a little bit.

Andrew? Was Andy named after his uncle? I stepped off into a side hallway and listened to their conversation for a bit.

"As you know, my nephew's funeral is tomorrow at noon." Andrew Turner told my father with a saddened sigh. "I've been checking in with all of those attending with a role to be sure things are ready."

"Of course." My Dad answered with a somber tone, "Just know that our family, is here for you if you need it."

"Actually, that was something I was going to ask..."

"What's that?"

"Last year at the Pendant High talent show, your daughter sang and played piano... Don't suppose there's a chance she could play a quick tune tomorrow? She could play anything she's comfortable with." Mr. Turner bargained.

I was surprised by his offer, but little did he know, Andy had already asked me personally. At least now, I didn't have to wiggle my way into the schedule of things.

"Well, hang on and let me ask her. Ash! Can you come here for a moment?"

I pretended to be in the other room, and took my time shuffling out from the hallway. "Yeah, Dad?"

"Mr. Turner has a question to ask you."

I stepped further into the foyer and waited patiently for him to spring the question I already knew.

"Yes?"

"Now, last year," He licked his lips nervously, "Me and my wife attended the High School talent show, and you preformed a song on piano. You're free to say no, but would you consider playing a song at the funeral tomorrow?"

"Sure." I agreed. I had nothing to think out, because I'd already promised Andy less than an hour ago. "Any particular songs you'd like?" I offered. I knew which ones Andy wanted, but I wanted to offer closure for his whole family, as well.

"Well, Andy always really liked Motley Crue and Kiss, those kinds of bands... In fact, he was in a band back in high school, named Black Veil Brides. They didn't go too far, but they did give me one of their EP's, if you're feeling adventurous." He added on with a grin and a chuckle.

I could learn a song pretty quick, but learning it without Andy knowing, would be the hard part...

"Actually... Sure, I can try." I smiled.

"Really? Great! I'll drop the CD by on the way back from the Peterson's, then. Thank you very much, Ash. You are doing this family a great favor." He shook my hand before heading back out to his car.

My Dad turned to smile at me with pride. "Thank you, Ash." I nodded and smiled back, digging my hands into my pockets. "It was the least I could do."

He pulled me into a hug, and rested his chin on my head. "I never took the time to ask you how you were feeling about this whole thing... I mean, you were there."

I shrugged a little. "I feel like I'm in shock... Like it didn't happen. It's so strange..."

"I know..." He sighed, and continued to hug me. It was nice, I never really had moments like this with my Dad, but on that note, it also made it slightly awkward, because neither of us were very openly emotional people.

"Um, hun..." My mom called from the kitchen then, "I think your fish is burning."

"Sh-Shoot!" Dad censor-cursed and broke off the hug to go save his salmon.

I laughed and went to the kitchen to continue working on my homework, but it stunk so badly of burning fish, that I scooped up my textbooks and went to the patio in the backyard to work. I set them out on the concrete slab, and pulled one of the cushions off the lawn chairs and laid it down flat and sat upon it while I wrote out a history statement.

It hit me then that in the midst of everything that had happened that week, I still hadn't wrote my story for my writing class. I still had those God-awful drafts saved to my phone, but none of them really represented what I was. But with the time running out, I might just end up having to use one of those ideas.

Math was an unfortunate, unavoidable topic. I didn't like it in the least, but I understood it's importance. However, if I had the chance, I would throw away my whole packet right now.

I continued my work, wondering, and secretly waiting for Andy to try and sneak up on me, but as the sky started to turn violet, and I had long since finished my assignments, I got up and went inside. Andy wasn't back yet, I took my homework up to my room, half expecting him to be there, but he wasn't. The papers didn't flutter like they did when he was there. It was like he was actually dead now.

It felt weird, having had him around all week, and he was suddenly gone. I knew he was off, handling ghostly business, but his absence felt strange, like standing in a room with no furniture or knick knacks.

Mr. Turner dropped off the CD on his way home, just before dinner. He handed me the orange tinted, coverless jewel case, with a slip of paper inside that simply said Black Veil Brides on it. He thanked me again gratefully and got into his car to head home.

And since Dad had burned the fish, they salvaged what they could and made soup instead. Dad wore a guilty grin as he served bowls, and I chuckled.

After dinner, I carried the CD up to my room, almost feeling hesitant to listen to it, worried Andy might appear, and he might get mad, even though he'd never been angry with me. I just didn't want to risk it. But like most times, curiosity won out, and I hesitantly clicked the plain, white, re-writable disk into my CD player, and put in my headphones, sitting at my desk, I worked aimlessly on new lyrics, and bits and pieces of my essay.

There was a piece of paper that fell out of the case from behind where the disk had been. I picked it up off the floor, realizing it was a track listing.

The Outcasts (Call to Arms)
We Stitch These Wounds
Beautiful Remains
Children Surrender
Perfect Weapon
Knives and Pens
The Mortician's Daughter
All Your Hate
Heaven's Calling
Never Give In
Sweet Blasphemy
Carolyn

"Hmm..."

I hit play, and listened through the first few tracks, and right off, I knew it was Andy singing, because his vocals had a deep undertone. I smiled and listened, loving every song individually. And then... There was this one song that came on, that shocked me. It came off differently than the other pieces on the album. It opened in acoustic with a touch of piano.

"I'll open my lungs, dear.
I sing this song at funerals,
No rush.

And these lyrics heard a thousand times,
Just plush.

A baby boy you've held so tightly,
This pain visits almost nightly.
Missing hotel beds,
I feel your touch.

I will wait, dear.
A patience of eternity,
My crush.

A universe so still,
No rust
No dust will ever grow on this frame
A million years and I will say your name
I love you more than I could ever scream.

I booked our flight those years ago,
I said I loved you as I left you,
Regrets still haunt my hollow head,
But I promise you that I will see you again.
Again.

I sit here and smile, dear
I smile because I think of you,
And I blush."


I smiled softly, listening to the piano weaving through the acoustic guitar, and violin backing. Andy's voice forming the words, and the soft, almost romantic, yet sad message. From what I gathered, it was about leaving someone you love, in search of something else. It reminded me of when Andy mentioned moving to California, he left his family and friends behind here.

I smiled and grabbed the CD from the CD player and took it downstairs, to the music room in the back of the house. I popped it into the stereo and shut the door, and went to the piano, a sleek, black, grand piano, among other instruments I'd never learned to play.

I played around with the keys for a bit, with the track titled The Mortician's Daughter playing in the background on repeat while I struggled a bit to work out the piano parts by ear. I kept a notebook nearby while I worked, writing down and adjusting my list of notes and beats as I went.

I worked in there for quite a while before my Dad stepped into the room.

"I thought I heard you in here... Working on a song?" He sat on the piano bench beside me and watching me continue to pound the smooth loop of music on the keys, in search of the next note.

"Yeah..." I sighed, deciding to take a quick break. "There was this really pretty song called The Mortician's Daughter on the CD, I wanted to play it tomorrow."

"Uh..." He scratched the back of his neck nervously. "It is appropriate, right? The whole crowd won't end up in tears?"

I laughed, "The title doesn't really have much to do with the song itself. It's more of a closure piece, I think."

He nodded, and listened to it playing in the background on the stereo. "This is the song?"

I nodded.

He listened in silence for a while longer, until it ended with the word 'Home'.

"I think that'd be perfect, actually. Might get some misty-eyed people, but it'll be beautiful. Thank you for doing this, sweetie." He put his arm around my shoulders and gave them a squeeze. I smiled down at the ivory keys, and hoped that Andy would be happy, too.

Notes

Song Ash plays on piano and listens to is The Mortician's Daughter by Black Veil Brides