Memories

 "Jacqueline! Come over; we want to take a picture," her mom called out and she nodded absently. She skulked over to where her sister and mother were standing among other family relatives and friends. Most of them resembled likenesses of vultures and crows in black and Jacqueline chuckled under her breath. These days, it was a blessing to laugh, even just a little. She thought of calling down her friends but gave up that thought immediately the camera went off. Moreover, she didn't want anyone lecturing her friends or her at this funeral.

 She was headed back for her rock when she heard his voice, wafting through the air:

  "Gina darling, I am so sorry I couldn't get here earlier. Traffic was terrible in the snow. How did it happen? My brain just can't process that Peter is gone."

 "He was in an highway accident on his way back from hiking," Regina's shaky voice informed.

 "He didn't get to say goodbye, Rich and that's what hurts me the most."

 Rich. Richard Rossi was here. Suddenly, memories of an incident five years ago associated with that name crowded Jackie's thoughts. She was tempted to look back and see his face again but her anger towards him was stronger than her desire to look upon him. Feeling bothered all of a sudden, she made her way back to the house.

∆ ∆ ∆ ∆

 Richard noticed a haze of white run past where he and Regina stood. Whoever that was, he/she had been determined to stand out and had done so extremely well. 

 "Who is that?" he asked, his curiosity overriding his grief briefly.

 Regina looked in the direction of the exiting person.

 "That's Jacqueline, my youngest daughter, up to one of her famous rebellion schemes. It seems she is never around enough for me to introduce you two officially. Wonder who got fire on her heels this time. Kristin!"

 "Yes, Mother! Hey, Mr Rossi! You made it."

 "Just barely in time but I wouldn't miss it for the world."

 "Rich, you remember Kristin," Regina more of asked than said. Richard was not around much and it was possible he might have forgotten her.

 "Of course, the lovely and intelligent Kristin Torres. I hear such marvelous news about your progress at Yale from your mother, Kris. You are the pride of the Torres household," Richard read her eulogy, tucking her arm in his in a little dance. 

 "Oh, stop, you do go on, making my head swell with your praises," Kristin admonished, swatting at his arm. Morgan, her boyfriend came closer and Kristin introduced them both, wanting Richard's approval subtly. 

 "Morgan, you treat her right. You got yourself a rare gem. I just hope you know how to cherish it."

 "I'll do my best, sir. Excuse us," Morgan politely replied, taking the red-faced Kristin away.

 "Kids," Regina muttered under her breath.

 "You are one to talk, you who used to cling to Peter like he was your be-all and end-all. You guys were so cute sometimes it hurt to be single," Richard joked. He so much wanted to see her smile. This widow stigma did not look good on her.

 She giggled shortly, running her fingers in her hair.

 "He was my everything, Rich and I miss him terribly already. Sometimes, I think that I would just wake up from this nightmare and he would be in his study, requesting for office sex knowing fully well that I would never indulge his perverse craving no matter how hard he begged and how much I did want to oblige him."

 "TMI, Gina. But you are right, he was a horny bastard around you."

 They had another laugh together and Gina sniffed back her unshed tears. She launched herself at Richard and wept in his arms.

 "He promised me forever, Rich. He lied but I can't help loving the selfish bastard."

 Richard cooed soothing words in her ears and swayed side to side. "It will be alright, Gina. Let me pay my respects and I'll take you back to the house. All this negative energy is bad for your recovery." 

 Letting go of her, he stared at the house and his eyes collided with an icy, transparent pair. Before he could inhale, she slammed the door as hard as she could.

∆ ∆ ∆ ∆

 Jackie walked into the large room that had served as her father's study. Not much had been moved or tampered with and his presence was still preeminent in the open space. She could still see him tapping softly on his keyboard and sipping green tea from his favourite coffee mug. Her mother would never let him have coffee though; she believed in setting a good example for customers.

 She could still see his furrowed forehead which has marred his simple beauty but when she remembered that she had caused more than half of his worries, she could not help smiling. Her father had never given up on her regardless of whatever new trouble she brought with her from the public school. It was he who had nicknamed her Trouble once when she had tripped a waiter with her parasol at a wedding. The poor waiter collided with the bride's mother, knocking her off her feet and got himself the boot. 

 She had been grounded for two weeks for that alone until it was discovered that she had glued half of the guests on their seats. No one could prove she had done that so they let it slide but she enjoyed the party afterwards, watching overdressed bitches struggle with metal chairs stuck to their fat behinds. It was a two weeks well worth it. Her grandmother referred to her as a terrorist, her teachers were glad to see her graduate in 2012 and her sister saved her contacts as Little Imp. 

 No one had believed that she would get into college but she did eventually though it took longer than Kristen's. Her elder sister was a walking role model, a goddess with lush, golden blonde hair which she never let get too long. She was the perfect daughter, the carbon copy of their mother: beautiful, polite, socially up to date and equally disappointed that her younger sister would not follow in her footsteps. Jackie has lived in her shadow all her life and had never learned to do better than her sister.

 Because of her average grades and bad reputation, she could not go to Yale like every Torres child has. She managed to get into NYC along with her friends but she couldn't help feeling that she had disappointed her entire family. Kristin never failed to remind her of this disappointment, her mother too occasionally but her father had looked at her acceptance letter and enveloped her in a bear hug. 

 "NYU is just as good as Yale. Maybe it's time for a little change in our family history," was all he said, when he took the family out for a treat to celebrate. Jackie has loved him most and now she had lost him too just like everything dear to her. She sat in his chair and wept for her loss for the first time since she heard of her father's death.