Two deaths in as many days were almost too much for Jon to bear. Something had gone wrong, and Frank had died in surgery after donating a kidney to Cian. The doctors tried to explain, but all Jon heard was that he was dead.
Cian was still alive, barely. He was in a coma, and the doctors didn't yet know if he was going to survive. Even if he did survive, there was no way of knowing if he'd ever fully recover. Terasa refused to leave his side. All they could do was pray and wait.
It seemed that only recently there had been so much to celebrate. A wedding, a birth, an engagement, and now suddenly, another funeral. It hadn't been that long since Dom had buried his wife, and now this. As if Frank's death wasn't enough to deal with, Katt was dead, too. Jon didn't understand what had happened exactly. All he knew was that dozens of innocent people had been killed or injured in some explosion in the Marketplace, and Katt had been one of them.
Bad news and more bad news. Jon stood outside the Bon Bon, looking over the still smoldering rubble, wondering what had happened there and why. He hadn't seen Katt in several months, and he was full of regret. She'd repaid the money Jon had lent her to get the Bon Bon going, but it didn't matter. It was only money. She was gone, and there wasn't enough money in the world to replace her. He stood there a long time, still as stone, but for the silent tears that were sliding down his face, his heart feeling like it was breaking. He wished he'd had a chance to see her one last time, to tell her how much she meant to him, but it was too late. He remembered the first time he'd met her. How she'd told him of her dream, and he had lent her the money. He would have simply given it to her, but she'd insisted on paying him back. It didn't seem to matter anymore. He made arrangements for an anonymous donation to the Riverview Clinic in Katt's memory. It seemed fitting somehow. After a long while, Jon stepped as close as he dared to what remained of the Bon Bon and leaned over to leave a single white rose on the pile of smoldering rubble, along with a note. It was a short note, brief and to the point. He'd never been very good with words, better at reciting them than writing them. "A rose for remembrance. I will never forget. Jon." He stood there a moment longer before wiping the tears from his face and turning away with a heart that was heavy with grief and loss and guilt. There were those who had said not to give up, not to lose hope, that death wasn't always final on Rhydin, but he didn't want to hold onto false hope. It would only make things harder. He'd said goodbye to Katt, and now it was time to say goodbye to someone else. A cousin he hardly knew, except for a few harsh words exchanged during a time when emotions were running high. Frank's accusations had wounded him, and now that Frank was dead, Jon would never have a chance to forgive him, except in his heart.
Two souls lost in as many days, and yet, life went on. Somehow, amidst all the tragedy and sadness, Jon had to find the strength to go on, but he wasn't sure how anymore.
It seemed that only recently there had been so much to celebrate. A wedding, a birth, an engagement, and now suddenly, another funeral. It hadn't been that long since Dom had buried his wife, and now this. As if Frank's death wasn't enough to deal with, Katt was dead, too. Jon didn't understand what had happened exactly. All he knew was that dozens of innocent people had been killed or injured in some explosion in the Marketplace, and Katt had been one of them.
Bad news and more bad news. Jon stood outside the Bon Bon, looking over the still smoldering rubble, wondering what had happened there and why. He hadn't seen Katt in several months, and he was full of regret. She'd repaid the money Jon had lent her to get the Bon Bon going, but it didn't matter. It was only money. She was gone, and there wasn't enough money in the world to replace her. He stood there a long time, still as stone, but for the silent tears that were sliding down his face, his heart feeling like it was breaking. He wished he'd had a chance to see her one last time, to tell her how much she meant to him, but it was too late. He remembered the first time he'd met her. How she'd told him of her dream, and he had lent her the money. He would have simply given it to her, but she'd insisted on paying him back. It didn't seem to matter anymore. He made arrangements for an anonymous donation to the Riverview Clinic in Katt's memory. It seemed fitting somehow. After a long while, Jon stepped as close as he dared to what remained of the Bon Bon and leaned over to leave a single white rose on the pile of smoldering rubble, along with a note. It was a short note, brief and to the point. He'd never been very good with words, better at reciting them than writing them. "A rose for remembrance. I will never forget. Jon." He stood there a moment longer before wiping the tears from his face and turning away with a heart that was heavy with grief and loss and guilt. There were those who had said not to give up, not to lose hope, that death wasn't always final on Rhydin, but he didn't want to hold onto false hope. It would only make things harder. He'd said goodbye to Katt, and now it was time to say goodbye to someone else. A cousin he hardly knew, except for a few harsh words exchanged during a time when emotions were running high. Frank's accusations had wounded him, and now that Frank was dead, Jon would never have a chance to forgive him, except in his heart.
Two souls lost in as many days, and yet, life went on. Somehow, amidst all the tragedy and sadness, Jon had to find the strength to go on, but he wasn't sure how anymore.