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Post by Elizabeth Shackleford on Dec 14, 2008 10:07:16 GMT -5
The work day ended for Elizabeth, but she wanted to continue to work. She didn't mind working long hours because her apartment was empty and she didn't care too much about going back to that eerie silence. However, she did leave after her day was over because she was going to go visit Daniel for a little bit.
Even though it had been two years, she still couldn't get over him. He had been the only person she ever fell in love with and now, he was gone. There was still a hole in her heart that was buried with Daniel.
Elizabeth buttoned up her coat and put on her gloves. Before she reached the cemetary, she picked up a bouquet of flowers to put on his grave. She walked slowly toward the cemetary while her blond hair blew in the wind. Elizabeth kept her head down to prevent the wind from hitting it so much.
Once she reached her destination, she made a bee line to the grave that she visited at least once a week. Elizabeth knelt down at the headstone and held onto the flowers that she had. She ran her hand over his name: Daniel Edward Goodin. Sighing Elizabeth slowly put the flowers on the grave. "I miss you," she whispered.
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Post by Anthony Montgomery on Dec 16, 2008 21:45:17 GMT -5
It was hard not to notice a girl like her, even in a cemetary.
No one ever knew who Anthony visited, and if someone he knew came into the cemetary, he would leave the grave. It wasn't anyone's business, afterall. She was a part of his past, and he hated when they tried to dig into his past.
He had been leaving when he saw her come in, and there was something tragically enchanting about her, so he stopped at another grave, a person he didn't know, and watched her, though he felt like he was intruding on something sacred.
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Post by Elizabeth Shackleford on Dec 16, 2008 22:02:22 GMT -5
She continued to just stare at the headstone then looked to the flowers. The ones that had been there seemed to have withered a bit. Elizabeth picked those up, or what was left of them rather. She didn't even notice anyone else in the cemetery as usual. Elizabeth just kept to herself everywhere she went.
Sighing, she knew whatever she did was not going to bring him back but it was so hard to let go. She hadn't even put away her engagement ring yet. Elizabeth hoped that she could do that today and just stash it away in her jewelry box. If she didn't start attempting to let go a little each day, it was going to bring her back to how she was when it first happened.
Elizabeth stayed knelt down for another moment before standing up. She never did get to say goodbye properly and she wasn't sure how she was supposed to even do that. She knew that Daniel wouldn't want her to just waste her life missing him all the time and basically withdrawing herself from the people around her, but she couldn't help it. Two years and she finally convinced herself to take small steps to get over his death. Maybe she could do it...
"Goodbye Daniel," she said quietly before taking a few steps backward from his grave.
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Post by Anthony Montgomery on Dec 17, 2008 2:05:04 GMT -5
Daniel... Anthony wondered who Daniel was to her. A boyfriend, or a brother, most likely. It was almost morbid to him that he wondered, but it was human nature to be curious, wasn't it?
He noticed she was wearing a wedding ring, though, and that made him lean towards a brother. She took a few steps back, and Anthony wanted to talk to her. It was just the sadness in her eyes that was haunting and beautiful at the same time, but he held back for just a moment, in case she wasn't finished yet.
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Post by Elizabeth Shackleford on Dec 17, 2008 7:40:45 GMT -5
Elizabeth looked down to her ring. It was now or never. She could just slip it into her pocket and still hold on to it. After all, she was attempting to say goodbye, but naturally goodbyes were the hardest. Sighing she gently put her fingers around her ring and slowly pulled it off her finger. Her hand felt so empty and she wanted to put it back on, but she knew that she couldn't, not if she was trying to say goodbye. It wasn't like she was going to forget him, that was impossible.
Closing her eyes she finished slipping the ring off her finger and put it into her pocket. She knew that Daniel would want it this way. Her life couldn't just wither away because of this. Elizabeth looked back to his grave and took another step back. This was the best way she knew to say it and she had to do it now or never. She would still come back and visit, yes but she wouldn't just base her actions on the incident.
Elizabeth took another moment to glance back at his name, she still holding on to the withered flowers. Maybe now she could find it in herself to move on and become the girl she used to be.
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Post by Anthony Montgomery on Dec 17, 2008 15:26:46 GMT -5
Anthony finally made his move. He wasn't trying to pick up on her, or anything like that. It was just that he recognized the agonized, sad look in her eyes, an he felt like that gave them a connection.
"Let me walk you home," He said softly, his face kind as he came towards her. He had watched everything that had taken place. "I'm not some creeper... I just don't think someone so sad should be alone."
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Post by Elizabeth Shackleford on Dec 17, 2008 15:36:15 GMT -5
She turned away from Daniel's grave and was greeting someone's voice. It sort of startled her. Elizabeth wasn't expecting anyone else to be here, or well, come up to her. She felt her shy side start to raise, but she tried to swallow that part down.
Elizabeth looked at the man curiously. No one had offered to walk her home and she couldn't help but wonder about this one. She knew that if she had to, she could always defend herself. She also didn't feel like arguing with anyone. "Erm," she said quietly. "O-Okay." Elizabeth met the man's eyes and she didn't see anything that she should worry about, but she looked away and took a step forward toward the exit of the cemetery.
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Post by Anthony Montgomery on Dec 17, 2008 15:44:11 GMT -5
Anthony was a little surprised that she didn't argue, so he said nothing in return, and followed her as she walked towards the exit.
"My name's Anthony," he said at one point. He didn't think a lot of small talk was really a good idea in this situation, so he kept it to a minimum, but introductions were always fine, right?
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Post by Elizabeth Shackleford on Dec 17, 2008 15:53:28 GMT -5
Maybe this man that walked up to her was part of a way she could start getting over what happened. He was probably the first person she really talked to in a good while. Elizabeth didn't mind any kind of small talk, maybe that was what she needed.
"Nice to meet you Anthony," she said kindly. "I'm Elizabeth." She was quiet for a moment. "I appreciate you doing this," Elizabeth stated.
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Post by Anthony Montgomery on Dec 21, 2008 2:39:17 GMT -5
"It's wonderful to meet you, Elizabeth," Anthony replied. "Though a shame it couldn't be somewhere a little more... cheery."
He was a little surprised when she told hm she appreciated him walking her home, or back to wherever, and was glad she didn't think he was a creep.
"I know how hard it is, missing someone at the holidays. No one should have to go through it alone."
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Post by Elizabeth Shackleford on Dec 21, 2008 18:52:48 GMT -5
Elizabeth nodded in agreement. She didn't really go out anywhere 'cheery' however, but maybe now she could start going out more where there were people. It wouldn't matter to her if none of them talked to her, but then again, sometimes it felt more lonely if you were by yourself in a room full of people.
She stayed quiet for a moment longer. "Yeah, it is," she said. "The first one was the hardest. You don't realize how empty you feel until then. The second one still felt like the first, but I think it really depends on how hard your trying to cling to what you had." Elizabeth never talked to anyone about Daniel or anything dealing with him or his death. The people at work seemed to know that she wanted to be alone and respected that, but now she realized that maybe if she opened a little, it wouldn't hurt as bad.
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Post by Anthony Montgomery on Dec 22, 2008 20:39:46 GMT -5
Anthony nodded. "How many Christmases have you spent without him?" He asked, making the assumption. "I'm on my first, as it turns out."
He didn't mind sharing this, and already she knew more than his own family did. But he had lost more than just the person in that grave. He sighed, and smiled, turning his attention back on Elizabeth.
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Post by Elizabeth Shackleford on Dec 22, 2008 21:07:45 GMT -5
She sighed. "This year will be my third," she said. Elizabeth remembered how the first Christmas felt and the second one had felt just as bad. The holidays weren't her favorite time of year anymore. It just seemed to by pass her. She didn't even get the tree or any kind of decorations anymore.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I know its hard and I would tell you it gets better, but I suppose it does and like I said it just depends on how hard you've clinged to what you once had." It was true, Elizabeth clung to the memories tightly but maybe she could just loose her hold on them. It wasn't like she was forgetting him. Elizabeth knew that she more than likely wouldn't ever be whole again, but she could attempt to pick up a few pieces here and there.
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Post by Anthony Montgomery on Dec 22, 2008 21:16:21 GMT -5
"It never gets easier," Anthony replied. "The people you love not being there... It never gets easier. Eventually, you just get used to it, and you learn how to deal with the pain. But you never stop loving them, and you never stop missing them."
He gave her a look, a friendly sympathetic smile, and added, "And that's all right."
He continued walking with her, his hands in his pockets. Sometimes you were lucky enough to find someone to sympathize with.
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Post by Elizabeth Shackleford on Dec 22, 2008 21:25:59 GMT -5
"No, it doesn't get easier," Elizabeth admitted. "I wish I could say that I have learned to deal with it already, but I think I'm slowly finally getting there. I think taking off my ring was the first thing that I needed to do to start learning."
She looked up to him and returned the friendly smile. It was the first time that she had done so since the day Daniel died. It felt nice to smile, even if it was just a friendly sympathetic one.
"You don't mind if we just walk a little bit do you," she asked. "If you have somewhere you have to be, that's perfectly fine. I just think that a nice walk other than straight from the cemetary to my apartment would be nice. I haven't veered from that path in so long."
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Post by Anthony Montgomery on Dec 23, 2008 20:14:46 GMT -5
Anthony smiled to himself at this. A walk, after three years, would be good for her, and if she trusted him to be there, then he wasn't going to say no.
"A walk sounds nice, actually, and I think it might do us both some good, hm?" He smiled at her this time. "I have nowhere to be... I took the day off, so however long you'd like to walk, I'm all right with it."
Depending on how long they were out, he would offer to buy her lunch or a drink, but he'd wait for a bit. He didn't want her to think he was trying to pick up on her. Goodness knew he wasn't.
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Post by Elizabeth Shackleford on Dec 23, 2008 21:19:50 GMT -5
Usually, Elizabeth wasn't trusting with whoever was around her, but Anthony didn't seem like he'd do anything funny, after all he did say that he lost someone too. Maybe it was that fact that she felt at ease.
She offered a wider smile. "Thanks." It was sad that Elizabeth didn't take the time to just walk around and look at everything. She never did take that step forward, but the good thing that had come out of the whole deal was she threw herself into her work and did get promoted to the Oblivator Squad. Now, she could attempt to work up some kind of good social aspect of her life, like things used to be.
Her hands were in her jacket pockets and they walked down the street. All the stores were decorated and ready for Christmas to come around. She used to love walking down the streets to see it, and sometimes at night to see the pretty lights. Sometimes, Daniel would take her out to see the muggle houses all lit up at night. A light smile was on her face at the good memories. "Do you know if anything has changed lately?"
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Post by Anthony Montgomery on Dec 28, 2008 1:38:31 GMT -5
Anthony gave her a speculative look. "What do you mean, exactly? What do you think has changed?"
Anthony wasn't often in town, so he recognized the changes more than anyone who was around all the time, if that's even what she meant. He could point out a new building or two, but was that what she was really asking him?
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Post by Elizabeth Shackleford on Dec 28, 2008 9:43:56 GMT -5
She gave a shrug. "I don't know," said Elizabeth. "Anything could have changed. Like I said, its been forever since I've really been out anywhere other than places I've had to go to for work and the cemetery." She looked toward the direction where they were walking. Now she was taking in the sight of the town. A few buildings were different. She looked back to Anthony curiously.
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Post by Anthony Montgomery on Jan 16, 2009 19:58:54 GMT -5
Anthony smiled a little and shook his head.
"No, nothing's changed all that much. The days change, and the people change sometimes, but that's about it. You could have been gone a year and walk back down these streets like you never left."
He should know... he just came back and it felt like he was never gone. He hated the stagnic, constistence of this place.
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