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Post by Riley Neves on Apr 30, 2009 23:15:54 GMT -5
Riley was frustrated. The landlord of Twilight Apartments had originally told her that Roland's apartment could stay his until February. This morning, he'd knocked on her door and told her he wanted to rent it out by February. She almost yelled at him. She couldn't imagine anyone else living next door to her... but Roland was never coming back. The apartment was going to have to be emptied sooner or later.
She made sure the landlord came to her instead of the Ferreras. The last thing they needed was for someone impartial to hassel them about this. But it hurt to have to think about it herself.
She found herself knocking on the Ferrera's door, holding her breath and just hoping they didn't slam the door in her face.
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Post by Mathieu Ferrera on May 1, 2009 0:00:11 GMT -5
The house was eerily quiet. No one was really speaking to each other, choosing to grieve in their own way. Mathieu was currently in the living room, staring into the fire. At least he'd come out of the study.
They were still trying to plan the funeral and it all seemed so unreal. Mathieu kept hoping he'd wake up from the nightmare, but it just kept going.
At the sound of the knock on the door, he looked around and realized that he was the only one in the area. Sighing softly, he got to his feet, preparing to tell whatever well-wisher dared to stop by that they were not taking visitors right now. Instead, he saw Riley. The woman Roland had loved. It was like a punch in the stomach.
"Yes?" he said, a dark edge to his voice.
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Post by Riley Neves on May 1, 2009 0:26:16 GMT -5
Riley's eyes met Mathieu's, and she licked her lips. She already saw this not going well.
"Hi, Mr. Ferrera," she said softly. "I... I need to speak with you and your wife, if you have a moment."
She was not going to stand on his porch and tell him that they needed to clean out his son's apartment by Monday. It was a little heartless. But she also wanted to let them know that she wanted to help them in any way she could. She owed that much to them.
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Post by Mathieu Ferrera on May 1, 2009 0:33:05 GMT -5
Mathieu hesitated. Right now, he found it hard to look at the girl. She was like a reminder of what could have been and now never would be. The way Roland had been talking that last day.... she could have been their daughter in law. He hadn't mentioned marriage, but the mention of love was a big deal in and of itself. He'd never claimed to be in love before.
Looking at Riley now, he could see grandchildren that would never be. It just wasn't right.
But he stepped aside wordlessly to let her in. Cara was in the dining room, and he silently led Riley there.
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Post by Cara Ferrera on May 1, 2009 0:38:46 GMT -5
It wasn't exactly normal now for Mathieu to come to her, and she looked up when she heard footsteps, then past him to Riley.
For a moment, she thought maybe Riley was there to tell them it had all been a terrible mistake, and that Roland was at St Mungos but doing well. The look on the girl's face, however, said different, and Cara glanced at Mathieu. His face gave nothing away.
And then Cara was at Riley's side, pulling the girl into her arms and hugging her. "I'm so sorry, Riley. I didn't mean what I said to you..."
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Post by Riley Neves on May 1, 2009 0:43:50 GMT -5
This caught Riley extremely off guard, and she hesitated for a moment before hugging Cara back.
"It's okay, Mrs. Ferrera. I understood. I still do." She didn't fault the woman for hating her that night. She would have to in that position. Merlin, why did this have to be so hard? "Mrs. Ferrera, please, I need to speak with you both about Roland's apartment."
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Post by Mathieu Ferrera on May 1, 2009 10:58:21 GMT -5
Mathieu just stared for a minute. It had been easier to be passive when he thought Cara was the one who was angry at Riley. So for reasons he couldn't quite fathom, it bothered her to see Cara hugging the girl. This wasn't right, Roland should have been here... Not her.
When she mentioned Roland's apartment, Mathieu grabbed on to the edge of a nearby chair, trying to steady himself. "His apartment?" he repeated, not quite believing that he was hearing this. "We haven't even b-b-buried him yet and you're here about his apartment?"
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Post by Riley Neves on May 1, 2009 11:36:00 GMT -5
"I know, Mr. Ferrera. Please believe me, I wouldn't be here if I didn't have to be."
Cara made a motion to tell her to sit, and then sat herself, but Riley couldn't. Not while Mathieu was looming over her. She wondered if he realized he was doing it.
"The landlord wants the apartment cleared by Monday, and I would do it, but I don't know what you'd like to keep or where you'll want it. I know this is asking a lot of the both of you, but I just want to be sure that nothing happens to his things."
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Post by Mathieu Ferrera on May 1, 2009 11:53:20 GMT -5
Tears burned at Mathieu's eyes but didn't fall. If he had known that he seemed intimidating at that moment, he would have been shocked. That is, if he had even been paying attention at all. He was not. He was still stuck on the idea that he had less than a week to clean out his son's apartment when they hadn't even held his funeral yet. He was still adjusting to the idea that they would be having a funeral for him at all. Mathieu still kept hoping that he'd walk through the door and tell them it was all a mistake.
His grip on the chair tightened as he leaned on it even more. "Can't... can't you tell him to wait? What's the bloody rush? We don't even know for sure if..."
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Post by Cara Ferrera on May 1, 2009 11:56:50 GMT -5
It was hard for Cara to take in, too. Everything had sort of been hinging on hearing from St. Mungo's. If the body was Roland's, which Cara prayed to Merlin it wasn't, then they would jump into action and start doing what needed to be done. But there was still a chance in her eyes, and she wasn't going to assume the worst until she had to.
"Why didn't he call us and talk to us?"
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Post by Riley Neves on May 1, 2009 11:59:49 GMT -5
Riley took a deep breath and a slight step back fron Mathieu. "I tried to get him to wait. He wants to fill the apartment by February, and he needs to start showing it." She held up her hands. "I asked for more time, and I know this is hard, but he's... not budging."
She fell silent at Cara's question, thinking they'd be angry with her when she said, but she took a breath and explained. "I thought it might be best if he didn't bother you until it was absolutely necessary. I asked him to come to me instead and let me handle it."
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Post by Mathieu Ferrera on May 1, 2009 15:57:51 GMT -5
Mathieu's anger was starting to rise. "But that's ridiculous!" he said. "We haven't even filed a death certificate yet. Legally, he's still alive. He has no right to expect us to clean out his things. What if he--"
His legs gave out on him then and he sank down into the chair, burying his face in his hands. It wasn't right. He wasn't ready to say goodbye. Not without a body or a funeral or... something. "What if we talked to him?"
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Post by Riley Neves on May 1, 2009 16:59:12 GMT -5
"I talked to him," Riley said, and then realized that this was not the right angle to play. She nodded. "Maybe. Maybe you if you talked to him, it would help. You're related, after all."
Riley bit her lip. "Mr. Ferrera, I know you don't want to hear this, and least of all from me... but Roland wouldn't want this." She stopped herself. She had a lot more she needed to say, but these were his parents. What right did she have?
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Post by Mathieu Ferrera on May 1, 2009 23:15:32 GMT -5
Mathieu pulled his face from his hands and stared up at her incredulously. Who the hell was she to tell him what Roland would have wanted? She'd known him for a couple of months and all of a sudden, she was a bloody expert?
Of course, he knew she was right. He'd already thought the same thing. He was an auror, and he knew the risks, as had Roland. He'd expect his father to understand that. To be proud of him for his sacrifice. But Mathieu wasn't proud. He just wanted his son back.
"Don't you tell me what he would have wanted," he said angrily. "I know perfectly well what he would have wanted, but you know what? I don't care. He doesn't get to tell me what he wants anymore. He's dead. My son is dead and I have every right to be angry and hurt and I don't want anyone to tell me how I should feel. I just miss him...."
He couldn't take this any more. He stood up, stumbling slightly, and staggered blindly out of the room, heading back to the study. To hide.
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Post by Riley Neves on May 23, 2009 23:30:54 GMT -5
Riley knew the second she said it that it was a mistake, and at his rebuking, she lowered her eyes to the floor. He was right. She had no right to say anything at all like that to him, and she didn't want to overstep her bounds. She just wanted to help.
"I would have gone in his place if I had the choice," she said quietly as he passed her to leave the room. She didn't have anyone that would miss her... not like Roland did. She wished she could take the pain away from this family, which was why she wanted to help so badly. She just didn't know how.
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