Taylor had let go of Cadence's arm and taken Jon's, something she noted as different, but she didn't stop to question it. She slipped her arm through Aaron's, and despite his reservations, he didn't stop her. They were standing in a few inches of snow, and that was reason enough to offer her his support, particularly in the trying emotional situation. "You're a grown up. They want to live vicariously through you." Cadence replied in response to his statement that her friends were inquisitive. She glanced back toward the school and saw Jack's parents, his aunt and uncle, and his cousins making their way over. She was glad; she wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible.
The ceremony only took a few minutes. Once Mr. and Mrs. Cook reached the pitcher's mound, Rev. Jones said a few words and asked everyone to join him in prayer. Once he concluded, Jack's parents took a small scoop of ashes from the urn, held by his Uncle Mike, and sprinkled them onto the mound. Some of them were caught in the light breeze, but precautions before the ceremony prevented them from hitting the crowd. Rev. Jones had done a wind test to position the family correctly. Once the ashes were released, there was another short prayer, and then Rev. Jones announced that everyone was welcome to join the family for a funeral reception at Jack's Aunt Patricia and Uncle Mike's house at 5:00, in about an hour.
"Are you going to the reception?" Sydney asked as the crowd began to disperse.
"Are you talking to me or Aaron," Cadence inquired, only half kidding. "Yes, I'll be there."
"Good," Sydney replied, opening her arms to embrace her friend. Cadence let go of Aaron's arm and took her diminutive friend in her arms. "I miss you," Sydney added quietly.
"I miss you, too," Cadence nodded.
"Are your parents going?" Kash asked. "'Cause, if you need a ride, I have the Suburban."
Cadence thought for a moment. "I don't know if they're going or not. Probably. But. . ." she looked at Aaron, wondering if he was planning to go with her, or if he was going back to the hotel. She was pretty sure the rest of the team wasn't planning on going. Though everyone had been invited, she assumed that, for the most part, only close friends and family would attend. Despite the fact that Aaron had never met Jack's parents, she wanted him there for emotional support, and she couldn't imagine anyone arguing with that.
"Do you want me to come with you?" he asked quietly. Cadence nodded vigorously. "Okay, I'll go."
"Great!" Sydney chimed in, excitedly. "And we're all going to watch movies tonight at Kash's house at 8:00, just like old times. You've both got to come to that, too," she insisted.
"Okay," Cadence said, glancing at Aaron, who just shrugged. In their line of work, anything could happen between now and then, but she knew it would mean a lot to her friends if she could make it. And apparently, it would mean a lot to Sydney if Aaron could make it.
"Yeah!" Sydney smiled. "At least something good and normal will be happening around here, for once!"
"I guess we'll meet you over there," Cadence said, turning to look at all of her friends. "Thanks for the offer, Kash. It's nice to know the beast is still running."
"You know it," Kash replied. "You can't kill the beast!"
"Some beasts are harder to kill than others," Cadence muttered under her breath. If anyone noticed they didn't say anything, and she wrapped her arm back through Aaron's, having no idea where he had parked. "Does Eliza have a ride?" she asked, suddenly wondering how Eliza would get back to the hotel if Aaron didn't drive her.
It took him a second to answer so she knew he was checking with Elliott. "Yeah, the Enclave seats six, so they're good."
"Are the rest of your friends coming?" Taylor asked. "We haven't met all of them."
"I don't think so," Cadence said, glancing around to see if they had left already. She could see that they were almost to the parking lot by the school. They were headed in that direction, but it looked like the team would be gone by the time they reached the lot. She noticed that Elliott had rejoined them, and she wondered where he had been the entire time.
"Too bad," Taylor replied. "They seem like nice people. I mean, to come all the way out here to support you. That's pretty cool."
Cadence nodded. "I agree. I am very blessed to have such amazing friends, both old and new." As she was walking, she pulled her phone out of her pocket and sent a text to her parents, letting them know she was riding with Aaron.
They walked the rest of the way in virtual silence. Once they reached the parking lot, they noticed that Aaron had parked the Lamborghini right next to Kash's mom's Suburban. "Is that your car?" Sydney asked as Aaron unlocked the doors with the clicker.
He hesitated a second. "Company car," he finally replied, walking over to open the scissor door for Cadence.
"Holy shit," Kash exclaimed, covering his mouth and looking around to make sure the pastor wasn't anywhere nearby. "That's sweet."
"Who the crap do you work for?" Jon asked Cadence, equally as impressed with the car.
Cadence couldn't answer that question, so she ignored it. "We'll see you all over there, okay?"
Sydney and Taylor stepped around the car to hug Cadence goodbye before she slid into the passenger seat. Aaron shook Kash and Jon's hands and was a little surprised when Sydney hugged him, too. Taylor chuckled at Sydney and then offered him her hand.
Sliding into the car and starting the ignition, Aaron looked at Cadence to ascertain how she was doing. She was staring straight out the windshield now, as if leaving her friends suddenly jarred her back to all of the emotions she had felt before they had joined her right before the ashes ceremony. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly.
Cadence heard the Suburban doors close, the engine start, and the clunk of the transmission shifting into reverse. Finally, she said, "I'm okay. I'm just… I saw something weird."
Aaron nodded. "We need to talk," he replied.
