Chapter 24:
Visiting Jeremiah's Grave
They had dropped Hermione and Jeremiah off at home. What Matt had planned would take some time, and Jeremiah would have gotten cranky and tired while he and his parents waited in the car.
Harry knew that he should probably go with his son down the broken road of the desolate cemetery, but he decided that it was something that Matt had to do alone. They pulled the SUV down the long country road, neither father nor son speaking. Harry pulled up beside a stone fence and parked the car. Matt gave him a little look of acknowledgement and got out of the car. Harry got out, too, and perched upon the stonewall, able to see his son but not interfere. He watched as Matt walked slowly and respectfully down the pathway, looking carefully at all the headstones. He paused at some, eyes downcast in a respectful demeanor; others he passed without a second glance. Finally, at the end of the third row of graves, Matt stopped suddenly, looked at the new, granite heading, and sat carefully in front of it, careful not to hit a bouquet of flowers that lay before it.
Matt leaned forward and touched the bouquet of pink flowers gently with his forefinger. A lump formed in his throat, but he bravely swallowed it back. He had learned to read more than he had when Missy Lyn was still alive: enough that he could read every word on the tombstone.
Jeremiah Lucas Bryant
June 28th 1976-March 21st 1995
Matt felt tears brimming and gave a deep sigh.
"Hey, Jeremiah." His monologue to the stone began.
"I don't really know what I want to say to you, just I miss you lots. When you first died, I thought of all the things I didn't have the chance to say to you, but now I can't remember them.
"I made it, Jeremiah. I'm in remission, and I don't think it will come back. For a while, they didn't think I'd make it, but your aunt talked to me. She told me you wouldn't want me to give up and die, so I kept on fighting.
"Mommy had a baby in March. We named him Jeremiah Isaac Potter, Jeremiah after you, and Isaac after your hero. I hope you don't mind. Daddy thought it the only suitable name for a boy. He's growing real big; he's three months old now. I get to teach him how to fly and do everything like that when he's older. I want to be to him what you were to me.
"You know Sierra? She told me that she loved you all along. I guess she brought these pink roses, cause she's a girl, and, well, pink. She told me that she regretted not telling you how she felt. Just thought I should let you know, so now there's nothing sad for you. I hope the fact that she loves you is making you smile down from heaven.
"How is everyone up there? I mean, are Jerrod, Missy Lyn, and Keith up there with you? If they are, tell them all I said hello. I miss them, too, especially Keith. It feels kinda weird being the only survivor. But I guess that's God's plan for me.
"Are you guys playing Nintendo? I never did beat your high score. Guess I never will. But other than your gaming skills, I want to be just like you in every other way. I want to be the hero to baby Jeremiah that you were to me. I want to be there for him and watch him grow and be his best friend. Uncle Ron says that brothers always fight, but I want to prove him wrong. By the way, he apologized to Mommy and Daddy, so I get to see him again. I missed him a lot, but at least he's here now.
"Ever since you left, I've missed you, Jeremiah. I know I won't see you again until I die, and I know you're really happy now, but I keep wishing you were somehow here again. I know it's mean, wanting to take you from paradise, but I really miss you." Tears began to form in his eyes, but this time he didn't even try to force them to stop.
"I'm finally ready to say what I've wanted to say ever since you died. You helped me get through the leukemia better than any chemotherapy could. Your aunt gave me my drawing that you kept in your wallet. She says hello, by the way, and that she loves and misses you. I didn't know you really thought of me as your best friend, cause I'm so much younger than you. But you really are the best friend I'll ever have, and I'll be lucky to find anyone who can be as good a friend as you were. You're my big brother and best friend, but you were also my hero." His tears came in great heaving sobs and he bent his head to try to relieve the pressure from the fluid.
"Thank you for everything you did for me. I just wish you had survived, too. But I guess God's plan was for you to leave when you did. I don't know why, but maybe it has made me stronger, since it didn't kill me. You were always my hero, and even now, you still are my hero." He grew silent and stroked the rose petal absentmindedly as the tears flowed from his eyes. As he sat in front of Jeremiah's grave, a ray of sunlight beamed down on Matt's head and a robin lighted on the stone. Matt smiled through his tears and watched the robin breathlessly. He slowly moved his hand up to brush away his tears and continued to watch the robin, seeing it as a sign of courage, love, hope, and every other good emotion it was possible to possess in a human body.
Having said all he needed to say, he bid Jeremiah farewell and reached into his back pocket to pull something out. He brushed the pocket lint off of it and placed it carefully beside the roses. As he walked away, the little hot rod he had left gleamed in the sunlight, serving to Matt a reminder of his first year with Jeremiah and all that ensued.
He walked to the other warrior's graves and spoke briefly to them as well, but none so much as what he had said to Jeremiah. At Missy Lyn's grave, he place a thornless red rose on her empty grave.
Visiting the graveyard had been a peaceful experience. He thought of cemeteries as a soft sleeping ground instead of a scary horror movie. The whole experience had given him peace and a feeling of closure. He walked slowly back to the stonewall, his eyes puffy from tears but a huge, genuine smile spread across his face. Harry saw him approach and got off of the wall, meeting him a fourth of the way down the path. He scooped him up in his arms and kissed his head softly.
"Hey, little man."
Matt smiled. "We can leave now."
Harry looked at him with a parental look. "Are you sure? We can stay longer if you need."
Matt shook his head with a smile. "No, I'm finished." Harry put him back down on the ground, but Matt kept holding his Daddy's hand.
"Daddy?"
"What is it, Matthew?"
"Thanks for bringing me here."
Harry smiled. "It was no problem. If you ever need to visit again, just tell me, okay?"
"Okay." they walked a way in silence. "Hey, Daddy?"
"Yes, Matthew?"
"I love you, Daddy."
"I love you, too, my little warrior." Both Potter men smiled and walked off to their car, smiles on their faces, the sun on their face. One chapter of their life was over, and only the future lay ahead. Matt was a little scared of what may happen, but he knew that after all that had happened to him, he could face whatever was thrown in his path.
As Harry and Matt walked to the car, the robin flew over their heads, gave a short chirp, and flew off into the sunset.
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