Evelyn Say's Goodbye

Tony guided Evelyn and me through a gate in the garden down towards a secluded area, he gave Evelyn two lanterns and a lighter. Tony held the first lantern, shielding the little wick for Evelyn, as it ignited and the fire took hold, she let it fly up into the sky, joining all the other lanterns that had been released, she whispered something as she set light to the second lantern and set that free too. Whispering to herself as the lanterns flew up into the sky, she rubbed her eyes, Tony turned and left "I will give you a few minutes" he said quietly as he wandered away, checking over his shoulder and letting out a little smile.

Evelyn stood in silence, gently rubbing each eye and whispering to herself while the lanterns floated off into the distance, illuminating the sky, suddenly I noticed she was crying? I walked slowly up behind her, she just looked up at me and rested her head against my chest and held onto me as her emotions fell out. Quietly she just stood there weeping and holding me as if life itself depended upon it, Colette came walking down, saw us together and smiled softly. Colette smiled at me "oh Petit Oiseau, come here" Colette put her arm to Evelyn and Evelyn flopped over to her, continuing to cry.

Colette put her hand on Evelyn's hair and side "Our Petit Oiseau has just said goodbye, is that right Evelyn?" Colette looked at Evelyn, still weeping but with a little smile appearing. Colette pulled her tighter "Let it all out my little girl, you have waited a long time for this, we will be here all night if you need us too, isn't that right Fae?" Colette looked over at me "All night Evelyn" I said as I joined her and Colette, wrapping Evelyn in a cocoon of love. Tony and Francois were walking down to join us, Colette waved them away, Colette knew Evelyn needed a few minutes of silence to gather her thoughts and to let what she had just done sink in.

Colette stood holding Evelyn, her eyes closed and whispering French poems almost silently into her ears, before she seemed to feel Evelyn relax, she simply gave her a kiss on the cheek. Evelyn's tears had gone, Colette wiped her eyes anyway and gave her a peck on the nose "Are you ready to go listen to Francois again Petit Oiseau?" Evelyn smiled at her and nodded back. Colette gave her one last hug before we started to walk back down the garden to re-join the party, Colette took one hand and I took the other, like three sisters we walked back to the party.

Francois offered Evelyn a beer, when she took it, he raised a glass to her, silently acknowledging what she had just done, he patted the chair next to him "You idiot, why would she want to sit next to you!" Colette bit at Francois. He chuckled at Colette "Because I am the charming one!" Evelyn giggled and sat between them as they traded insults, I sat at the end laughing at the two Parisian lovers in a glorious display of verbal abuse!

Evelyn had waited 17 years to finally say goodbye to her parents, I guess maybe deep down she had been waiting or searching for just that moment to happen? Throughout all those years of bullying over being a orphan, being ginger or being small, she had never had the opportunity to finally just say goodbye. Just as she had helped Tony to talk about David, Tony had helped her to finally let go, something that nobody else could have thought to do, they had symbiotically helped each other.