Beep… you have three messages, beep….

"Hey it's James, I am just reminding you again tomorrow is her funeral and a lot of important and famous faces are going to be there, so prepare yourself my dude! Also… sorry for your loss."

Beep…

"Dude! Where are you?! her parents already came and even her damn exes are here!!! For crying out loud you're the husband! Come here, ASAP!"

Beep…

"DUDE!!! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?! Everyone's asking where you are, WHERE THE HUSBAND IS, especially the goddamn press! GOD... they can't stop hounding my ass!!"

Beep…

As the last message was played out loud from my phone's speaker, I looked back at my laptop, scrolling again from top to bottom, reading the words whisperly, checking to make sure if it's truly done, and when I've reached to the bottom of the page, I knew it was really, finally, done.

I saved it, closed down the laptop, and went straight to my black coal suit and tie that I've laid on my bed. With the finishing touches and finally being dressed, I then went to grab my car keys but… I stopped.

The key was near my mask, the other me that everyone knew as her husband.

I contemplated for a moment there, thinking whether to come to her funeral as a friend or as her husband.

But I chose the former, it was obvious, I was never her husband, never her lover, never her soulmate either.

I was and will always be her friend.

* * *

Entering the building, I saw James waiting in front of the door for me, but of course, he was waiting for the other me.

"Why aren't you in your mask?!" James frustratingly scolds me.

"It's fine, it's fine! just say to the press that I am really busy doing something for her!" I scoffed off his scolding.

"Are you mental?! The goddamn public are going to be in a roar!! And you know that she has a goddamn army of keyboard warriors, that's been itching to make your life miserable!!!"

"Bahh… a couple of neckbeards screaming in the net is temporary and besides, once they read what you'll publish tomorrow, they'll be as quiet as babies with a pacifier on their mouths."

"You've written something about her?!" James furiously said in disbelief.

"Hey, is the eulogy starting?"

"Alex don't you fuckin dar- Alex!! we're not- Hey!!" I left him because there's no point in receiving his fury.

Entering the building I could see that there was a line of people, coming one by one to give their condolences to her family, who were standing near her lifeless body in the more… lifeless casket.

I joined the line too, but when I reached them, they instantly recognized who I was.

"Alex? My god… It's been a long time…" Her mother, Julie, said in shock. "Here, here, you should be near her!" She pulled me off from the line.

"Mrs. Clarke, I already have a-"

"Alex! you're family! and she… would've wanted you beside her…" Edward, her father, cut me off.

"Yeah… you're right…and thank you." I said a bit sorrowfully. "And by the way, where's Jeremy?"

"I am here… just went to the bathroom to clean up my face… haha…" I could tell that he is in more rougher state than anyone, from how puffy his nose and eyes were.

"Jeremy…" I went in for a hug and held him tightly.

"Alex…" He holds me tightly too, while holding back tears.

After that I pretty much joined them three on receiving the condolences from the guests, until of course it leads up to the eulogy and personal final goodbyes.

Expectedly It was formal and business-like, from her managers, agents, and people that benefited from her.

And of course it was heartfelt when it comes to the people that cared for who she truly is, her mother, father, little brother, friends, exes, and of course… me.

"I remembered having a hunch when first meeting her, that she would grow into the nerdy and silent type. She was soooo awkward, cowardly even, haha… Mrs. Clarke you remembered right how she went straight to your back, when she accidentally dropped my cake"

"Yeah… I remembered how much of a scardy cat she was back then, haha…" Julie chuckled a bit when remembering her little scaredy Emilia.

"Haha… still can't believe she's the very same person, that yelled at our second prince…"

I then looked at her again, at her emotionless, cold, dead, face… realizing more now that I've lived past the three of them… that… they are truly gone now…

"You know… I thought that I was going to be the first one to kick the bucket before her, before the four of us… I thought Emilia, Claire, and Fred would be the first ones to give their last goodbye to me…"

I paused for a moment, I could feel my puffy eyes getting more watery, heck some tears are leaking.

"Emi… you never needed a husband, a child, or any other social-construct bullshit that society made… you never needed any of those to further enforce the thing you truly are, a star!” I froze for a moment… still holding back tears, still trying to be strong. “I am going to miss you, you know! you one damn ambitious woman! I hope you shine even more brightly, maybe even blindingly in your next life, and also say hi to Fred and Claire for me, 'kay!"

I stepped off from the podium and went back to the Clarkes, where Julie, after I sat down, hugged me.

"I know... you're her illusive husband, Alex." Julie, out of nowhere, revealed what she knows.

"What? No, I'm not that…" I stopped mid-sentence, knowing that it was futile to deny it to her, as her face says it all that… she knows. "...did she told you?"

"No, her mouth was surprisingly tight, but yours… well, seeing that somewhat pale and slightly cut lips was a huge give away."

"Woah… Emilia was right, you're freakishly observant."

"Well, I am a good mother."

"Indeed you are."

"Thank you, for that and for fulfilling one of Emi's wishes."

"Don't mention it."

"Also…"

Julie suddenly let go of me and raised her hand towards my head.

Smack!!

"Ow…"

"That's for kissing and having sex with my daughter, with no romantic feelings at all!"

"Sorry…"

She sighs and chuckles a bit, where after, she hugged me again. We then continued hearing the mix of formal and heartfelt last goodbyes by the people who knew Emilia.

While I stood there, being hugged by her mom, crying, laughing, and… just having the feeling of missing someone important in my life.

I hope you're happy up there, seeing your 'husband' crying like a baby down here with your mother, haha…

Goodbye Emi.