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Max has been to many funerals over the years. Some he was close too…others, they were casual acquaintances that he worked with over the years. While he didn’t know them well, they deserved his respect and time to honor them.
It didn’t get any easier.
This time…was harder than most.
It felt more personal.
It hit him every time that he picked up his com to call Ace.
It hit him when he turned a corner.
It hit every time he was in a meeting.
The absence.
Logically, he knew that it was grief.
Emotionally, it was a knife slowly twisting in his heart.
He felt it more with every new speaker that talked about Ace.
Most of it, he knew and soon, he would get up to echo what the others said.
But first….Jenny would speak before him and he didn’t know how he felt about that. He didn’t know much about Jenny besides the trouble that she caused the team with her news report. After Ace was able to set the record straight, that seemed to rekindle their friendship. Enough for her to be listed on his contract list.
It was the first person he had to call…
The only person that he could call to tell her the news.
All the other lines on Ace’s file were blank…or dead.
Now, she was standing in front of everyone at the funeral with a clear voice and tears running down her face. Her eyes and cheeks were red and her hands were shaking but her voice….
Her voice was strong.
Ace was many things.
Ace pilot.
A terrible flirt.
An excellent charmer.
But did you know that he was a jerk when it came to Scrabble. He would just use the oldest and outdated flying terms. Of course, you would lose a turn because you would question the word.
Max fought a smile from his face. That would be something Ace would do.
He would just grin and shrug like you should know that word.
Jerk.
He heard a cough laugh beside him.
But…he was just a damn good friend. When I was working on an emotional story, I could call day or night. He would be there. He couldn't always tell me what he was working on but he would share stories about his teammates.
She paused for a moment and looked over at them.
Sorry to say that they were embarrassing and hilarious. Thanks for that.
The crowd laughed at her words as if she broke an unknown tension.
But….there were moments that I didn't know who he was. I….I….
I knew him for years. I just didn’t know of his accomplishments. The stuff that he did…
She started to fight with her emotions. A few moments later, she took a deep breath before she continued.
Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy
That was the first one that I found. I didn’t know he won that award. I found it in a box in his storage unit. It was just one award….but there were others.
Superior Airmanship Award.
That was one wrapped in a blanket stuffed in a plastic bag.
He listened to her listed award after award. They were hidden socks and stuffed in shoe boxes. Some he knew about and others….
He had no idea. One that tripped him was the Polaris Award….
When did Ace get that one? He stumbled through his thoughts and memories. He was trying to remember something…anything….
Surely, Ace would have said something.
He would have bragged about it but his mind came up blank. Jenny’s broken voice broke from his thoughts.
I just didn't know.
I saw these pictures of the different crew members that he worked with. Certificates that he earned.
I just stared at these tokens and awards that I didn't know about.
These moments that I wasn't a part.
I….
She stopped for a moment. He could tell by the look on her face that she was close to breaking down again.
I didn't know.
How could I not know? I’m a reporter…I should be writing about his accomplishments when they happened and now, I’m writing about these accomplishments after the fact.
It made me so mad that I…we could have celebrated these things together like when we got our first jobs or our first apartments that weren’t the size of a postcard.
And yet…a part of me wasn’t too surprised because when I was researching these awards.
I came across the same stories from friends and families that didn’t know that side of them.
Was he ashamed?
Was he afraid?
I….
I just didn’t know then I realized that I knew the best and most important part of him.
Ace pilot.
The charmer.
A laugh that could light up a room.
A big jerk.
The flirt.
A great friend.
A great teammate.
But…
That is when she broke down in tears.
He felt something crushed in his chest.
He didn’t know these things.
He….
He just didn't know either.
End