If He Had Been with Me, #2
If Only I Had Told Her
by Laura Nowlin
Contents
Jack — Four
Overview
Jack arrives early to the funeral home, determined to serve as pallbearer for Finn. He finds Autumn privately saying goodbye at the closed casket, then watches her choose to skip the funeral so Sylvie can have it, planning to visit the grave later. Jack is left to face the ceremony and his grief.
Summary
Jack wakes resolved to do the last thing he can for Finn: carry his friend’s coffin. He dresses in his suit and goes to the funeral home early, hoping to help.
In the viewing room, Jack finds Autumn alone beside the closed casket, her cheek resting on the lid as if leaning on Finn. She speaks softly to the coffin, then whispers, “I love you too.” Overwhelmed, Jack retreats to the hallway to collect himself.
While he waits, a funeral home employee confirms he is early and should remain seated. Autumn eventually emerges in jeans and a T-shirt, uncertain whether to speak to Jack. When Jack asks where she is going, Autumn says she is letting Sylvie have the funeral and will go to the art museum with her father instead. She adds that she will visit the cemetery later to make sure Finn is “settled in,” then leaves.
Jack stays behind to fulfill his role as pallbearer, carrying the weight of grief and the responsibility he set for himself.
Who Appears
- JackNarrator and pallbearer; arrives early, witnesses Autumn’s private goodbye, and prepares to carry Finn’s coffin.
- AutumnMourns privately at Finn’s closed casket, professes love, then decides to skip the funeral for Sylvie’s sake.
- FinnDeceased friend; present in closed casket as the focus of Jack’s duty and Autumn’s farewell.
- Funeral home employeeConfirms Jack’s early arrival and directs him to wait as a pallbearer.