What Life Stole From Me

Chapter Eleven

It had been two weeks since Mrs.Jerry passed on.

Her funeral was held in Millers cathedral church. After spending an hour reliving fresh memories of Mrs.Jerry in our heads,we headed for the cemetery.

I stood beside Naveed and Brandy among the assembled crowd,all wearing black.

Mrs.Jerry's son offered her eulogy facing the crowd. I looked through to his face for sympathetic emotions,but he was giving nothing away. He held his gaze at the crowd with impassive expression.

When he was done,Maroon called over for Brandy to give a speech.
I gave her an encouraging nudge on the shoulder as she walked through the crowd to stand before Mrs.Jerry's body which was laid in a beautiful brown wooden coffin.

Brandy stood before us with ease,she shoved her hand in the pocket of her black jeans as if coming out with something,she froze mid act and stared blankly at Mrs.Jerry's lifeless body,then brought out her hand with a piece of white paper.

"You know,its funny how she's prepared me for everything,except this." She started,not taking her eyes off Mrs.Jerry.
"...how to handle the coffee maker,the dishwasher,how to roll the rope of my apron behind my neck...." She looked up at the crowd,and I was surprised at how calm she was.
"She'd prepared me for everything,but this.." She waved an empty white paper across for the crowd to see. "...she never prepared me for. I've been thinking for hours,what to write,but here..." She raised the blank paper again. "...nothing." And then She shoved it back in her pocket and folded her arms to her chest.

"Allow me to take you all on a short journey through Josephine Jerry's memories,events that personified her and her life well lived." She was composed,and I felt proud. Naveed and I have done a bloody huge job at trying to stabilize Brandy over the week. She was a wreck.

I looked at Brandy talking,her lips moving as I drowned into the pool of memories,she really was taking us on a journey through memories.

I saw mental images of Mrs.Jerry smiling behind the counter. Images of her fiddling and struggling with the coffee maker. "Bloody replica of satan." She would snort and hit the metal holding the container of the coffee maker,she was never friends with the machine.

Images flashed over my head,of Mrs.Jerry imitating customers that walk in and out of the shop,the way they talked,they way they walked,their voices,manner of approach.

I found myself smiling at those memories as I was brought back to the there and then when Naveed nudged my side with his elbow. I looked at him and he nodded in Brandy's direction,probing me to pay attention.

"...she never sat back and became complacent. She always strove hard to be the best she could,a family woman,a friend,a leader and an inspiration to many." Brandy smiled,even though She had 'worry and grief' written all over her face.

"Its hard to say goodbye especially now that we never got the chance to. She's left us,but she will always be around us... Right here.." She said,as she shifted her right hand up below her left breast and rested it on her heart.
"Right here in our hearts,always." She said the last word looking down at Mrs.Jerry's lifeless body and smiling fondly at it as if though she could see her.

The crowd roared in a sound applause as Brandy finished her speech. She offered everyone a warm smile and went over to hug Mrs.Jerry's son.

I opened my arms wide when she resumed at our standing spot,taking her in an embracing hug.

"That was incredible,Bran." I said,against her neck.
I released her and smiled. She returned my smile.
"Thank you Sarah."

"That was beautiful,Brandy." Naveed shook her hand supportively.