Is This Me?

Chapter Twelve - Memories

"Guys, how many guests are we settling for? We can't forget about your dad's relatives in Nigeria. I'll have to book flights for them. You know how they can be. Aunt Eli already argued with me on the phone this morning over why we didn't hold the funeral in Nigeria, where most of his relatives are, but I managed to win that one" Mama said, looking at David.

Anne and her siblings haven't really ever spent time or bonded with their paternal grandparents and relatives. Only David has ever spent time with some of them when he was still little years back in Nigeria.

Anne had only been in Nigeria for four years, so she didn't really get to know any of them, and Josh and Emily were only just babies.

"We don't want too many people" Inaya said and put a piece of pancake in her mouth with a fork.

"Mom suggested 20-30 yesterday" Amal said, sipping on her grape juice.

"That's fair" David commented and the others nodded.

"Anne, will Lilly be coming?" Mama asked, turning in her direction.

"Yeah. I spoke to her yesterday, actually. She'll be coming with Susan" Anne smiled at the thought of seeing her nest friend soon as she used her napkin to dab her mouth.

"That's great. What about Ronnie?"

"I don't know..." Anne replied. She didn't ever think of inviting Ronnie. She decided on just Lilly. It was a funeral, not a party in the real sense.

"Have you talked to the tailor, Vicky?" Pappy asked Mama. She shook her head

"I'll do that later" she said.

"I feel like Papa would be so proud of us for planning this by ourselves. It's going to be beautiful" Emily suddenly said. All eyes were on her.

Anne looked down at her food. No one spoke. Emily's words caught them off guard.

"I miss him terribly" Hafsah added and the others nodded sadly in agreement.

Mama didn't want to cry in front of everyone. It would ruin the whole mood. It was supposed to be a week of tributes to Papa. To reminisce his beautiful life and recall wonderful memories. Not that they would ever forget...

"Anyway..." Mammy spoke, trying to change the subject and ease the tension in the room. "Why don't we finish up with breakfast and get to planning. Don't worry about what the guests will eat. I'm in charge of that!" She declared as everyone smiled in anticipation of an array of her lovely cuisine.

"Thanks, Mammy. Wonderful breakfast!" Josh complimented her cooking. Mammy beamed with pride.

* * *

A million thoughts in her head.

Everything happened so fast.

So fast.

She was still trying to wrap her head around all of it.

A few weeks ago, she was in the sitting room at their house in England, with her family, talking about Switzerland.

How they argued about not wanting to go there, because they were really not interested in the languages. She remembered how he said he had already planned everything and booked their tickets, not telling anyone about it. That felt like so long ago now.

She remembered how he was more than happy to bring them to Egypt, coming to their rooms to help pack and buying some necessary things needed to travel. How he took them to a restaurant to stuff their faces, when they landed from the plane...

She remembered how they thanked him endlessly for everything. When they went back to that hotel, and he wanted them to go to bed, considering that they must be tired from the flight.