Keeping Love

Chapter 21

Eventually the men from the funeral parlour came back. Olivia had to say goodbye and leave the front room. She left in tears and came and stood next to me.

"Im not ready." She whispered to me.

"You are." I whispered back wrapping my arms around her hoping to contact was comforting, "you are stronger than you know. You can do this."

The two men and two of Olivia's uncles carried the now closed coffin out of the house. At the sight on the closed coffin Olivia sobbed into my shoulder.

Once the coffin was out of the house it was passed onto the shoulder of six men. Two of his brothers carried it at the front. Two of his sons stood in the middle and then two of his grandsons stood at the back.

They carried the coffin the length of the street to where the hearse sat waiting. Multiple men took turns carrying the coffin. Some only taking it for a few step.

Everyone from the house slowly followed after the coffin and walked down the middle of the street after it until it was placed in the hearse.

I followed Olivia's lead. She held onto me as we made our way down the street after the coffin tears slipping silently down her face.

Once the coffin was secured in the hearse everyone turned to get in their own cars that lined the streets.

Olivia gave me a kiss and said, "I'll see you later." She went to get in one of the long funeral cars that was for the immediate family.

I went to look for the person who had agreed to give me a lift.

I was stopped by her other grandfather, "we'll drive you son." He said, "it's just us in the car."

I hesitated I didn't want Olivia's uncle waiting around for me but then I saw him and he nodded at me, "ok thanks." I said and I followed her grandparents to their car parked around the corner.

They turned out not to know where the church but we followed the mass of cars that was following the hearse and we found it ok.

The coffin was walked in my numerous men in the family. Ethan carried it for a few steps with his father on the other side.

The church was a big place and it was full. There were many people who had come to the church who had not come to the house.

I sat with them during the service. The priest did a good job. He was the right person to pick from their interviews because he threw in stories from when he knew Jack through his service. After the priest was finished speaking various members of his family got up to speak. Some told stories and some read readings or poems.

The whole thing lasted almost an hour.

After it was done everyone filed outside and seemed to stand around. I stayed with Olivia's grandparents. I didn't want to loose my lift.

I looked around but I couldn't see Olivia or anyone I recognised from her family.

Olivia came up to us, "granny said we'll be here for like 5-10 minutes. I thought I'd check on you." She looked between the three of us.

I smiled at her.

"It was a lovely service dear." Her granny smiled at her giving her a hug, "he'd have really loved it."

I thought that was a strange thing to say.

"Thanks." Olivia said giving her a hug.

Olivia stayed with us until her mum came and got her.

We watched as the coffin went back in the hearse and then everyone got back in their cars.

"Where are we going now?" I asked Olivia's grandparents, thinking we were going to the reception.