Forevermore

Chapter 25 Mourning

When Maria woke up from the hospital bed, she told Echo's parents that she wanted to be at her parents' burial at Arlington Place. She wanted to be with them until the last minute of the wake. She can't help but burst out crying every time she recalled what her parents' corpse looked like. Her heart was deeply broken. Her parents were so good to her and protected her by all means since she was a child.

It's quite hard for her to accept the fact that her parents left her this early. She hadn't been given a chance to ask their forgiveness yet. She has so many plans for them. She wanted to give them children to play along with since she was their only child, she planned to make at least three children roam and play along with her parents.

But... those plans vanished at this early stage already.

"Shhh! God has plans, Maria," Mrs. Del Fuego hugged and caressed Maria's back. Even if she had known this petite lady for just a short time, she felt that she was her daughter already. She almost felt the pain Maria's feeling right now. Mrs. Del Fuego's parents both died in an airplane plane crash when she was just 18 years old. Her boyfriend at that time was Mr. Del Fuego who took care of her after the tragic death of her parents. She knew how hard it is right now for Maria and she promised herself to take care of Maria as how the old Del Fuegos took care of her as well. Her son Echo loved Maria so much and she will treat Maria as her daughter as well.

Maria felt the warm hugs from Mrs. Del Fuego. She missed her mother, Mrs. Rizafranca who always do the same with her when she was still alive.

"Thank you, Ma'am. I don't know what to do now," Maria said.

"You don't need to worry Maria. We will bring you to our home which will be your home too. Just call me Mom now okay," Mrs. Del Fuego comforted Maria.

"Honey, please help Maria so that we could accompany her to her parents," Mr. Del Fuego told his wife.

"Alright. Echo was there already Maria. He was the one who arranged everything for your parents' wake," Mrs. Del Fuego told Maria.

Although Maria was in deep pain at the moment, she felt the sincerity and love given to her by Echo and his parents.

"Thanks, Mom," she replied.

Mrs. Del Fuego smiled at her. Mr. Del Fuego settled Maria's hospital bills and clearance papers.

The three of them went to Arlington place afterward.

It was so emotional when Maria reached Arlington Place.

"Mom? Dad?" Maria can't help but cry aloud. She couldn't believe that her parents were both burned to death already. She couldn't imagine how helpless were they during that moment. The burnt bodies of her parents were found hugging each other.

Echo hugged Maria. He can feel her pains.

"Shhh! They were both in the hands of our Lord now. No more pains. There's a reason for everything," Echo comforted Maria while still not stopping crying.

"How can you say a reason for this? They didn't deserve to die this way. They were both loving people. They were very kind. Why did they end up this tragic? I can't understand why," Maria was almost hysterical.

Mrs. Del Fuego came to them and hugged Maria.

"Come on, cry it," she held Maria's head and embraced her.

"She can't absorb what you are telling her at the moment. She is still grieving. Let's just listen to what she says and comfort her. That's all we can do for now," she told her son.

Echo left them for a while and got a glass of water for Maria.

It took about 3 hours of nonstop crying for Maria before she felt exhausted and sleepy.

"Let me accompany you. There's a room at the back," Echo held Maria and lead them to the room.

He let Maria rest her back on the bed and tucked her into the quilt. Maria was so exhausted and slept with tears in her eyes.

Echo wiped off her tears and comb her hair with his fingers.

He pecked a kiss on her lips before he left.

At the burial...

Echo's parents were there from the start of the wake until its last day. Maria was silent during the last day of her parents' burial.

Mrs. Del Fuego told Echo to let Maria be in that state for the time being.

Echo and his parents respected Maria's silence even when her parents were already under the grave. Maria was of no emotion already.

Maria's POV:

"I won't cry any more Mom, Dad. I know it's Lord's decision. I know he has a purpose. It was so hard for me but I will move on. Help me, Mom, help me, Dad. I am so sorry for not listening to you. I am so sorry for I haven't asked forgiveness when we were both alive. I love you Mom, I love you Dad," Maria said to her parents then pray. A few more tears came out of her eyes and she wiped them right away.

Echo embraced her and told, " My parents and I will always be with you Maria," he gave her comfort.

Maria nodded and smiled at Echo even if it didn't reach her eyes. She was so grateful to have Echo and his parents during this down moment of her life.

Echo brought Maria to their family home after the burial together with his parents. They will be staying there for now until Maria healed her pain from losing her loved ones.