Married To Music (A Wizkid Fanfic)

53 - Aaliyah

Dec 6th
Rip Virgil Abloh
The hands of Death is cruel and unpredictable.

I followed the service with half mind the other part was lost in my memories of Virgil. I was seated in the front roll between Sean and Shannon Abloh. If it were up to me I preferred to be seated on the last row near the stadium entrance but Shannon had insisted I sat close to her even if I wasn't close family.

I hate funerals, the sad feelings, the unspoken word hanging in the air, the unending continuous sighs. My face was void of emotions, since we arrived for the memorial I kept to myself, i knew at some point I'll have to say something, heck I'm expected to give a speech. Be composed Aaliyah, you can't slip up and start wailing! I was dying to cry but I dared not especially today. I was yet to react publicly. All my focus was trained on the big portrait of Virgil designed with large wrath of white roses.

"We'll call upon Aaliyah Balogun for the eulogy" the mc announced.

"Aaliyah?" Sean lean towards me. I turn my head slightly at Sean, I ignore the worried look on his face. "Yes?"

"It's your turn to give the eulogy" he say. it was then I noticed everyone was clapping and watching me. I stood up, adjust my blazer, smile warmly at Sean then made my up the decorated podium, Virgil body laid in a casket

I clear my throat help me lord! "I was eighteen when I met Virgil at the fashion show in Paris, I had spent weeks trying to get in, you can imagine my joy when I was told I would walk for Louis Vuitton only my joy was short lived when the dress wasn't my size, I cried for hours in the bathroom until Virgil who didn't know me from Adam came to meet me, he looked at me for good thirty minutes before he pushed me back into a chair, helped me clean my face, then quickly whisked up an outfit for me to where, that night I had my breakthrough in modeling, I automatically knew I wasn't going to be a runway model because of my size but Virgil assured me my size was nothing" I took a breather then continued, "I already concluded to give into medicine as my mother wanted seeing modeling was not for me, mom said if model don't then medicine would" everyone laughed, I smile, "it was Virgil who suggested I try face modeling, I did and it turned out great, last year I was named global face ambassador at LVMH, many times I tried to give up, from the endless shoots, at some point I basically lived in a jet. Virgil didn't touch just my life he has one way or the other touched every one here that's why we are all here" I shift the paper I wrote my speech on and stare into the crowd of sad faces. "I learnt many things from this, first that death is unpredictable second to always appreciate what we have now in life, wherever you are, whatever you have be appreciative of it because this life is so short, too short, one day you're here the next day you're not, funny we don't know the time or the day death gon come knocking so let spend every singe day being appreciative to our loved ones, to our surroundings and ourselves" I let the stray tears roll down, I look at the ceiling, "Virgil I don't know if you can hear me but if you can I want you to know that I love you for everything you did for me, you were the father I never had, the father I wished I had and the father I was lucky to have, it's a shame Amaya would never get to meet you but I want you to know you're forever alive in my heart, I will never forget you, you will always be loved and remembered and I promise your legacy will continue to live on, rest in perfect peace daddy" I was beginning to sniff, my voice shook and my hands trembled. I peep at the crowd, not one single person had a dried face, everyone was crying into their hands or handkerchief. I smile through my tears. "Long live Virgil."

"Long live Virgil!!!" The crowd chorused back, they rose on their feet and burst into loud applause, I step away from the microphone, stared at Virgil portrait a minute then stepped down the podium. I shook hands with the ones I could, Sean rubs me encouragingly while Shannon pulls me into a tight embrace.