Shut Up & Listen

3. stained glass

August 13,2022
12 noon

|cecil, 27|

[]
The world never looked so bleak for the brother of Colin Adebanjo. Having popped up years after not showing up for their mother's funeral and not showing or calling for their father's, he felt obligated to at least make a call for Cobe's funeral. However, his son, C3, had built a relationship with both Kwabena and Cole and all but forced his father to make an appearance at the twenty-two year olds fune. After parking at the church, Cecil jr.'s son spoke up saying, "Why do we have to go in?"

Cecil turned his head, facing the boy in the back seat, "You just begged to be here."

"Well I didn't know we would have to see a dead body."

"It's not a dead body, It's Uncle Cobe."

"I don't want to see a dead body."

"Alright then, stay in the car. I'm going in."

"Why? You didn't go to grandad funeral or grandma's."

"Cecil." Chey scolded, "Watch your mouth."

Cecil Jr scratched his head in frustration.

"I'll stay in the car with him." She offered, placing her hand on his thigh.

"No! I want dad to stay with me and you go in."

"I have to go in, C3." Cecil pushed.

"Why do you need to see a dead body so bad?"

Cecil got ready to respond buy Chey stopped him. "Three, you don't go to a funeral to look at dead bodies. You go to honor the person who died and to support the family. To remind them that you love them and care about them. Daddy's brother was very good friends with Cobe and we should go in to sit with him so he isn't alone while he's sad."

"There's a lot of people already."

"But they're not Uncle Cole's friends and family. We are."

C3 was quiet in response to his mothers words. He unbuckled his seatbelt and so did the two adults.

The three of them walked into the large church where the colors from the stained glass windows decorated the sanctuary because of the sun shining through. It reminded Cecil of the first and last funeral he attended aside from his step mother's funeral at the top of the year.

It was 2005. May 2005. He sat with his mom and Dad near the front of the church and watched as a man with two young boys and a baby was escorted by a middle aged woman up the long aisle, their faces and creme colored suits illuminated by the colorful sunbeams. The small group reached the creme colored casket topped with beautiful blue and white lilacs and lavender flowers bouqued together on the bottom half.

Soft sounds of weeping echoes throughout the half filled church as they stood at the altar, looking at their mother in the casket.

"The ultimate sacrifice." A voice could be heard over the sanctuary as a woman stood at the podium in the pulpit. "A mother's love cannot be duplicated or compared. Nothing compares." She continued. The woman gestured towards the man with the three children, "These little babies have lost something truly precious. May the lord be with them." She bowed her head, "May God send them many mothers and surround them with love. Take care of the children, Father. Never leave them alone my God." She prayed over them. "Guide them and protect them as they navigate this world." She looked back over to the pew the family was sitting on, "Alonso, Damon, Aijalon you are loved. Look around." They did. "This is your family. These are your loved ones. You are not alone." Everyone hummed in agreement, assuring the three children. "We ask now that the family come forward with memories, and remarks. Please keep it under two minutes."