From The Very Beginning

Chapter Two, Funeral

I stood in my bathroom fixing my tie.

Today was my Mother's funeral.

I really wished I didn't even have to go.

I wasn't prepared for all the people that would come up to me and tell me how sorry they were and how great my Mother was, when half of them barely knew her.

I put my shoes on and walked out.

I hopped on my motorcycle and headed to the service.

As soon as I got there I saw every car in town parked outside.

Great.

I walked in and a swarm of people surrounded me.

I managed to escape them and go to where the rest of my family was.

"Oh good, you came."

Tina said this glaring at me.

She was eleven years older than me and we never had a close relationship. She always tried to tell me what I was doing was wrong.

"Tina! Stop that!"

Michelle was only three years older than me and we had a close relationship.

Tina looked down.

"Oh you came!"

Casey rushed to my side.

Unlike Tina, Casey said this is in a grateful way.

"Of course, though I really don't want to be here I thought it best to come."

Tina scoffed.

"Do you have a problem with my being here?"

She laughed out loud.

"TINA!"

Michelle slapped the side of my sister's arm.

Tina smacked her hand away.

Casey then started whispering and shouting at both of them.

Tina laughed and then Michelle followed.

"Look at us! We're at our Mother's funeral and were bickering like children!"

Then we all laughed.

Though we have disagreements, a lot. We usually managed to shake them off quickly.

"Oh thank goodness I was worried you wouldn't show."

My Dad appeared next to us now.

"Did anyone here think I was going to show up?"

I asked curious.

"Not really..."

We all laughed out loud, even my Dad.

"Oh...you poor people...are you ok? Laughing away your hurt is never good."

Mrs. Cliff stood beside us shaking her head. She was one of our teachers at some point.

We all laughed even louder this time.

"My goodness, what is wrong with us?"

Tina asked in the middle of a laughing fit.

"I don't know...quite a few things honestly, but Mom would be happy that we were not moping around."

Tina laughed again and then we all smiled.

Later we went back home where we were holding an after service.

I was going to the kitchen when I saw Mr. and Mrs. Sanchez. Camilla's parents.

They smiled and waved me down.

Even though Camilla and I had been broken up for four years now, I still kept in touch with her parents.

It wasn't like I could avoid them since we lived in a small town.

"Oh sweetie we're so sorry about your Mama, she was one of my best friends."

Mrs. Sanchez smiled at me.

Her and my Mom met in Expecting Mothers yoga class when my Mom was pregnant with me and Mrs. Sanchez was pregnant with Camilla.

"Son...your Mother was a great woman and I'm glad to say I knew her."

Mr. Sanchez had become friends with my Dad when my Mom became friends with Mrs. Sanchez.

I hugged each of them and walked to the kitchen.

That's when I saw her.