The Art of Letting Go - ENGLOT

Chapter 10

Celestine's POV:

I sat nervously at the large family table, my hands wrapped tightly around my fork. Micah's family was already here, sipping on glasses of water and discussing what they were going to do with his artwork collection. I felt like I was stuck in a nightmare. How could they talk about his possessions when he was still fighting for his life in the hospital?

My family arrived shortly after; my parents sat across from me and my cousin on my left side. They were all chatting casually about their day, seemingly unaware of the tension in the room. My heart raced as Micah's father brought up his funeral arrangements again.

"How many people do you think will come to the funeral?" Micah's father asked.

"I don't know, hopefully a lot," His mother replied. "But we need to make sure we have enough food and drinks for everyone."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How could they talk about these things while Micah was still fighting for his life? Didn't they want him to recover as much as I did?

"I was thinking we should have the funeral at St. Mary's," Micah's mother said, cutting into her lasagna. "It's where he was baptized, you know."

"That sounds nice," his husband replied. "It's just like what he wanted."

I felt a lump form in my throat. How could they be talking about his funeral when he was still alive?

"Celestine, are you okay?" My mom asked, noticing my distress.

I took a deep breath and tried to compose myself. "I just don't understand why we're talking about this now. It's like we're not even giving him a chance."

Micah's parents looked at me with sad expressions, as if they knew that what I was saying was true but they were stuck in their grief.

"We're not giving up hope," Micah's mom said. "It's just that we need to be prepared for the worst."

"But why not focus on the best?" I countered. "Why not use all of our energy to pray for his recovery and find ways to support him?"

Micah's dad chimed in, "We are doing all we can. We've even consulted with the best doctors and specialists."

"Yes, we have," Micah's mom added. "But we also have to be practical and realistic. He's been in a coma for months now."

I knew they were right, but I couldn't shake the feeling that they were giving up on him too easily. I looked down at my plate, feeling overwhelmed with emotions.

Everyone was silent for a moment, and then my dad spoke up, "Let's not forget that Micah is still here with us. Let's pray for him and focus on his recovery. If anyone can overcome this, it's Micah."

My mother looked at Micah's parents with a sad expression. "I do agree and I think it's a bit early to be discussing this, don't you think?"

"You're right, Celestine. We should be supporting him however we can. We shouldn't give up on him when he is still fighting. I'm sorry." Micah's mom replied

There was a soft murmur of agreement and apologies from Micah's family. And I simply nodded and avoided anyone's eyes.

The rest of the lunch was quiet. Nobody said anything concerning Micah's condition or funeral arrangements. I just prayed that he would wake up soon and everything would be back to normal.

When it was time to leave, Micah's mom gave me a hug and whispered that she was sorry if she had upset me.

I nodded and said it was alright, but I couldn't shake off the sadness and disappointment I felt inside. I knew that everyone copes with difficult situations differently, but I couldn't understand why Micah's parents were already talking about his funeral and assets when he was still alive.