Whispers of Serenity (Paused)

2. Tales

Cont'd

Some of us boarded taxis while my mother rode to the grave side in the hearse. I took Aimée from my mother and boarded the taxi.

Driving closely in front of the hearse loud music can be heard. Adele "Don't you remember" blasted and people in their houses came out to look.

Arriving at the grave side I walk through the cemetery coming face to face with the haunting realization, pops na come back.

I stood above where they would rest him.

Looking up to the sky I said "Aimée this is your first hello and last goodbye to your father. Yuh neva get fi meet pops but mia guh tell yuh bout the good weh him do. Anytime yuh feel alone yuh can talk to mi. Look up ina di sky and whisper a prayer to Father up above. Never question Him why yuh father nuh deh ya.  Everything is for a reason although mi cya wrap mi head roun' this one.

Mi ago do everything that daddy would have done fi yuh. Mia guh be yuh father, brother and uncle. Mi a guh show yuh the ropes and strings in life. If yuh feel alone link mi. Don't trust any and everybody. If somebody a move shakey to yuh cut them off, them same one can turn roun' kill yuh. Memba ano yuh enemy who always do yuh wrong, even yuh closest family or friend can tek yuh life."

"Somebody seh it's not the stab in the back that kills you, it's when you turn around and see who is holding the knife.  You not even understand a word weh a come outta mi mouth." I sighed, planting a kiss to her jaw. Bringing her formula to her lips I watched as vehicles arrive and people walk to the grave side.

As they walk murmurs fill the air, people who had hanged out with my father came, my neighbors came, family and friends came, even people who had no reason to be here other than the fact that food will be here.

I lost my appetite to eat ever since that night and I've become thin and fragile.

As they gathered by the grave side I watch from a distance, holding Aimée at my shoulder. She has been quiet and I'm grateful. People are singing sad funeral songs and people are crying but I just feel numb. Numb to all that is happening. They opened the casket one last time and I dragged myself to go and look, in hopes that I will get some sort of closure.

Holding Aimée at the coffin, looking over but not too close I repeated "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh, Heart of Love Pops"  I said, placing a white rose in the coffin.

As I stood by the casket, a lump formed in my throat. The weight of sorrow pressed down on my chest, making it hard to breathe. The atmosphere was filled with hushed whispers and sniffles, a symphony of grief. I reached out to touch my father's cold, lifeless hand, hoping for one last connection.

Emotions swirled within me, a storm of sadness, anger, and disbelief. It felt like a piece of my heart had been ripped away, leaving behind an empty void.

The pain was unbearable, but amidst the sadness, I found solace in the memories we shared, the whispers of serenity that would forever echo in my soul.

I watched as people sit on graves, some leaning on each other's shoulders for support.

Loud wails can be heard as my mother screams.

"Ana-kay try be strong, memba yuh have Wynta and Mimi fi tek care of"  family members try to console her.

"A shoulda me Janet" she cries

"A me shoulda dead, mi cya dweet without Deavon, mi wa guh wid him". She added, moving closer and closer as they lowered the casket into the grave.

Returning to where I was sitting with Aimée, she started twisting in my arms, maybe fatigue.  Trying to console her she peeped over my shoulder but quickly hid as if she was hiding from something scary. 

Peering at her I wait until she does it another time.  Quickly turning around I see a man in black retreating from the far distance.  He walks with a limp.

Uncle Rowan...

Finally hushing her I planted a kiss to her wet jaw.

"Ashes to Ashes, Dust to dust" everyone repeats as they put dirt on my father's casket and begin the casting to cover the grave. It's a poignant and emotional moment that will surely leave a lasting impact on all of us.

The edges of reality blurred, and a faint whisper of doubt crept into my mind. The colors dulled, the sounds muffled, as if the dream itself was unraveling before me.

And then, with a jolt, I awoke. The realization crashed over me like a tidal wave, leaving me breathless and disoriented.  The vivid images and emotions began to fade, replaced by the familiar sights and sounds of my bedroom.

Beads of sweat pooled on my face, a fleeting glimpse into a world where my father still walked beside me.  I wish I could continue dreaming. 

As I slowly opened my eyes, the remnants of the dream still clung to my mind like whispers of a forgotten melody.

Tears welled in my eyes as I clung onto the fading fragments of that ethereal encounter, longing for just a few more moments in his presence.

In that bittersweet revelation, I couldn't help but wonder if the dream was a manifestation of my deepest desires or a message from a realm beyond.

Regardless, it had left an indelible mark on my heart, reminding me of the love and connection that transcends the boundaries of time and space, and the pain I felt.

"Pops yuh good weh yuh deh, mi wish yuh did deh ya fi see seh we mek it.  Aimée and mummy good" I muttered

Taking a deep breath, I ground myself in the reality that surrounded me.

I can't help but reflect on the dream and its profound impact on me. The way it stirred my emotions and made me question the depths of my own fears and desires.

It was as if the dream had unlocked a hidden part of my soul, revealing truths that I had never dared to confront.

Sigh

The weight of the dream lingering in the air. It was time to shake off its hold on me and face the challenges that awaited in the waking world.

With a renewed sense of purpose, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and planted my feet firmly on the floor. Heading to the bathroom I freshen up.

Staring in the mirror I reflect on my life and I feel like I am in a different place now. I'm not the little boy who cried about his father's passing eleven years ago.

Stepping into the shower my muscles tense under the cold water cascading down my body. 

The dream may have ended, but its echoes would continue to resonate within me. It had left an indelible mark on my psyche, shaping the path that lay ahead. And as I step into the light of a new day, I will carry the lessons and revelations of the dream with me, ready to face whatever came my way.

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Plot twist?