Finding Jaime

Chapter 101

"Jaime," Mrs. Lopez said as we walked into the funeral home. She pulled Jaime into a hug and while he was returning it, I could see his discomfort.  Mrs. Lopez finally let him go.

"Hi, Mrs. Lopez," he said to her.

"Jaime, I'm so glad you came. You were always a good boy, Jaime. Even when you were running around with Frank and my Emmanuel, the trouble those two got in," she shook her head. "Your mama, may she rest in peace, raised a good boy, Jaime. And I think your papa is doing a good job, too.  You stay and listen to your papa, now you know him, okay? You let him show you to stay good."

She pulled Jaime back into a hug as tears fell from her eyes.

"My Emmanuel, Jaime. Why?"

"I don't know, Mrs. Lopez," Jaime said. "I don't know."

She seemed to accept that.

"No one does, do they? Why everyone is so mad all the time? Life is so short. So precious.  Jaime, you're doing better now, aren't you?" She suddenly asked.

"I am, Mrs. Lopez.  I got a clean bill of health at the last appointment. And look," he pulled off his beanie.

"Oh, your hair is growing in, again. I knew it. I knew you could beat this, Jaime. Go, go sit. Thank you, Mr. Peter, for coming, for bringing Jaime. And for saving him from this mess."

I was left speechless, but gave the woman a hug and offered condolences. They seemed so trite anyway.

I followed Jaime into the chapel and sat down beside him. We heard some whispers and Jaime looked around. He turned, faced forward, his head down. I saw his cheeks turning red and he clenched his hands into fists.

"Hey," I whispered to him. "What's the matter? What's up?"

"Frank and Justin, two rows back, on my right," he said. I tried to look around without making it obvious, but also noticed there were people looking around at us.

"Do you want to leave?" I asked.

"Yes, but I'm not giving them the satisfaction. I'm here to say goodbye to my friend. And by the way, that row with Madison? They'll be videoing you and me the whole time and put it on social media, because they're gross. But, I want you to know that I understand what you meant when you said I wasn't entirely wrong about how stuff I can do can look on you, so I am promising you this, right now, I am not going to start anything. I am not going to acknowledge them. If they say hi, I am ignoring them. Anything that happens, won't be started by me."

"Nothing better start," I whispered back tersely. "This is a funeral. I would hope they have the decency to not start anything."

"You have high expectations. But just remember, I won't start anything.  It won't be me, and you won't look bad. I don't mean that to be snarky."

I nodded.

"Just focus on the service. When it's done, we'll jet, okay?"

Jaime nodded. To the casual observer, we looked like a father consoling his son, which obviously I was, but in this moment, I was protecting my son as best as I could, and vowing to get him out of the chapel at the moment the service ended.

The service started on time. The school choir sang, a few students spoke about Emmanuel. The principal did, too. The priest made a short eulogy about the family who had attended his church all of Emmanuel's life. Then, Emmanuel's casket was carried out of the church, down the main aisle.  We couldn't jump out in front, that would be awkward and rude, so we tried our best to blend into the immediate group as soon as the casket passed us. As we passed through the vestibule, a slightly larger figure stepped in front of Jaime. He crossed his arms across his chest.