Tulip| 18+

chapter twenty nine

D A M O N

"We are all here today to remember the life of Natalie Romano."

I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat as I looked straight at the black casket that contains the love of my life. "Many people came by last night because Natalie meant so much to them." Grandpa Giovanni said.

"They came. And they spoke about their experiences with Natalie." He said. It has been a month since Natalie unexpectedly passed away, that whole experience will always be a permanent memory in my head.

I know it will be the same for Roman considering he is the one who found his mother dead.

Natalie passed away in the middle of the night during her sleep, in Roman's words he was laying on top of her and he just felt her starting to get cold then he couldn't hear her heartbeat anymore.

He called her name and tried to get her to wake up which is what woke me up and now here we are. Wife dead. My children are now motherless.

A hand appeared on my knee making me look at it, I looked over to Roman whom is looking at his mothers casket. I pulled him closer to me making him rest his head on my side, I looked over to my right to see mami and papa holding the twins.

I tuned my grandpa back in as I looked at him, "Natalie was one of the most loving people I ever knew. She loved. She loved her family. She loved her husband" He said as he looked at me. 

"She loved her children. She was so proud of you Roman, Nalani, Aliani and Leonid. Every success you had, she shared because she loved you." He said as he looked at our children.

"Natalie encouraged, she endured, she enjoyed, her life well lived is my memory of her." He said as he cleared his throat, "I now invite Natalie's husband up here to give the eulogy" He said making me nod.

Ale grabbed Roman as I stood up and he began to fuss and cry which made me pick him up, I walked over to the podium and fixed the mic to face me properly. Roman placed his head on my shoulder as I looked at the church that is filled with people that Natalie wanted to invite.

"I want to start off by thanking everyone for being here today. I feel my wife would tell me I was being rude if I didn't. She was very hospitable that way and wanted to make sure I minded my manners." I said as I focused on the casket. 

"That was my tulip, always keeping me in line with her no nonsense ways and her unconditional love. I want to start by saying a few things that speak to my wife's character. She was kind, smart, loving, and compassionate; pretty much all the good words I can think of apply to my wife. "

"She was everything to me, and I miss her terribly. She knows that I loved her, but I want to express to all of you how much I loved her."

"Tulip was a good hearted person who truly loved helping others. That is why she put her blood and tears into making Marino a multi billionaire brand in order to give back to people."

"Somehow in all that work and daily chaos she found time to be an amazing mother to our four children and the best wife a man could ask for. She rarely did things for herself wanting to make sure her family was happy and healthy. She never complained about working to help me support us, she was happiest when she was working."

"Love isn't patient, and kind, and humble. Love is messy and horrible, and selfish, and bold. It's not about finding your perfect half. It's the trying, and reaching and failing." I said.

" I am a broken man, and my better half is gone, but I can see her in the faces of my children, and that gives me a little comfort. They were all so important to her, and her face would light up whenever she would see them or talk to them."