Turning Table

Part 184

*** The Day of a Funeral ***

🌹 Rosetta 🌹

I breath out loud as I looked at myself in the mirror one more time , I warring all black my hair covered in hijab, Sy is walking up and down in my room telling me the do' and don'ts, My mother is packing my clothes, she has been crying ever since I changed clothes , her mood changed not because Oyama's dead but what will his death do to me.

As an only child my mother has always been overly protective of me, and after I introduced Oyama to her as my partner she has always carried this grief inside her that she failed me when she could not protect me from Oyama. I guess mothers always know and see red flags before they actually became known.

I opened my drawer and took out my jewelry box that consisted of my wedding ring, I opened it and smiled, I hate Oyama with my entire being, but I can't help to smile and think of how much joy he once brought to my life.

I don't know why I suddenly feel like this. Maybe it's because Funerals are the real celebration of true love, and joy for the bright hope of tomorrow. Funerals display the honor of vows kept in the noblest of fashion. I cannot help to think that I will soon stand by my late husband's casket feeling some type of a way that I could never have dreamt off "for better or worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part." I don't know why all of sudden I am faced with this overwhelming feeling and struggle of selfless love and the joy of finishing the end of our once upon a time love story with honor.

" Ade, has sent out word that he will bury his brother the Islamic way, My uncle has confirmed that the alders are not happy about it but no one is planning on going against Ade final word , so Oyama body will be prepared for the funeral as quickly as possible as its ben confirmed that the funeral will take place before the next sunset or within 24 hours. "Sy said bringing my attention back to the situation at hand, I nodded in agreement, as stood by the window looking at slowly fading darkness as dawn approaches,

Mama: this people are unpredictable, on one hand you have Ngozu who is a true believer in tradition and culture, and out of sudden they are planning a Muslim funeral, yooo!"

I laughed at my mothers statement, funny that the Nqeve family can easily band rules to their favor, Islamic law states that all Islamic people need to have a quick burial, and by tradition Oyama was supposed to be buried where he died. Oyama was Islamic so he knew that if he dies in another country or a remote location he will be buried there, not transported back home for burial. But as much as I know more about my late husband faith I cannot dare go against the family

Him: When Oyama's body arrives in Nigeria you and the kids will follow the traditional Islamic washing rites. It's important that the people who perform the washing also be Muslim and of the same sex as the deceased, but they will be exceptions for his sons, The washing requires following extremely specific rules. After placing the body on a high table and saying, "In the name of Allah," the washers use cloths to methodically clean the body, top to bottom and left to right, repeating the process three to seven times until the body is clean . . ."

Me: I'm sorry so you are telling me that Zuko and Sam will need to partake in this? "

Sy: "If Ade permits it, yes, they must partake in washing rite, and shrouding which is to wrap the corpse in a white sheet and four rope ... "

I nodded again as I slip my wedding ring through my finger

Him: The Funeral service will be verry brief as they will conduct the prayer service and then he will take to the burial site as you know that it's by Tradition that a Muslim body should be buried in a Muslim cemetery, and no women or children are allowed at the grave site during the burial. . . "