Convergence

Part 1 : chapter 4

With the announcement of such news, everyone was speechless during a while.

Then, all kind of questions flew in all directions.

Everyone wanted to know all the details of this tragic event.

Only Utahime remained silent for a few minutes. She stood there without speaking in a corner of the refectory, while everyone gathered around the servant like bees around honey.

Madame Gojo was found dead around noon in her room.

Her servants had at first thought that she wanted to rest more, but when the latter had still given no sign of life by the beginning of the afternoon, a servant dared to enter the room.

The poor woman had passed away several hours ago. Her skin was livid, her cheeks hollow and her lips bluish. The whole household then sank into panic. Other family's members had right away been alerted of the situation.

Gojo Takumi, Gojo Satoru's uncle, went directly to Madame's room with the medical examiner to verify the latter's death.

"What about Gojo Satoru? Was he informed?" someone asked.

"I think he was the last member informed? All his daily activities were immediately canceled, and some one saw him at his late mother's bedside." replied the servant.

Utahime couldn't help but feel a little twinge of sorrow while thinking of this boy who had lost his mother so suddenly. His pain must have been immense.

He was now truly alone in this world. Loneliness must have invaded his entire being at that moment.

Utahime wanted to run to meet him but what words could have comforted him? She had never experienced similar events in her own life.

...............

For several weeks, the whole house was in mourning.

 Every girl had to wear a black kimono and every men had to wear a black suit.

Silence was required. Anyone who laughed loudly, chattered excessively, eat with gluttony was severely punished.

When the day of the funeral came, the cold was freezing.

Utahime had never felt so cold in her life. Her breath immediately formed a small whitish mist and her limbs went numb within a few minutes.

The funeral procession was made up of dozens of members of the Gojo clan coming from different regions of Japan.

Their faces all had the same gloomy expression as young Satoru; no one could tell if they were really saddened by the death of this poor woman or not.

At the head of the procession was Gojo Satoru dressed all in black, followed by his uncle, his aunt and their other relatives.

Gojo Satoru held in his hands a large frame with a photo of his late mother. His face was sunken and dark circles surrounded his magnificent azure eyes.

It was painful to see. Utahime felt her heart pinch again. He seemed so alone. And he truly was now.

Then after, the procession was made up of all the friends and acquaintances of the family.

Once again, Utahime was shooked by the number of political figures with ties to the Gojo clan.

Everyone came to pay their respects, for the last time, to Madame Gojo.

To thank the coming of all these people, a banquet was prepared. For a few days, Utahime and the other wards were asked to help the cooks to prepare the food.