Unchained Melody (Daniel Ricciardo)

I have to do it alone

There's a Dutch song in this chapter. It is translated, but I'm not sure if it will come across the same way as it does in Dutch. But at least you'll have an idea on what the song is about.

"Dad, come on it's time. We have to go." Ayla goes up to her parents bedroom where her father is sitting on the bed. He looks lost, still stunned from losing his wife.

The funeral director has picked up Bianca to take her to the crematorium where they will have the ceremony. Ayla has been preparing for this day, but still it seems like it has come too soon.

Her mother didn't want them to wear black, so Ayla chose a navy blue wrapped dress with a white floral print and spaghetti straps. It has a long back and a shorter front. It's exactly what her mom would have loved on her and she can also wear it when they go to the beach for the celebration of Bianca's life.

"I don't want to go. I don't want this to be it." Her father says softly.
"I know dad, but we don't have a choice. Let's honor moms wishes and celebrate her like she deserves to be celebrated." Ayla says. Her brother had to go home to pick up his wife and son, but he is almost back in Zandvoort.
He is going to meet them at the funeral home so they can have a moment with Bianca before the other guests arrive.

Finally her dad gets up, but his movements are strained and slow. It's like he is trying to get through quicksand and he is dragging his feet.
Downstairs, the living room seems empty, the hospital bed has been picked up days ago but they still had Bianca there in her beautiful casket.

Ayla spent most time sitting next to her mother as friends and family came over to say their last goodbyes. She is now pretty tired of all those people coming over and looking at her with pity in their eyes. Today will be no different, but at least once today is done she might be able to just lock herself in her room and hide under her covers.

She really needs some time alone to grieve, her dad wasn't able to help arrange anything so it was mostly up to her with a little help from John. But John didn't know their mom as well as Ayla. John is more like their father so he was pretty useless also. Luckily Bianca already told Ayla what she wanted, so Ayla just had to make sure things were done the way her mother wanted.

She helps her dad get in the car before getting behind the wheel. Somehow in these last days it's like her father has aged a couple of years. He barely slept or ate. He just sat there in his room, John had to force him to take a shower and shave, otherwise he wouldn't have bothered.

Ayla had to grow up fast these last years taking care of her mom. Where her fellow college students were clubbing every weekend, she was home with her mom. She didn't mind though, the time she had with Bianca, she wouldn't trade for the world.

It's not a long drive to the funeral home, located just on the edge of town. It has a beautiful location, close the the nature reserve. Lots of deer and other wildlife walk around here regularly.
From there they will go to the beach later where they have booked the restaurant Amy's mom works at.

There they will eat, drink and play music Bianca loved. It will definitely be a celebration of her life and of the beautiful person she was.

When Ayla and Robert arrive at the funeral home, John is already there. Ayla parks the car close to the entrance and they both get out. Robert again, dragging his feet and barely noticing anything around him.

"Oh Ayla, it's just all so terrible." John's wife Michelle says.
Ayla doesn't really like her, they have nothing in common and Michelle is great at being the center of attention. An occasion like today is just a way for her to get people to feel bad for her and she loves that.