A friend to remember

44: Funeral and Skepticism.

****
"Are you sure you want to go?" Daniella looked at Denise with concern. She had been so quiet ever since Martha's death.

She moved in silence both in and out of school. Daniella wondered how much it had affected. Sheila suggested therapy, and Shettima encouraged it. Denise didn't refuse, she just decided that she was going to take things slowly. She was having constant nightmares but she wasn't going to tell anyone.

"I am fine," Denise said to her, her head resting on the window of her father's Maserati. The family was driving to the Irele's family house in Ikeja. Daniella had something to look forward to in the entire thing. This would be the first time she could see her friend ever since all of this started.

She meant to talk to her, so she knew what was going on. Everything was in chaos. The funeral of Martha was today and they were on their way to it. They were all dressed in black to fit the aesthetic of the mourning.

"Vivanne just texted me that she is there," Daniella said to no one in particular. Denise ignored her. Everything was overwhelming. Death was all around her, death money, and glamour. This world was too much for her.

First, it was Dunni, then it was Daniel, and now Martha, it seemed like everyone was dying that day. She didn't know Daniel and Martha personally, but their death was somehow connected to her, which made her feel awful.

"Denise looks pale, Mummy," Daniella didn't know why she suddenly cared but Denise looked sick and out of her wit ends. Going to the funeral of the girl who witnessed her murder will not be a good thing.

"I... I said I am fine, you don't have to worry." Denise answered. She didn't care about Daniella's opinion. She was having a bad headache from all the talking that Daniella was doing.

"Fine!" Daniella snapped, "I don't know why I care anyway." she turned away. She folded her arms, deciding it was not worth it.

The car fell into silence, the convoy in front of them leading the way to Irele's mansion in Ikeja, the state's capital.

Getting to the Irele's mansion wasn't the problem, it was trying to navigate the many people who came visiting. Fat and white, people came to the funeral in droves.

The Arabowale entered and the people's attention shifted from the grieving and wailing family to them. It was a shock to many that they would visit. After all, Sheila was known to hate making social appearances. This was special though, after all the Irele family and the Arabowale family were closely knitted. Not that Shettima Arabowale was going to ever admit that he cared about anybody.

He walked directly toward Wisdom Irele, Martha's father, whose eyes were red and swollen. He looked physically exhausted. That was what grief could do to a person, physically exhausting you.

Precious Irele, Martha's mother was wailing, she was inconsolable. To look a daughter. The child she gave birth to after many tries and fails. Martha was supposed to be the special child, the child that would be the heiress but sadly she passed off her own volition. Her mother couldn't accept that. How could she possibly accept that her enemies have overcome her?

"I am so sorry for your loss, Wisdom, I don't know how you must be feeling at this moment." Shettima held Wishdom's shoulder. Wisdom knew that no matter how much comfort he was given, they were still of the same society. Vultures everywhere waiting to pounce.

He swallowed and nodded, attempting to smile through his obvious pain but it was impossible. How could she kill herself?! He never blamed her for what happened in school. He gave her everything she could have ever wanted but somehow it still wasn't enough to save her from herself.