Carmen

x.

carmen; 

 

      THE FUNERAL began at 10:00 am. It was a particularly nice day; clear, blue sky and the sound of crickets everywhere. She would’ve liked to go out on a bike ride today; they would stop at that little pastries shop she used to love.

            A violin began to play in the background, it was beautiful. Then the flutes joined in and it washed away the violins raw, splendid music. Eden stood at the tent that was set up for the funeral, the black cover casting a shadow over the green grass.

            Helen wasn’t at the funeral; she went to Asia with her Mother. Eden missed Helen, possibly more than she missed Carmen. That was because she knew Carmen was dead; nothing could hurt her now. But Helen, she can still get hurt, and it scares Eden. Eden’s boyfriend, Oliver, put his hand on her shoulder. Eden took his hand and kissed it before placing her fingers in between his.

            They didn’t say anything, but only spoke with their eyes. I’m alright, she tried to tell him. He understood. Oliver and Eden stood there in silence as they watched the grave diggers lower the coffin into the hole in the earth. A single tear raced down Eden’s face; that tear soon turned to 10. The time had come; they had to help bury her.

            Eden slowly abandoned Oliver’s hand as Carmen’s mother motioned her towards the burial area. Eden took her time to walk there, afraid if she hurried to get there, it would look suspicious. Bonnie, Carmen’s mother, sent a sad smile to Eden, almost as if to tell her, it’s not your fault, it was just her time.

            Eden took the shovel that was handed to her and threw some of the dirt, still moist from the previous night’s thunderstorm, onto Carmen. Eden felt her vision blurring, I won’t cry, I won’t be weak, she thought. Eden began to think about one time when Carmen almost killed herself; and when she did, Eden cursed herself for noticing how much Carmen was hurting.

            Eden couldn’t help but think of all the good and bad adventures she had experienced with Carmen. It hurt to think of her, but it was so addicting to. No, she thought, I have to stop thinking of her. In some way, Eden was able to convince herself to stop thinking of her enough to get her through the remainder of the funeral.

                                                         • |   •  |  •  | •

            Helen was having a rather tough time trying to chase Carmen out of her mind. She chuckled, Carmen would’ve hated for me to not think of her. Helen groaned before falling to the ground in a fetal position. Her body was stock still. For Helen it was harder to let go of Carmen than it was for Eden. Helen wondered how Eden was doing; how she was during the funeral, if Oliver was there for her. Well, of course he was! She internally scoffed at herself; those two are so in love, it’s sickening.

            “Helen, time to go,” Helen's mother was a sophisticated woman; it was required for her to be to keep her career as the CEO of some foreign company Helen didn’t bother remembering nor cared to remember. Her mother, Willa, was dressed in a baby blue dress topped with a blazer and she was sporting her new $300.00 high heels.

            “Helen, honey, please tell you’re not planning to out in that.”

            “What’s wrong with it?” Helen asked as she scanned her choice of wardrobe, which consisted of her sweatpants that read City Chic on the left pant leg and her plain white crop top which greatly showed off her bright blue bra.