Bad Romance(Book 6)

Chapter 17-Coming Home

"Brain: Be patient...
Heart: Until when?"

Constance's body was set in the same memorial house they chose for Jared's wake. The only difference was that her casket was closed and the people that came to pay their last respects were friends of Constance or people that she worked with.

"Shannon you have to sober yourself up! For the love of God! Keep it together!", screamed Anka in exhaustion, while Jennie was busy with the kids and dodging phone calls.

Her own mother was there as well, trying to help out as much as she could, but there was little to no chance of sobering up Shannon who decided to act like a big child.

"Easy for you to say, you didn't lose your mother and your brother in the same year.", slurred Shannon.

"They were my family too Shannon! Remember that?", retorted Anka.

"I'll talk to Shannon, don't worry. You go and look after the guests. We'll meet you there...", said Tomo, slowly tapping Anka's shoulder.

Anka took a deep breath as she hopped into the car and went to the memorial home. She went past a herd of photographers avoiding their questions and went inside.

Even the atmosphere in there was different from Jared's funeral. Everyone was wearing brightly colored clothes and some were even giggling at some jokes. It felt more like a tea party than a funeral, but it was clear that the artistic community Constance was a part of had a very altered perspective regarding how a wake or a funeral should look like.

In her hurry Anka bumped briefly into a man who was having his face covered by a huge scarf and oversized glasses and hat. His hands were covered in multicoloured gloves. Anka murmured a 'sorry' as she went towards the pastor.

"Mrs. Leto, it seems that your family was struck by grief this year. My condolences. But I must say, this is the strangest bunch I have seen so far at a funeral.", noticed the pastor, while he looked at a woman wearing a sort of contraption on top of her head.

"I know. Constance Leto was something else in the art world. When will the commemoration start?"

"In about half an hour as soon as everyone simmers down."

Anka thought half an hour was too little time to sober up Shannon. He was drunk out of his head. She stepped away from the pastor and looked towards the door. Her mother was coming in with the children and she looked at Jay, stopping and hugging the man in the glasses and hat.

His face was entirely covered by the wide brim of his hat and his scarf as well didn't help Anka identify him. Still, his posture looked strangely familiar.

"Hey muffin. How are you? Why don't we leave the nice man and walk to our seat? Sir, I'm really sorry if he caused you any troubles.", she said as she came closer to her eldest and excused herself in front of the weirdly dressed stranger.

The stranger waved a 'no problem' sign and Anka made a mental note to herself to have a talk to Jay about talking to strangers.

"Muffin...can you do mama a favor?", asked Anka as she leaned to arrange her son's bow tie.

"Yes mama. What favor?"

"Next time please don't talk to strangers? Especially to strangers that look like that?", asked Anka.

"But mama that's daddy!", exclaimed her son happily.

"Muffin you know that daddy is up in heaven with Nana making music and painting with the angels right?", said Anka frowning slightly at the thought her son still thought Jared was alive.