Chasing Neverland: A Retelling | ✔️

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Evelyn Jarvis' funeral was one of the most difficult things Wendy had ever gone through in her life. Readily agreeing to their daughter's request to attend the showing everyday, the Darlings decided to temporarily reside at a hotel close to where the burial would take place, and help with arrangements as best as they could.

Evelyn did not have a large family, and her mother was not very useful when it came to planning the burial of her only child.

She's probably happy that Evelyn is dead. Now, she won't have to take time out of her busy drinking schedule to take care of her sick daughter, Wendy seethed.

It was a hateful thing to think, Wendy knew, but Evelyn's mother did not prove her wrong. She barely even made an appearance at her own child's funeral and then showed up drunk to the burial.

It devastated Wendy to know that selfish woman had been Evelyn's only support system. She could not imagine what life must have been like for her friend, living in the same house with her.

How alone Evelyn must have felt, having to always take care of herself. Even after she had gotten sick! Wendy had known things at Evelyn's home were not good, but she had not realized just how unhealthy they actually were.

The only thing that brought Wendy any comfort was the fact that Evelyn was no longer suffering. Wendy wasn't entirely sure what happened to a person after they died, but she strongly hoped that there was a God and a heaven to go to. She held on to the dream that Evelyn was relaxing in a beautiful paradise with lovely angels surrounding her, no longer sick and no longer alone.

She didn't know how she was going to go on without her best friend in her life. It had only been five days since Evelyn had passed and Wendy had already caught herself on more than one occasion attempting to get in touch with her.

Evelyn, why? I just don't understand why you had to go. How did I not know you were so sick...? Wendy silently implored.

She knew Evelyn had not been feeling very well recently, but that wasn't an uncommon feeling with the different medications she had been taking. Evelyn told Wendy she had been feeling restless and was having strange dreams.

Did you know that you were dying? Wendy could not help but wonder.

Wendy and Evelyn had made a pact awhile back, promising that if either one of them didn't make it through their illness, that they would try to come back to communicate, just to let the other know they were okay. But so far Wendy had not noticed any signs of Evelyn. She silently hoped that Evelyn would keep her promise and was waiting for her to get back home from the funeral so she could visit in the privacy of Wendy's bedroom.

Please come see me, Evelyn! I NEED you to keep your word!  Wendy internally begged. You left me here to fight this battle on my own. The least you can do is keep a promise! You're my best friend and I cannot do this without you. I miss you so much... she cried, wiping tears from her swollen eyes.

The majority of the guests who had shown up to pay their respects had been affiliated with the children's hospital. Several doctors, nurses and other staff members had made the trip, as well as many patients and their families. The funeral home was spilling over with tiger lilies, the soft fragrance filling the stuffy room.

Your favorite. You would love it, Wendy smiled ruefully, thinking of how much her friend adored the polka dotted flower.

Wendy wondered how much pain Evelyn had been in at the end. She had asked Camille at the showing about her passing, but the nurse kept quiet about what had transpired that horrible morning. Wendy was aware that the nurses had to deal with death as part of their jobs, but she didn't understand how they were able to cope. The doctors and nurses became very well acquainted with the patients and their families, especially since the kids at the hospital stayed for long periods of time. Since becoming a patient herself, Wendy looked at the staff of the children's hospital as sort of an extended family, and she knew they felt the same way about her.