Quentin's Way

Chapter 16

            My grandma's funeral service was held at Morrison Heights First Baptist the following Friday because my grandma and her friends regularly attended that church. If I had more of a say-so in it, I would've chosen another church because Malcolm's dad was the pastor for Morrison Heights First Baptist. It did help that Malcolm wasn't a part of the service though. I honestly didn't want to see him on the day I had to bury my grandma. One thing that brought me comfort was having my dad there. Demi's dad had gotten his judge friend to override the warden and grant my dad a furlough to attend the funeral. He was escorted by two state troopers and he had to wear shackles to keep him from trying to escape, but his presence was felt nonetheless.

            After leaving the church, we headed out to the burial site on the other side of town. My grandma had wanted to be buried next to my grandpa, who had died a long time ago. Demi rode with me in the family car and held my hand the entire time. Even after we arrived at the burial site, he held my hand. Pastor Simmons said one last prayer as they were lowering my grandma's casket down into the ground. I was doing a good job holding myself together until I looked at Demi and saw that he was crying; and just like that, I was crying.

            "It was a nice service," dad said to me and Demi after the state troopers brought him over to us. "We sent her home as best we could, son." A tear rolled down his face and I quickly wiped it away because he couldn't lift his hands that high due to them being connected to the shackle chain.

            "I talked to a counselor when I went back to school earlier this week," I told him. "She told me that the best way to move on from losing somebody is to continue livin' your life. I plan on doin' that, but what about you, dad? You have to spend the rest of your life behind bars."

            "That ain't even for you to worry about. I did what I did and I gotta answer for that. You just focus on doin' whatever makes you happy. You do what you gotta do to make somethin' of your life. You're already off to a good start. You'd be off to a better start if you decide to build somethin' with somebody else, especially somebody you already love." He looked at Demi and smiled before looking back at me. "I love you, son."

            "I love you, too, dad." Demi and I watched as the state troopers took him away and back over to their car. After the car drove away from the burial site, I turned to Demi and offered, "I'm sorry about that. I really wasn't expecting him to be cool with me bein' bi, so I definitely didn't expect him to make that kind of suggestion about us."

            "Quentin, it's fine," Demi said back. "Your father was only giving you some advice."

            "Yeah, but..."

            "Quentin," said Mr. Lattimore as he approached us, "Will you be staying in town the whole weekend?"

            "Yes, sir," I replied.

            "Then how about you stay at our house like you did last weekend?"

            "I don't wanna be a burden on y'all."

            "It's fine." He chuckled and added, "My wife has already decided to make a big dinner and I think she likes having an extra teen in the house."

            "I think you should stay with us, too," Demi told me. "You've already put your grandmother's house up for sale and everything is all boxed up there and ready to be moved out. And you yourself said you didn't want to spend another night in that house. So, what do you say?"

            "If I'm not gonna be a burden on y'all then I guess I'm cool with it. I'll get my stuff and drive to your house myself after the family car drops me off at my grandma's house."