I Adopted My Teacher (Under Edit)

14- Standing Up

(ADVANCE WARNING: CONTENT MIGHT MAKE YOU TEAR UP, DEPENDING ON YOUR TOLERANCE OF SADNESS IN READING NOVELS. YOU CAN SKIP IF YOU WISH, SINCE THIS CHAPTER IS THE FUNERAL OF ALLIE'S MOM. IF YOU SKIP, YOU WON'T MISS OUT ON ANYTHING.)

My short black dress was placed on my bed by my Aunt Georgia, who stayed with me after mom was sent to the mortician to do his work, which was a day after she died. The dress was short and ended just above my knees. I remember picking this out with my mom one day in Mexico, where they had a research and I had the pleasure of joining them in their journey. That was 2 years ago. I still remember it like yesterday. And after today, I will never be able to see her face again.

"Are you ready?" Aunty Georgia asked me. She fixed my hair behind me. I tried not to cry, since I know mom would want me to be strong for this day.

I nodded my head. Apollo was sitting beside my bed, behaving like a good dog he is. I stood in front of the mirror and looked at myself up and down. With my hair in curly waves instead of straight, my side bangs clipped on my side, I resembled my mom. Although I had my dad's blue eyes.

They never found dad's body, which remains a mystery to everyone in Ashendale, since they all know him as a man of knowledge. Dad knew so much about history, that he was offered to be the history teacher in school. But since he travels, he couldn't. He couldn't even stand the thought of talking to more teenagers. I was enough to keep him busy, let along hundreds. The thought makes me smile, since dad told me the exact same words.

"I am so sorry, Allison." Aunty G said, spinning me around and engulfed me in a hug. I hugged her back. "That's what everyone keeps saying now."

Apollo didn't talk to me, nor did he interfere in my mind. I was thankful for that. He knew I needed privacy, and he gave it to me. The night I got home from the hospital, I was a mess. Martin and Sandra offered to stay with me that night, since Apollo alone couldn't calm me down. 

The ride to the funeral service was long and silent. My wolf was beside me in the car, and Aunty G was driving with Stephan, her husband.

"I hate this." I said in my mind. My tone was dead. Emotionless.

I'm here, and I won't leave you. You still have family.

I sighed. Apollo was right. My friends are my family, but that's a different kind of family. This was family-family. My mother and father. I was the only child. Apollo is my only family left.

The service was long. I sat in the front row in the church, with Apollo beside me. When we walked the aisle to the front, everyone stared at me. Yes, I'm the girl who's mother died and father's body is lost, and I'm with my dog. What you don't know, he's a werewolf, and I had 3 days left until I find out who he really is.

The priest talked in front. He talked about how life is short and anything can be gone in seconds. I talked to Apollo in my mind while the priest talked, since all his colloquies make me cry. 

Go.

"Pardon?" I said. Everyone started turning to me. I said that out loud. The priest was talking to me, and I didn't hear since I was busy talking to Apollo.

Say a eulogy.

I made my way to the front, where mom slept deeply in a casket. Her face was embalmed, but she was still my mom. She looks darker than she actually is, but I didn't care.

"Hi mom," I whispered, tracing my fingers on the glass that barricades me and mom.

"I just want to start by saying thank you to everyone who is here today." My voice was brittle, but I tried not to cry. I cleared my throat, then looked around to see loved ones and friends, and people only my parents knew. All familiar faces, since I saw my parents' pictures with them.

"This is gonna be long, since this is my mom we're talking about." I said, wrying a smile. Some people breathed out a laugh, but no one chuckled.

"Mom was a very kind person, but she has her moments like every woman does. I mean, c'mon, she raised me. That is enough to stress someone out, especially during my teens. There are millions, billions of moms out there, and yet I was raised by one. And I am so grateful to have her as my mom." A tear shed from my left eye.

"She never complained about me, except when I'm being stubborn, like any stupid teenager is. She was my everything. She gave me food, shelter, clothes, a house. But she didn't just give me a house, she gave me a home. And in that home, she welcomed me to the world as her family." I said, and I could see a few people stifle to cry. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Apollo slowly nodding, telling me to go on.

"All mom wanted was to be respected and loved, like any other mom. She never asked for anything in return. I remember when I was like, 9, and me and mom would drive along the city, seeing all those beautiful houses that only rich people could afford. I looked at my mother, and told her, 'Mommy, I'll buy you a bigger house than that. It will be very pretty.' and it made her smile. I told her that I promise I would, when I'm older and I have a job. She nodded her head and gave me that warm smile. It's the most heart-warming view ever. To see your own mother smile because of you. It's beautiful, like her." By this time, my eyes watered with tears. I looked up at the ceiling, as if looking for Heaven.

"I know you're up there looking at me, mom. I want to thank you so so so so much for everything, for carrying me with pain and exhaust for 9 months, for delivering me successfully, for raising me for 16 years and not once complained. Maybe you complained once or twice that you're hungry or feeling shitty while you were pregnant, but other than that, you just wanted to be loved, which I gave you with all my heart." I said. I could hear a light laughter from the crowd, but I kept going.

"Her last words to me were 'I am so sorry.' and I didn't get that, until today. She was sorry for not being here for me right now, she was sorry that she won't be able to see me graduate, to see me in my prom dress with my hot date, to see me leave town for college, to see me meet my fiancee and my future children. She said her goodbye in an apology for going to miss out on so much of my life which just started to take its first step to become a woman. And I forgive you, mom. No one is  perfect, and death is inevitable and natural, and I am going to stand up, and say I forgive you. As my goodbye, I will apologize. Not because I was a pain in the ass growing up, but because I made myself convince that I was okay with you and dad leaving me all the time. Now that you're permanently gone, I am not okay and I never will be. Apollo is my only family left, and I thank you for forcing me to adopt him, because now I'm not lonely. He annoys me, but I love him. And he loves me, because we're a family. You told him to protect me, and that he'll do. I hope you have a good view of me becoming a responsible adult from heaven, mom."  My voice was wobbly as I told my last speech, but I made sure it was understable. 

You may have made me tear up there.

The corner of my lip curved. I turned around, went to my mom, and kissed the glass that couldn't be open since it was glued tight. The glass left a kiss mark from my light-red lipstick and I hope it stays there forever.

That was my final goodbye to my mom. When I got home, Angela and Erica and all my good friends in school were in my house. They cooked food, which turned out good and delicious. We didn't talk a lot, because being in the presence with loved ones was enough to fill the atmosphere with happiness.