Veronica:
I waited to the coast was clear to come out of the bathroom. I could not believe after all these years that my mammy had the nerve to show up at my husband’s bedside. I guess I couldn’t say too much being that I had given my twins up and changed my name from Erin to Veronica in the process. I had been through drugs, suicide attempts, and prostitution and the only niggah that ever saved me was my beautiful Blue who was lying in this bed hooked up to a million tubes. I carefully crossed the hall and went back into the hospital room. I knew that I was gonna have to restrict who visited him from now on because I didn’t need him being stressed. I wonder why my kids where here and who even told them about Blue. I leaned down and kissed his head before gathering the strength to leave before I was caught. I exhaled and quickly walked out never looking back. I was pissed that I had to be in charge of burying Detroit Hustle cause I knew how he had gotten my daddy killed. I wanted to stick his bitch ass in the ground, but I knew Blue would never approve. I don’t really even know what we are burying since they say his remains were mostly just ashes anyway, but I guess I had to do the right thing. I called up Brewbaker’s Funeral Home because they buried all the drug dealers, pimps, and prostitutes. I was happy to hear that he had prepaid burial plans which meant I was going to spend the money I had put aside for something real classy to wear to the funeral.
3 Days Later
Blue: I was sitting in this wheelchair doubled over in pain. The meds were not working good enough for me. I been shot before, but this time felt worse than anything I ever felt. I knew my doctor was against me leaving, but she couldn’t make me miss daddy’s funeral. I was worried because Veronica had taken care of every detail and I know she hated pops for how he treated her. I looked at my timepiece and sighed again. The funeral was starting at eleven and she wasn’t even here yet. I shook my head and pinched the bridge of my nose. I was about to roll myself over to the phone when the door burst open. “I’m sorry baby, but I got caught in traffic,” Veronica exclaimed whipping my wheelchair so fast I almost fell out. “Damn girl watch what you doin, you know I’m not 100% yet!” She rolled her eyes and mouthed sorry as she pushed me down the hall and onto the elevator.
Shade:
I was so uncomfortable sitting here in this black, lace, nightmare Granny Quilla had me dressed in. For one thing it was itching me, for two it was longer than I liked to wear things and three it was freezing in this funeral parlor. I looked up at the ridiculously bright, lime green casket. I mean who really gets buried in lime green. I shook off the thought and looked around at all of the people in attendance. The funeral was so packed that they had to pull back two of the accordion walls to make room for everybody. I wondered if daddy was gonna make it because I had texted him all morning with no answer. As the music started to play I snapped my head to the front. Granny Quilla squeezed my hand and I looked up into her tear soaked face. I guess she must have known this man pretty well the way she carried on Poppa Jeremiah was stone-faced and sitting straight up like a soldier. I saw mama walk in and sit in the front row on the left side with Jarvis and Shyne. Jarvis was looking better, but he still had some swelling in his face and he looked embarrassed to be sitting in a wheelchair. I heard the familiar chords of the “Shaft” theme song being played and I shook my head. “This is some real clown shit,” I heard Poppa say out loud. “Now Jeremy no need to be disrespectful we are at a funeral,” Granny said dabbing at her eyes. He rolled his eyes at here and went back to staring straight ahead at the casket. When the song concluded a man in a money green, velvet, suit walked up to the podium behind the casket. “Good morning everybody my name is Fishbone Williams and I was a good friend of Detroit’s. Now he always told me he didn’t want no big time preacher speaking at his funeral so I was asked to get this program underway. First of all I want to give a shout out to Brewbaker’s for putting my friend away so nice.” After everyone applauded he continued on, and I turned around just in time to see some lady wheeling in daddy. I was so happy to see him because he called me the moment he woke up from sedation at the hospital, but I had not yet seen him until now.
There were whispers as she wheeled him down the aisle and locked his chair into place before taking a seat next to Poppa. I noticed Granny Quilla couldn’t stop staring at her. I leaned over to squeeze daddy’s hand and then sit back in my seat. “So after we have a selection from the soloist the program will go as followed,” said Fishbone taking a seat near the podium. The pianist began playing what I recognized as “Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross.” A beautiful, dark brown, heavy woman approached the podium and took the mic out of the stand. I heard Granny sucking her teeth as the woman began to sing. I looked over at Poppa who was staring at the lady. I then turned to daddy who had his eyes closed as if in a trance. As the lady sung you could hear women wailing and even mama stood to her feet singing along. Before long everyone that could stand was standing except for Granny. When the lady finished she walked to her seat as we still stood applauding. Fishbone walked over to the podium and put the mic back in the stand. He looked at the program in front of him, “I would personally like to thank Gertrude Johnson or as I know her; for that lovely selection. In case yall didn’t know, she was Detroit’s first love. Many a time he told me that she was the one that got away, but let’s keep it goin, up next we got reflections from an old friend of his.” He looked around the room puzzled. “They didn’t put a name on here yall.”
“That’s cause I don’t need no introduction.” Everybody turned to the back of the church where an old man in a baby blue suit was being escorted down the aisle by two young girls in baby blue mini-dresses. Fishbone’s jaw dropped and I knew something was wrong immediately. “Yeah niggah it’s me so quit actin silly,” the man said as he approached the podium and snatched the mic. “Move over bruh, I work alone.” Fishbone walked back to his seat and put his head in his hands. “Well I be damned,” I heard Poppa say under his breath. Daddy had a look of surprise on his face too. I wondered just who the hell this man was that waddled up in here lookin like Fred Sanford. I was about to find out soon enough though.
