Life without mum

chapter 2- Reminds Me of You

Chapter 2

The room was miserable. As we walked into the room filled with black and tears my father let go of my hand and I didn’t relies how tight he had been gripping my hand, till he let go. My hand stung and I attempted to massage it better. With no success I walked over to my aunty (my mother’s sister) who was sitting, no crying by my mother’s coffin, which was covered in roses. The roses were black and deep burgundy. I smelt the air and I could smell the flowers as if the only thing in the world was those gorgeous roses.

Coming back to reality a tear dropped down my face slowly. Remembering my mothers’ death made me sad but I strained back a sob and wiped my tear with a lace, black handkerchief that was in my carry purse. Be strong for your father I reminded myself. I continued on my way to my sobbing aunty to comfort her.

I sat next to her and put my hand on her knee. She looked like my mother except she had brown eyes, my mother had blue. Her wavy black hair reminded me to much of my deceased mother. I felt another tear threaten to show but I took a deep breath and I gave my aunty a hug.

“I love you”, I whispered.

She squeezed me in a way only an aunty would and then she put her hands on my shoulders and took a good look at me. She wore an all-black suit except for a red rose that was tucked in her pocket. She looked like she was going to a wedding; not a funeral but that was Aunty Gene for you. She always looked her best. The only thing that let her down today was the black mascara running from her teary face. I hadn’t seen her since mother got ill and that had been almost a year. I don’t know why she never visited mother in hospital; maybe it was just too painful. Maybe? She just was too busy or maybe she just hadn’t cared. I refused to believe the last one though; Aunty Gene just wasn’t like that. She loved mother too much, probably as much as I did.

“You have grown so much, how old are u now”, she cooed reaching for my cheeks then she put her hands down. She probably remembered how much I hated it. Thank goodness she didn’t. I thought, theoretically wiping my head and sighing in relief.

“I’m turning thirteen today” I said matter-of- factly. Not that anyone remembered except for dad and Max but I thought if someone would remember it would be Aunty Gene.

She looked at me, obviously disappointed in herself.

“I’m sorry I didn’t bring you a present, I’ll tell you what next week I’m going to see grandma lil in Melbourne I can take you to the Aquarium”, she cheered up at the end. I jumped up like a kangaroo and nodded excitedly. This was very out of place at a funeral. I gave her a hug of excitement. Then my face dropped the speaker, priest guy had announced that the ceremony would commence soon and that we should make our way to our chairs. I nodded to my Aunty in way of goodbye and thanks. I did not wait for a returning gesture instead I made my way to my chair at the front.

The opening part of the funeral went forever and I found myself drifting to sleep. Once the speeches came I listened I liked hearing the stories of my mother and how much everyone loved her. My Aunt’s speech was my favourite it made me cry and laugh all at the same time.

She told us that this one time when they were little my mum got angry at the cat. So she put him in the washing machine. Later they couldn’t find poor Silky, their little black cat. They searched the house high and low and then grandpa; (mums dad) heard a sound in the laundry, a meowing. He found Silky in the washing machine but stuck in the back of it. When they finally got Silky out. She was a bit mattered but ok. My mother apparently didn’t think anyone knew. However the family had a good laugh the next day.

Aunty Gene told some other stories but they were sad and made me cry. She really did love her and she said that it is sad that her little sister died before her.

After the funeral we went out to the park for a little tea and cake.

The cake was beautiful it had a picture of my mum. It was a vanilla cake; I knew this was the case because I had ordered it last week. It was as beautiful as I had dreamed it to be. It was even more beautiful now that it had my mother on it.

I scanned the garden for my father but the little garden was too crowded. I pushed through a few people not stopping to smell the beautiful red, yellow and white flowers. I squeezed between two men in suits. I had no idea who they were, probably friends of grandma’s; after all she had organized the whole thing. I don’t hate her however for organizing it on my birthday she suffered from memory loss and had happened to forget that it was my birthday. I could never hate her for something as superficial as that.

A short distance away I saw my dad talking to Aunty Gene and I started to make my way across the garden path. I jumped over the cracks making sure I didn’t touch them. There was no point though; I wasn’t going to break my mother’s back now. Was I? I saw my father put his hand on her shoulder and at that I decided to turn around. I didn’t want to interrupt a heart to heart.

I turned right on to the stepping stones and stopped as I saw it. It was a flower the most beautiful flower I had ever seen in my life, it was white and had a dark pink sort of tip. I looked at it in ore. It reminded me of my mother, I don’t know why; maybe it was that it was beautiful. It was a lonely flower and had no other buds around it. I thought that odd.

I picked the flower and made my way to the fountain.

From my carry bag I grabbed a little coin purse and removed the last photo I got of mum. She was wearing a white summer dress with pink lace lining at the bottom as I looked at it I realized why the flower had reminded me of her. The dress had the pink tips like the flower. I put the flower on top of the picture and dropped it at the top of the fountain. I watched as the colours shriveled from the photo into the clear water as it sailed to the bottom of the fountain.

I felt a hand touch my shoulder and I twirled around moving into a fighting position. I looked at the boy, in front of me and lowered my guard when I realized it was my cousin, Caine. Caine was sixteen and had most of the Fawter family traits like his blue eyes and black hair that twirled in cute little ringlets.

“Calm down tiger”, he said putting up his arms in a defensive stance “looks like your karate paid off, hey”.

“Uh yeah”, I said suddenly becoming very interested in my foot.

“Hey, sorry about your mum”, he apologized. Why the hell was he apologizing, he didn’t kill my mum. Oh my god is he god, did he kill my mother. How dare he?

“How dare you”, I snarled and pounced at him locking his head to the floor.

“Hey what was that for, your chocking me stop!” he pleaded and I released my grip a little but not enough for him to escape.

“You are god and you killed my mother!” I screeched. Locking his head again.

“Wait! Stop!” I released his head letting him talk, “I’m not god are you crazy”

“But you apologised for killing my mother”, I cried

“I was being polite Annabelle, I didn’t kill her”

I automatically felt stupid and I walked away leaving my now hurt cousin on the floor. I made my way back and I realised most people had left with their share of the cake but I did not care I wasn’t hungry anyway.

I sat next to my dad who was now on the floor crying. I snuggled into his chest, under his arm and we just sat there for hours.

I had never been so close to my dad as I was today and I loved it!

Heyy readers thanks for reading sorry I don’t upload fast but you will all cope.

Tell me what u think?

P.S I was going to change Annabelle’s name any suggestions?

P.P.S don’t hate her grandma.