Dusty Shelves

Funerals

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Ruby

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Saturday morning came around and I felt sick. I woke up from a nightmare of my mother and shot up in bed. Alice was still sound-asleep and I ran my hand through hair. I went to the bathroom in hopes a shower would cool my nerves. It was the day of the funeral and I had experienced nightmares for the last three nights. I hadn't told Alice and she hadn't pried.

The hot water running over my face barely helped in calming my nerves and I got out feeling almost the same as I did when I got in. I got changed into the suit that was hanging up in the lounge room. Alice had picked it up during the week and I had to wear it for the funeral.

As I went back to the bathroom to get changed, I felt a rush of nausea come over me. I dropped the suit and fell to the bathroom floor. I vomited in the toilet and my throat burned. I coughed and tried to spit out the awful taste in my mouth. My hands were clammy and I was sweating like crazy. I offloaded another round of vomit into the toilet and sat with my head against the seat.

I heard the bathroom door open and didn't bother looking around to know it was Alice.

"Oliver" she said and kneeled down to me. She put her arms around me and rubbed my back trying to soothe me. I let out the tears as I didn't want to cry later at the funeral in front of everyone.

Alice let go of me and stood up. She went outside and returned with a glass and filled it with water at the sink. She handed it to me to rinse my mouth with. As I pulled myself up, Alice started wetting a flannel to wipe my face with. I washed my mouth out and cleaned myself up. Alice stayed and helped the whole time and I felt a quick wave of adoration before the nausea hit again. I felt like I had just wasted her time as I vomited into the toilet again. She didn't say anything while I threw up into the toilet. She just sat there rubbing my back and occasionally whispering soothing mumbles to me.

"Sorry" I said. My throat was raw and I was certain I had nothing left to throw up.

"Don't be silly. I'm here to help" she said and helped me up to clean me for the second time.

I was finally dressed in my suit at 9:00. Alice was wearing a black dress and jacket. Her hair was in a bun and she looked lovely. The funeral started at 10:00 so we needed to leave soon. Alice combed my hair back so it wasn't constantly in my eyes. I thanked her for the millionth time as we exited the apartment.

"You ok?" she asked as she took my hand.

"Yeah" I said but I doubted my words.

We met Carlos at the church and he was accompanied by a few of the guys from the gang. I was glad to see them and hugged each of them.

"John! Billy! Joseph!" I greeted them. They all had short hair and it made me notice that my hair had grown considerably long and shaggy.

"Sorry Oliver" John said as he hugged me. We had always been partners in crime, literally, while I was in the gang. Billy and Joseph were always paired as well. John was Portuguese with naturally tanned skin and dark brown eyes. He is Carlos's cousin. Billy and Joseph both had blonde hair but Joseph had blue eyes while Billy had green.

"Thanks" I said to them as they apologised and gave condolences.

Alice returned from talking to the minister who was running the ceremony and came to my side. I wrapped my arm around her waist and looked back to the guys who were slyly checking her out.

"Guys, this is Alice. Alice, this is John, Billy and Joseph" I said and pointed to each of them as I named them for her.

"Nice to meet you all" she said with a smile.