Getting Ready

Who would’ve thought that mom, of all people, would die? She was the best person in the whole world, my everything. Now it seems like I have nothing to live for. My whole family hates me, she was the only person I could go to. But now she’s gone, and I’m all alone.

I pulled my black veil over my face. Then zipped up my black dress slipped on my mum’s old heels.

I moved my long hair behind my shoulders and gazed at my reflection. I saw mum. Almost all my qualities resented her, and it hurt.

I couldn’t look in the mirror without seeing her, I didn’t want to see her as my reflection, I wanted mum here.

I gulped grabbing my tiny purse and walked out of the house.

I didn’t bring any of my bags on purpose, I wanted to come back before I had to leave this house for good.

I held my head low while walking out to my mum’s friends’ car.

“Where’s your bags?” she asked.

“Whoops, looks like I forgot them. Oh no, we will have to come back,” I said without emotion.

She sadly smiled, “I know this is hard Emy, I miss your mother too. I get you want to come back, but it won’t bring her back.”

“Call me Emila, not Emy,” I sat in the car and shut the door harshly, intending for the conversation to be over.

Ate sighed, “We’ll come back for your things after the funeral. But then you have to promise me to leave this place behind, others will live here soon, you can't come here when they live here.”

“Yeah, yeah…”

I crossed my arms and stared out the window, everything seemed to a black and white movie now, there was no more color in my world without mum.

I pulled out my phone and called my mums’ number.

It went straight to voicemail, I listened carefully to her voice saying that she was busy with me and would call back later.

Like the fool I am, I called back again, hoping she would answer. But, just like before, she didn’t.

“Emilia sweetie, we’re here,” Ate called from outside the parked car.

I sighed, then tucked my phone away before stepping out of the car.

Ate offered her hand, but I turned away, the only one who could comfort me was mum.

The building slowly got closer as we walked, my heart started to beat faster with every step. My anxiety was sky high.

I started to pant as we crossed the road. We were almost there. I’d have to see everyone again, by myself. Mum was no longer there to speak for me.

My legs shook as Ate opened the doors for me. I fixed my veil before entering the huge room filled with only a few people.

I leaned closer to Ate and whispered, “Where is everyone?”

She whispered back, “Your mother didn’t know a lot of people. She was always busy taking care of you, she barely had any friends.”

My shoulders suddenly felt heavy.

So I was a burden? It’s my fault you had no friends? Damnit mum, why didn’t you leave me alone to live your life???

I glanced around the room, looking for Archer and my dad.

I saw Archer stand in the corner of the room on his phone, but I didn’t see dad.

I frowned and walked over to the front of the room and stood before the coffin.

I peeked into the openside of the coffin and stared at the body.

Mum wasn’t in the coffin, it was a doll, not her. She looked completely different when she was alive, whatever was in that coffin had so much makeup on it was shiny, nothing like mum.

I turned to my right and walked next to the wall staring at every picture.

I stopped moving once I laid my eyes on a single picture that had our family. Dad and mum were holding hands smiling at me and Archer. I was awkwardly holding his hand while he was pouting, that was the nicest photo our family had ever taken together, and will be the only nicest photo.

“Why don’t you take that photo for memories?” someone whispered.

I turned and saw a random guy about 14 standing behind me holding a flower.

He awkwardly smiled, “I didn’t mean to pry, you just kept staring at the photo, I assumed it was important.”

I turned back to the photo and shook my head, “No, not that one,” I ripped the photo off the board and ripped it in half, then sprinkled the remains on the ground.

I smiled at the boy who was staring at me, “Who are you?”

He fixed his suit, “Austin, I’m Katie’s son, you know, the woman who brought you here.”

I tilted my head, “Why weren’t you in the car?”

“I got here early to help set everything up.”

I glanced at his flower he held tightly.

“Oh uh, this is for you. My condolences Emila.”

Austin bowed slightly as he held out the flower, I hesitantly took the pink flower and said, “My favorite flowers are tulips, not roses.”

His face turned red, “I-I’m sorry, I’ll bring you tulips after the funeral!”

My frown disappeared and he awkwardly rushed away.

I gulped before looking back at the photos, I smiled at the one that mum was holding me tightly and smiling.

I carefully peeled the photo off of the wall and slipped it into my purse.

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