Girls From Da Hood 9 by Amaleka McCall

Author:Amaleka McCall [McCall, Amaleka]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, African American, General, Urban
ISBN: 9781622862351
Google: 7fEBAgAAQBAJ
Publisher: Urban Books
Published: 2013-12-01T10:41:01+00:00

Chapter 14

Sorrow

Six days, eight hours, twenty-four minutes, and fifty-nine seconds later, we laid Joyce to rest. I refused to look into the casket. I wanted to remember her as she was: warm, vibrant, and full of life. George and I decided for her to wear a pink dress she wore most of the time when they went dancing. A pink rose was placed in her hair. It was surreal that she was even gone. For days, Fera continued to go to Joyce’s bedroom, looking for her. Every time she did that I would break down in tears.

Even though at first there was some resistance, the church finally agreed to let me have Fera be present during the funeral. Joyce would have wanted it that way.

Julie and Becca were right by my side. My old social worker even showed up to be there for me. To my surprise, Heather and Antonia sent flowers to the church. People from high school who I hadn’t seen or heard from in years made an appearance. It meant a lot to me that people cared about my grandmother and me. The choir sang the song “I Feel Like Going On.” I could barely stand. George had to literally hold me up.

He was trying his best to put on a strong front. Deep down, I knew he was hurting even more than me. They had been married longer than I had been alive.

There wasn’t a single seat left in the church. I knew but I didn’t realize how much Joyce had impacted the community. She had helped so many families get on or get back on their feet.

“Let’s not be sad and weep into the night. Instead, let’s rejoice her death,” the preacher suggested, looking directly at me.

At the end of the service, we all marched out. The open casket sat at the door of the church so people might view the body as we exited. The family exited first. My heart raced as I got closer to the church doors. I knew Joyce’s pale, cold, lifeless body would be waiting there for me.

“Are you sure that you don’t want to get one last glimpse of her?” George asked.

“Yes, I’m sure.” I nodded my head.

The repast was held at the house directly after we left the burial site. I was sitting in the kitchen at my grandparent’s house, barely able to speak. So many people were giving me their condolences but I wasn’t even listening. It’s not that I didn’t want to, I just couldn’t. Life had become a blur. I didn’t know what the next day or the next minute would bring. All I knew was that Joyce, whom I loved so dearly, was gone. Tired of the constant aggravation, I walked out to the back porch. I figured a little air would make me feel a little better. Fera followed me outside.

“Angela, please eat something,” Martha suggested. She was one of Joyce’s best friends. I hadn’t been outside a full five minutes before she spotted me.

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