Torment

WHEN THE LILACS LAST

The afternoon sun was high and bright yet the soft breeze of the wind still chillingly blew inside the opened windows of the black vintage Cadillac. Burns heaved a sigh and gently closed the windows. A moment later, Salieri started the engine and ventured down the road. She then clasped her hands and focused her attention on the window's view. And indeed it was a good day. But despite the beauty of the clear blue sky and the sun so bright and radiant, only her melancholy was present.

It felt as if it was only yesterday since she first saw Santa Lucia as one of the best places she had ever been to. The beauty of its nature, the uniqueness of the town's infrastructures and of course, the locals who were so kind and lovely all brought an incalculable nostalgia and desperation in her chest. Because those memories she had reflected a flawless and normal and rational world. There weren't enough complications to bother her. She knew who she was. Burns had a sense of direction and greater ambition in her life. However, she could not bring back the time, could she?

Without being aware of it, Burns was already clutching on the necklace her mother had given her. Her contemplation only stopped when Salieri finally reached the basilica and opened the door for her. "Miss Burns?" She suddenly let go of the necklace and was compelled to hastily get off the car. Only then she realised that Francisco, driving the other vehicle also reached the church, for which Harriett and Roche followed her. The old lady tried to smile at her but Burns was so occupied that even Roche's presence did not bother her too much.

They stood by the entrance door of the basilica and watched the people, mostly workers from the farm gather around the church. They waited a few more minutes before the black hearse finally arrived. Eventually, they entered the infrastructure. Although Burns was an atheist and had issues with going to churches, today was an exception. She felt a hand on her shoulders as they walked in but she had no time for sympathy and so Roche immediately understood and gently took his hand off her.

Instead, he asked, "Are you going to play the piano?" She simply replied with a nod and carefully walked to the piano near the altar. It would probably be better to play the organ but Burns, who was still a bit shaken did not choose to do it. Without further ado, she sat on the piano stool and started playing Chopin's, "Funeral March" as a requested entrance hymn.

More people came inside the church, most of them following Manang Hilda, who was walking down the isle embracing a medium-size black urn. Behind the old lady, Burns also recognised Minerva and Michael assisting Manang Hilda. Just before she finished the piece, everyone had all taken their seats. She then went back to where Harriett and Roche were sitting. Before she fully organised herself, Burns glanced on the other side of the chair and caught her father's impassive gazes. They stared for a while. What Homer's eyes could have meant, she didn't know. Even though she had thousands of questions to ask Burns was unable to say it all out loud. There were so much things going on in her head.

Buried with Christ through baptism into death,
We believe that we shall also live with Christ

Sighing, she finally looked away and stood with the rest of the mourners, as the priest had demanded. The mass for the dead went on but everything still looked blurry in her eyes. The sun slanting against the vibrant stained glass window of Saint Paul was almost blinding but a dove sitting on its windowpanes caught her eyes. Burns thought that again, she was only imagining but the creature never left her sight. The priest continued to talk. The people grieved. But her eyes remained on the bird. She didn't know for how long she was staring but just before the final blessing, the bird's wings suddenly fluttered and descended.