The Mafia Kidnapped Me

(9) The Funeral.

It was today. The day Pamela was going to lay her dad to rest. It was two days after she had left Devlin's safe house.

She wore white. In fact, she made everyone wear white, just as her dad wished before he passed.

"Black is a sad color, Pam Pam. Wear white for me honey."

"What?" Pamela had given her dad a quizzical look that day. She had been seated by his bed, watching him as he drifted in and out of consciousness. He had recently been shot then but was not in a hospital because he'd refused to go to a hospital. The day the shooting had occurred, he'd been unconscious and had been taken to the hospital to get the bullet removed and the second he regained consciousness, he demanded to be taken home. Pamela and her mom never understood why.

"What are you saying, Dad? White? What do you mean?"

He'd struggled to smile at her. "You know, I wore a white suit on my wedding day, with a touch of lavender. Everyone thought it was sweet, except, of course, your mother. She thought it was outrageous." He laughed and then it turned into fits of cough and loud breathing.

In a panic, Pamela had given him water to drink and after that, his eyes drooped and he lost consciousness again.

Pamela remembered with a pang how she'd waved off his words thinking he was being delirious, which was a normal thing post-surgery. She had also been worried to death about his health at that time. Now, it all made sense.

Yes, her dad had died a painful death but she was not going to give him a sad burial filled with darkness and sombreness. She was going to give him what he wanted; a white, unique funeral, one that he would look down on from the skies and feel happy and free, just like the doves she was planning to set free at the funeral.

She wore a white skirt suit of appropriate length and a top with sleeves and white high-heeled pumps with a white hat to cap off the look. She didn't apply makeup. She owed him that in a way. She didn't care who was going to be there; old classmates, neighbors, business associates - she was going to look bare and make-up free.

She walked down the stairs and saw her mom clad in white, looking beautiful but sad nevertheless. Her mom saw her and gave her a sad little smile. Pamela returned the smile.

"It's time." She said to Pamela.

As they drove to the Cemetery, it began to hit her that her dad was gone - for good. The little she had of him was going to leave her today. She suddenly had the urge to cry but swallowed hard against the knot that formed in her throat and shut her eyes tight. She didn't want to start bawling her eyes out in front of her mother who looked like she was hanging on by a thread.

When they got there, she was taken aback by the amount people she saw. Friends, relatives, business associates, neighbors, and well-wishers; all were there, hugging her, and supporting her. Pamela was touched. None of her personal friends were there, but the fact that her parent's friends were available was enough for her.

It was a simple service. Soon, her father was buried and the doves were set free. As she looked up and watched the doves fly towards the skies and to their freedom, she prayed her dad's spirit would be free too.

After that, her mother was called to say something about her father.

"Robert was not just a husband. He was a friend, he was a lover, and also a father to me. Did you know a few times after our divorce we would hook up in a hotel or something?"

The whole audience was plunged into laughter. Pamela didn't find it funny though. Her mother shouldn't have left in the first place.

When it was time for Pamela to make her speech, she held a daffodil bouquet and walked up to face everyone. As she raised her head to speak, she caught a figure in the crowd. He was wearing white too. She took in a shaky breath and her heart skipped as their eyes met. At that moment, tears rolled down her eyes. Her mom reached for her and gave her a handkerchief.