Bring Glory(Us) Life

Chapter 21- After Death

        “Here’s the guest list. It’s everyone Kilay knew before she died who said they would come to her funeral,” Michael said, handing a sheet of paper to Lachlan. “Are you sure you want to do this? This must be hard for you—”

            “No,” Lachlan said, running his gaze down the short column of names. “I have to do this. For her. Is this all? Isn’t her father coming?” Michael shrugged, fluffing his lab coat so he could sit down next to the young man. They were in their usual meeting spot, the lobby of the hospital he worked at.

            “Kilay’s father is not a very emotional man. And he wasn’t involved with Kilay, ever. All he’s ever done is pay her expenses.”

            “But she’s his daughter,” Lachlan said in disbelief. The doctor sighed.

            “Look, kid, from what I’ve heard, you of all people should know better than to say that. Being a parent doesn’t necessarily mean you care about your kids.” Lachlan folded the sheet roughly, irritated.

            “Yeah, but she died. Doesn’t he feel any remorse?” Michael lifted his shoulders again, and stood.

            “I don’t know, talk to him if it really bothers you. I have to go back to work. Thank you, though, for taking care of this. Kilay would appreciate it...” Turning, he walked away, leaving Lachlan formulating a plan.

            Kilay didn’t have any friends. Only a few people she had talked to and the doctors who had cared for her were attending. It didn’t make sense to Lachlan. She had been so caring, so infectiously optimistic, always helping people out. There had to be others out there who would care that she had died. But how to find them...And her father, he was another matter entirely.

            Michael shivered as he walked out of the hospital, pulling his coat tighter around him. He made his way down the sidewalk, toward the parking garage across the street where staff parking was. Passing a lamp post, he paused, inspecting the sheet of paper stapled to the wood. It was a picture of Kilay, grinning and healthy, with a short paragraph written below.

               You may know this person. Kilay Ra was a kind person, always trying to help everyone out, spending all her energy on others rather than herself. On December 1, she died after a long struggle with an incurable, unknown disease. If she ever touched your life, made you smile during a dark day, please attend her funeral.

            Below followed a date and address. Michael ran across the street, finding another sign on a coffee shop window. Racing down the row of stores, he saw more and more of the signs.

        “Oh, Lachlan,” he said, smiling fondly. “She really was blessed to have you as her friend.”

         Lachlan stood in front of a pair of imposing doors, attached to an equally imposing, grand house tucked away from civilization in the countryside. It was surrounded on three sides by forest, split only by a stretch of field, where a horse pasture could be seen from the porch. There was a creak and the door swung open, revealing a young man in butler’s garb.

        “May I help you, Sir?” he asked politely.

        “I would like to speak with Mr. Lorton, please.” The butler didn’t move.

        “Do you have an appointment? Master Lorton is a very busy man—”

        “No, I don’t, but he’ll want to hear what I have to say. It’s about Kilay.” The man stared at Lachlan for a long moment, then disappeared into the house.