Five Fellas and a Funeral

Day 7 Part 1: Funerals Are No Fun

A familiar voice calls out to me as I approach the swanky-looking restaurant, Brunch de Monde, that's hosting Sophia's post-funeral reception.

Exiting the nearby parking garage is Daisy; the blonde bounds toward me as Ciera follows behind at a normal pace. Not even a somber occasion and an all-black dress code can slow Daisy down, she's practically a force of nature.

"Hey Eden!! We didn't know you were coming to this, Ciera could've given you a ride too!"

"Aw, don't worry about it. I got here just fine, Daisy."

Ciera seems unperturbed that Daisy offered up her service as a driver without any consultation. In fact, she gives me a small nod affirming Daisy's words.

"Let me know if you need a ride home then, Eden. It's no trouble."

"Thanks. I've gotta say I'm surprised to see the two of you here as well, I didn't think you guys were fond of Sophia."

Ciera responds to me first, "I wouldn't say we were fond of her. But we did work together for quite some time."

Daisy gazes at the upscale dining location before us. "Sophia would tell me about this place all the time, her mom would take her here every weekend."

That's sweet.

"She'd talk about how amazing the food was, how they'd highlight and experiment with brunch foods from a bunch of different countries, all with a French twist...she'd tell me how lucky I was that she told me about the food since my mom could never afford to take me."

Oh. Maybe not so sweet after all. Considering it's Sophia we're talking about, I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

Daisy is actually standing still for once; she continues to stare at the French restaurant with a melancholy look on her face.

Seeing my happy-go-lucky coworker look so down in the dumps makes me sad.

Both Jasper and Daisy's memories of Sophia are so depressing. It makes me wonder if and how Sophia could've been such a crappy person. Is everyone present today going to have such sad, painful memories?

"Was Sophia ever nice to you, Daisy? Or you, Ciera? Everything I know about her as well as everything I hear just seems awful."

"She was nice when she was interviewing for the job at the bakery," Ciera offers.

That's not exactly saying much.

"But if Sophia was so awful, why did you keep her around for so long? She worked for you for months right?"

"After she started, she didn't speak to me very often. I didn't think much of it. Then, as it turns out, she was bothering Daisy when I wasn't around to see. If I had been made aware of the situation sooner, I would've fired her long before she quit." Ciera gives Daisy a pointed look.

"Oh, please, even if I did tell you it wasn't like there was anything you could've done. It was her word against mine. I wasn't about to risk my job over that crap."

Ciera looks like she wants to protest Daisy's defense but manages to resist.

Daisy's attention returns back to the brunch eatery once more.

"I hate that Sophia died. She was a garbage human being, and now she'll always stay that way. No chance of redemption or growth or change once you're dead and buried." She lets out a sigh. "This blows."

Ciera puts a hand on Daisy's shoulder. "At least it's over now. She can never hurt you or Jasper or anyone else ever again."

The three of us stay silent for a while, steeped in our thoughts and memories of a person we'll never see again.