Take Me Back To The Night We Met

Chapter 4

👣- " Whenever you're ready, whenever you're ready."

Jo slowly made her way towards Dani's room. She turned every corner until she stood in front of her bedroom door. She knocked on the door.

'You decent?' Jo asked. 'Come in.' Dani said. 'Oh! you look. . .'

'I can scrub up when I need to.' Jo said, closing Dani's door. 'Funeral starts at four. Owen said we should get there early.'

'Okay.' Dani replied. 'It's uh. . .' Jo said, clearing her throat. 'It's quite a dress.'

'Yeah, it's the only thing I had in black.' Dani informed. 'I-I hate it.'

'Does look a bit like you're trying to scandalize the village. Can't say I fault the general principle.' Jo said.

'I just don't want to let Owen down.' Dani said.

'He won't mind.' Jo assured. 'Honestly, you don't have to go if you don't want to.'

'Really?'

'He said as much.' Jo answered. 'Was pretty clear.'

'Okay. Yeah. That's a relief, actually. I, um. . . I had a funeral in my own life. Not so long ago. And I feel like this is, um. . .' Dani trailed off.

'Hey, poppins.' Jo said, walking towards Dani. 'It's your day off. I promise, I don't need you to be my date to Owen's mom's funeral.'

'Okay. Okay.' Dani nodded. 'Then, can you help me get this thing off?'

'Blimey.' Jo said with wide eyes.

'No, seriously.' Dani laughed. 'The, uh. . . the zipper. Thank you.'

All of a sudden, Dani gasped and turned around. 'Did I pinch you?' Jo asked.

'No, I'm sorry.' Dani said. 'All right.' Jo nodded. 'Well, I'll be back in a few hours. And if I find out you've not been relaxing, there will be serious consequences.' Jo joked.

-----

'Mrs. Grose,' Flora exclaimed, running into the small church. 'my trousers got wet in the graveyard, and Miss Clayton said I wet my pants.'

'Oh!' Hannah replied. 'Because in America, "pants" means "trousers".' Flora explained.

'That is funny.' Hannah said, softly laughing.

'She said I wet my pants like a baby.' Flora exclaimed. 'Oh, Miss Clayton, let me do one for you. You haven't seen this. I'll do it in blue, to match your eyes. It will be splendid.'

'I uh. . . I guess you didn't make it to the funeral either.' Dani said.

'Oh, no, not my cup of tea, the church in the village.' Hannah replied. 'I haven't been there since. . . God. . . since I was married. I have nothing but respect for Owen's mom, but. . . she was long gone. Dementia is a savage thing.'

'Jo said that Owen said it was okay if we missed it.' Dani said.

'No, yeah, that's true. I pay my respect in my own ways. He understands that funerals are for the living. It's up to the living to decide what they can and cannot bear.' Hannah explained.

'Right you, come along.' Hannah said, walking towards Flora. 'Let's get some supper started for you children, shall we?'

'Mm-hm. Me and Miles will help. I can chop things up.' Flora suggested.

'Oh! I'm not letting you chop things up.' Hannah yelled.

The au pair found that she lit her candle not in remembrance of those that she lost, but to atone for the moments she didn't remember them. Those most recent moments where she'd even been happy to have forgotten them.