Time stops…
I don’t even know where Cassy and her minions get the nerve to visit mom’s funeral. The audacity they have is incomparable.
“Hey, what do you guys think you’re doing here? Seriously? This is not a show.” Lea asks Cassandra as she gets close to mom’s coffin.
Cassandra snorts. “We come here with good intentions. I know this is hard for Angel to lose everything, right? Not just her mom but also Maddox.” Cassy says the latter with a hint of tease. "That's why we're here to ease her pain. I know how it feels to be left alone."
“Cassandra…”
I can’t be wrong, I know exactly who that guy is before I turn around to confirm. He is wearing a white polo shirt, paired with blue jeans. He looks the same handsome boy when I left for Singapore but probably a little thinner.
“Hey, Mad, you’re here. I thought you wouldn’t because you already broke up with Angel, so I came here to substitute you.” Cassy says with excitement.
“Stop it, Cassandra. I don’t need you to replace me. The thing between me and Angel is none of your business. Now, have some respect and leave this place. You and your friends are not needed here.”
“But, baby, please…”
“Shut up Cassy, I’m not your baby," Maddox cut Cassy off. "Go home with your friends, nobody wants to see you guys here. Do you understand?”
“No. Mad, I thought we were fine. What did I do wrong this time? Huh? You and Angel have broken up and we’re finally back together.” Cassandra asks in annoyance. Stomping her feet like a 5-year-old kid.
“Stop your illusions, Cassandra, people are listening.” Maddox roams his sight around the chapel as people are starting to notice the commotion. "Scarlett, Chloe, and Avery, please take Cassy with you and stop humiliating yourselves here."
Something inside of me celebrated hearing Maddox. Cassandra is like a statue standing in front of us, pale in humiliation. That’s what she loves anyway, Cassy loves to humiliate herself. Avery, Chloe, and Scarlett stand by her side, speechless.
“What is happening here?”
I turn back and I see dad staring at Cassandra and her friends.
“Look, Mr. Park, Cassandra, and her friends here are making a scene.” Lea answers, complaining.
I witness how Cassy glares at Lea, her eyes bulging. “We’re not making a scene, Mr. Park. It’s just a misunderstanding.” Cassy says with terror in her eyes.
“If that’s so, girls you may leave now. We need some harmony here.”
Cassandra and her friends are left with no choice but to leave. She glares at me like she can cut me in half. I ignore her and ask Sam and Luke, Lea and Glenn, including Maddox, to have a seat.
Dad walks close to me, with him is a young boy and a girl, they seem to look like dad, especially the girl who looks like me. She could be my mini-me.
“Your sister Jamaica and your brother Jordan,” Dad says holding my siblings on their shoulders.
“Hey, how are you? I’m your sister Angel.” I introduce myself happily to the sweet fellows in front of me. They both have sweet faces, and I can't help myself to squeeze their cheeks. Little bundles of joy.
“Nice to meet you, Angel," Jordan tiptoed to give me a kiss.
"The same feeling big guy, it's so nice to finally meet you."
Jamaica stares at me and she appears fascinated. "Pleasure to meet you, my big sister, I'm Jamaica." My sweet sister gives me a kiss.
"Love to meet you, sweet girl."
It's the feeling of excitement of having a sister that's getting me, it's overwhelming. If only mom is here to witness, she would surely love them both. "Come, I'll show you, my mom."
I see dad smiling as we head to see mom. He must be proud of us, his children and I am proud to call him dad. Dad surely did a great job in raising Jamaica and Jordan to be well-mannered kids.
The three of us spend time getting to know each other. We talk more about our school's kinds of stuff and promise to meet in the near future to get acquainted.
I settle down with my siblings but Lea finds a way to talk to me when dad, Jamaica, and Jordan leave.
“Angel, you and your dad seem to have a good relationship now. He even brought your sibling here. What happened?”
“Mom’s last will was to see me and dad reconcile so we tried to do it while in Singapore. But even before mom asked, I already had a soft spot in my heart for dad. With everything he had done for mom, I realized how he truly loved my mom until now. And perhaps I have come to my senses that they are telling the truth all along. Mom and dad had no choice, they had to live a separate life.”
“That’s a lovely story to hear. I saw how your dad and mom looked at each other before Aunt Athena passed away.”
“Their love for each other is pure. I am their witness. It makes me think about my relationship with Maddox. It’s funny how we have the same situation as mom and dad."
"Angel, stop punishing yourself. You guys have a different story, live your life and allow yourself to be happy with whatever you have right now."
"Lea, this is not the right place to talk about this."
"Fine, but sooner or later, you're gonna have to decide. And don't insist that you already did by breaking up with Maddox. It wasn't valid. You were in a dilemma and couldn't think clearly at the time you broke up with Maddox."
I only nod in response. Lea made a point. I wasn't thinking straight and I regret it.
Dad agreed to my request to have 3 days of mourning before mom's internment. He had people set up the burial at the private cemetery and everything works well.
I give my last eulogy along with mom’s close friends in the company where he is working.
“Mommy, I love you.” I start, trying not to break into tears. “You know I do. I grew up praising you and making you my role model for being such a hard-working single mom. There was never a time you gave up on any difficulties we went through. You showed me how a woman should be. Strong, fearless, and independent. And I thank you for that."
I wipe my tears, blurring my vision as I continue with whatever comes out of my heart. I could never go wrong when I speak about mom from the heart.
"Mommy, you are my life, you are my world, and now living without you will never be the same. I only wish you are in peace right now. No more pain." This is how I end my message with tears cascading down my cheeks.
After the mass ceremony is the internment. Dad cries his heart out. I stroke his back to help soothe his pain.
I don’t have tears to cry anymore. I’m numb. In my mind, I only have my dreams where I will spend time with my mom, finish my studies, travel together, and still have mom even if I get married someday. Those dreams will not happen anymore.
Why me? I ask myself in silence.
The burial ends without me having the opportunity to talk to my friends, especially Maddox and it makes me sad. I owe him an apology for breaking up with him unreasonably. I was selfish.