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ONE
~ Aria ~
To The Love Bard,
It was the day I had been dreading for weeks.
Ever since I had received the announcement through email, I had been feeling unsettled. I had spent most of my adult life on the move, and now I was going back to the place where it all started. Back to my childhood home, where my older sister, Kelly, and her family still reside. Staying with them, I had no problem. My old room had been untouched in the attic conversion, and I was close with my sister. The problem was the reason I was going back.
Death.
James Banks’ death had come as no surprise. Kelly had been sure to fill me in on our neighbor’s deteriorating health conditions, but nevertheless, it hurt to know a man who was like a second father to me had passed. My sister had assured me it had been peaceful, but the family and community’s pain was evident in its wake. That’s what brought me home.
Death.
The thirteen-hour flight from Osaka did nothing to elevate my mood and, by the time Kelly greeted me, it felt like a storm cloud was thundering above my head. Of course, she rushed up to greet me, as she always did, wrapping me in her arms.
“It’s so good to see you,” she murmured into my hair, “But we’re really cutting it short.”
“How long do we have?” I asked groggily, still dazed from the flight.
“Just over two hours to get back, get ready, and be at the service. Paul is at home dealing with the kids, so we should be able to make it.”
Gratefully, I allowed her to take my baggage from me as we rushed towards the parking lot. After throwing everything into the back, I slid into the passenger seat, buckled myself in, and closed my eyes. I prayed the buzzing in my head would stop by the time we reached the family home. I must have portrayed my ailment well, as my sister didn’t try to converse with me like she usually did, instead remaining silent on the journey home. I must have dozed off somewhere along the way as I awoke to her gentle prodding.
“You had better get ready quick. We’re leaving in half an hour,” she informed me as she helped me out of the car.
I was still drowsy as I was ushered into the house, straight into the arms of the boys, followed by a swift peck on the cheek by my brother-in-law, Paul. They were just about to release their onslaught of questions when Kelly came bustling in with the bags and shooed them away.
“Don’t disturb your auntie. She needs to get ready.”
I didn’t need to be told twice as Paul helped us take the bags up to my room in the attic. After having a towel thrust at me, I quickly showered the grime from the flight off of me before sitting down to tackle my hair and makeup. Pinning my ash blonde hair into a neat bun, complimented by demure natural-looking makeup, I felt I set the right tone for the service. Unzipping the biggest of the bags, I pulled the dress I had bought specifically for the service. A black cotton wrap dress that was cinched in at the waist kept everything respectably hidden. One final layer of lip balm, and I was ready to go. Kelly was waiting for me downstairs.
“Just in the nick of time. I don’t know how you do it.”
Paul was driving with Kelly in the passenger seat. I got crammed in the back next to Peter and Harry, who started yammering on about the funeral. From what I gathered, they had grown fond of James next door, and they were sad to be saying goodbye.
They weren’t the only ones.
When we pulled up outside the church, it was as crowded as expected for a man with such a sparkling reputation within the community. Throngs of people pushed through the main church doors, and I knew we didn’t stand a chance of finding seats. The Banks family must have been inside as I didn’t see any of them as we filtered into the back of the room. When I first laid eyes on the coffin, I felt my heartstrings pull, and tears leap to my eyes. Looking away for a moment, I gathered myself, knowing I had to be strong for everyone else. There was silence as the priest began the service.
“I would like to thank you all for coming here today, to say goodbye to a pillar of our community…”
Death.
In the end, the majority went home, and only a select few remained for the lowering of the coffin. Paul opted to take the boys back home while Kelly and I stayed to pay our respects. After we joined the others at the graveside, I yet again felt tears spring to my eyes. My sister must have noticed as she gave my hand a gentle squeeze and nodded in the family’s direction.
“Look, there’s Sam. You should go talk to him afterward. I know he’s been waiting to see you.”
I followed her line of sight and saw the man she was referring to. And that’s what he was. No longer the awkward boy I had grown up with. He was all man. And what a man he was. Neatly trimmed stubble had grown in to cover his now chiseled jaw. Each of his once jumbled features had its own perfect setting, which assembled to make a dashingly handsome face. The large afro was long gone, replaced by a short cut, framing his head and even under his formal suit. I could tell he had been working out at the gym. Everything about him oozed masculinity, and my body reacted to it like a magnet. As though come to life, the air pulsed with electricity and seemed to direct itself at him. Looking up from the hole in the ground, we locked eyes, and I could see the subtle flare of his nostrils as he recognized me. I leaned into Kelly.
“I think you’re right. I should go talk to him after the service.”
As I watched the father-figure lowered into his grave, the emotions were sucked out of me temporarily. All I could do was stare in disbelief as we said our final goodbyes. After all was said and done, I waited for the crowd to disperse before going over to the widow and her son. Upon seeing me, she offered me a watery smile.
“Aria, you came,” she took my hands in hers, “James would have been so happy to see you back on your home turf after all this time. It’s a shame we’re reuniting in such circumstances, but I’m glad to see you nevertheless. My, you have grown.”
“Thank you, Maya. I can’t even begin to express how sorry I am for your loss.”
