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Odd.
Despiteascertaining she was no longer alone,Poppydidn’t demand to know who was there.Astranger intruded on her space and private time to mourn, yet she didn’t seem perturbed or ask them/me to leave.
NotthatIcould force myself to leave.Thelook on her face, the heavy pain with no outlet, was the same oneIfelt whenMomdied.Itwas worse forPoppysince she didn’t know how to verbalize her emotions or accept kindness.So,Iremained behind the tree, allowing her this moment of privacy while being there for her non-verbally.Shewasn’t alone, and that was allIcould do for her.
Westayed this way forGodknows how long.Thesun was dipping by the timePoppyturned my way.Safelytucked behind the tree,Irounded it when she passed by.
Poppypaused a few feet away from the tree.Withher neck slightly bent, she whispered in a voice clear as day, “Thankyou.”
Poppywas already walking away by the timeIprocessed the words.Thankyou.
SheknewIwas there but allowed me to stay anyway.Why?Perhapsshe didn’t want to be alone but didn’t know how to accept public sympathy.Maybethe only way she could grieve was through silent support.
Icouldn’t drag my eyes away from her retreating figure.Therewere many thingsIwanted to say in return.AsIwatched her go,Irealized it was better this way.Poppycouldn’t confront the feelings inside her, but the comfort provided by a stranger on the worst day of her life made the day tolerable.
WhenMomwas alive,Idid nothing to save her.Iwas a selfish teenager wrapped up in my world.EvenafterMom’sdeath,Inever contributed to her cause.Imade algorithms and advanced my career, but nothing to improve my humanity.Buttoday,Imade a difference.Igave someone a tiny ray of comfort instead of pain.
Aeuphoric feeling grabbed me in a chokehold.Itwas far more enticing than the usual bullshitIdid by drowning in work.Whoknew comforting someone else could be exhilarating, especially someone who wasn’t easily susceptible to emotion?IbroughtPoppya moment of peace.Thoughit might seem minuscule to others, it was the victory of a lifetime to me.AllIhad done was stand in the shadows, yet it was everything we were both searching for.
Shefelt like my purpose, and byGod,Iwanted to feel it again.Iwanted to be helpful toPoppyagain to make this shithole life a little better for both of us.IfollowedPoppyback to the wake but stopped upon hearing a commotion.
“Haven’tyou done enough?”Asmall herd led byNickAmbanisurroundedDad, their seething eyes tearing him apart.
“I’mhere despite what you said to me last time.It’sa gesture of good faith.Doesn’tthat count for something?”Dadasked plainly, trying to ignore the audience they were attracting.
Poppyalso paused midway.
Shit.Icouldn’t let this be her lasting impression at her father’s funeral.
Isped up to get toDadbefore he created more of a scene.Itwas impossible to get through the crowd.Hushedmurmurs broke out around me, catching me up with the drama.FromwhatIgathered, one of theAmbanislocatedDadin the mix and expressed his discontent.Dadinitially said he was there to express his condolences, which quickly turned into snide remarks when theAmbanisdidn’t receive him with open arms.
“Youcan’t be serious.Thisis my cousin’s funeral,Mr.Maxwell, and we don’t want you here.Pleaseleave.”
“I’mmerely trying to fix the situation,Mr.Ambani.Thereis no need to insult me when allIhave done is try to be nice.Haveyou seen the fruit basketsIbrought?”
Nickhuffed. “Youthink a few fruit baskets will fix how you spoke to my cousin’s wife?”
“Well,Iwasn’t exactly wrong about her,”Dadsnapped, triggered by the jab about his precious fruit baskets.
Poppy’shead reeled back from the remark.Froma distance,IwatchedPiyaAmbanistiffen as well.
Un-fucking-believable.
Daddidn’t handle rejection well or have a filter when scorned.Dueto his shortcomings, he made things worse.Insteadof mending the rift, he might have sunk the ship by dredging up the worst possible topic.Thingsmight still be salvageable ifIcould remove him from the grounds.Isifted through the crowd to get to him, onlyIwas too late.
NickAmbanihad steam coming out of his ears. “Security!” he yelled. “Wherethe hell are the security guards?Getthis man off our property.”
BeforeIcould reach him, a security guard emerged from the crowd and grabbedDad’sarm to escort him out.
“Getoff me!”Dadshouted, trying to tug his arm away. “I’man important man to have in your corner,Mr.Ambani.Ipromise you.Thiswill not end well for you.”
“Areyou threatening me?”
“MyGod, these people are uncivilized,”Iheard the murmurs of judgmental guests.Eyesbored into us asIreachedDadand yanked him out of the security guards’ hold.
NickAmbani’seyes glossed over me before returning toDad. “Leave,” he ordered.
Thesecurity guards advanced on us.Iheld up a hand. “Thereis no need for that,”Icautioned them coolly. “Weare leaving.”
