Now it will be just him and his father.
I keep the crying up, and Langston eventually looks at me. He laughs quietly when he sees my dramatic acting.
Finally, the woman releases me.
“I want to go see my brother.”
“Of course, sweetie. You two should be together.”
I walk over to Langston with tears still dripping out of my eyes.
“You’re a terrible actress,” he says teasingly when I walk over.
I wipe my tears on the back of my T-shirt. “I fooled her, so I can’t be that bad.”
He grins.
And then we link our hands. “Thank you,” he says.
“For what?” I frown, not understanding why he’s thanking me.
“For crying, even though you hate it, so you can be here with me.”
I squeeze his hand. I’m beginning to think I’d do anything for this boy. Fake crying so I can hold his hand while he mourns his mother barely touches the surface of what I’d do.
3
Langston
Today should be the worst day of my life.
I’m burying my mother today.
Today is the worst day of my life, but not because today is my mother’s funeral.
Today is the worst day of my life because of what I’m going to have to tell Liesel.
I’m wearing an oversized suit my father got at Goodwill and sitting in the front pew of the church next to my father.
There are a dozen or so people sitting behind us as the preacher talks. I don’t listen. All I can think about is what I’m going to say to Liesel.
How am I going to break the news?
I can’t even believe it myself.
I’m thankful for the time in the church. At first, I thought I wanted Liesel sitting next to me. Right now, I couldn’t be happier that my father didn’t allow it and that she’s sitting three pews back. As long as we aren’t together, I don’t have to tell her.
Too soon, the funeral ends. The preacher stops talking, and my father and I stand as we follow the casket out of the church. The cemetery is next to the church, so we don’t have to drive anywhere. We just walk to her grave with the small congregation of people behind us. I don’t look back even though I can feel Liesel’s stare, trying to reach out and comfort me.
I’m not the one who needs comfort, though.
Time moves too fast.
The preacher speaks more words.
My mother’s casket is lowered into the ground.
And just like that—it’s over.