saying goodbye

Silence and mourning trailed the entire environment as the final day of the funeral when Mrs Cordelia was to be laid to rest.

Black outfits with dark shades and sorrowful countenance were seen as everyone present dressed like dark angels waiting to receive the bereaved.

The cemetery though well placed with beautiful flowers still remained as empty and lonely as the cold hands of death.

The funeral was held at the Evergreen memorial cemetery in the East side neighborhood of Boyle heights which had been in existence since 1877 with over three hundred thousand graves.

It was well known as a renowned memorial park with great nobles being buried there and Lisa's grandmother was no exception because of her relevance while she lived.

The Wellingtons came to the memorial earlier before the other guests to make sure all necessary preparations were already made on time.

The priest had given some sermons with some bible readings on the grave as everyone sat down to listen.

Lisa's shades never left her eyes as she didn't want those hot tears to be seen.

Betty and Frederick sat at the left side close to Lisa and her parents on the right. It seemed the pains were now worse than the day of her death.

Just after the priest's sermon, the Evergreen baptist church choir sang the popular funeral contemporary songs "Amazing Grace and Time to say goodbye by Andrea Bocelli" to commemorate the service.

The entire atmosphere was so calm but at the same time emotional especially when they sang the final line of the songs. Lisa couldn't hold back her tears as the priest made his closing prayers with everyone echoing "AMEN".

Lisa walked to the grave with some flowers placed them on the epitaph with the inscription "Mrs Cordelia Wellington (in blessed memory) forever in our hearts".

Tears began to play round her eyes as they drop gently down her cheeks, she soliloquies as her hands removes the dark shades from her teary eyes and touched the top of the grave.

"I'll forever cherish every moment with you my sweet Grandma" She laments as her kneels falls hard on the ground.

"Lisa!!!" Voices cried out from the crowd.

"Till we meet again Grandma...I love you" She blows a cold kiss from her pale lips as her mother consoles and takes her back to the seat.

"Cry no more my princess....she will always be with us" Mrs Gina said as she holds and pet her like a baby.

The funeral service ended just after the grave was placed with flowers by everyone present and they all walked slowly as the choir sang gracefully.

Betty never felt this feeling of sadness before cause she knew how it felt losing someone special.

"Take heart my love....it's time for you to make her proud okay" She said as her parents encourages Lisa.

"Lisa darling....please stay strong for your parents and your self" Betty's Dad said as he pats Lisa gently on the back.

Just as they were about leaving something strange happened.

A white dazzling dove flew and perched on the grave, everyone noticed it immediately cause of it's light on the epitaph.

"Lisa look!" Betty sounded as she points to the grave.

Lisa's blue eyes grew wide in admiration as she watched they dove fly high like an angel from the heavens.

"This is a good sign.....may the Lord be praised" The priest said as he demonstrated with the sign of the cross and the crowd responded with a resounding "Amen".

Lisa's countenance changed as her mind got relieved knowing that her Grandmother was in the Lord's bosom.

The priest read some psalms with short prayers as everyone went in two's out of the cemetery.

Lisa sighed in relief as the car moved towards the estate and Frederick held her tightly.

The funeral service was definitely going to be remembered by everyone especially Lisa.

She couldn't hold her emotions after what she witnessed at the funeral.

" I just know Grandma is okay wherever she is" Lisa muttered with a smile as she laid her head on his shoulders.

They got home and had lunch together with everyone that attended the funeral service. Lisa's mother had already prepared all the dishes with the help of Betty's mother and some neighbors.

The sadness that had engulfed everyone at the funeral was now entrapped by happiness and laughter.

Lisa totally forgot about all the pains she had felt earlier seeing the joy that filled the air.

Lisa's distant aunts and uncles lodged in the estate's hotel just some miles away from the house.

She wasn't really close to any of her relatives so there wasn't any strong connection between them. most of them lived outside Los Angeles only two were actually working in California.

"How are my darling niece" Mrs Kimberly said as she calls out for Lisa.

"Hi aunt, I'm okay I guess" Lisa replies with a frown but didn't want to have such conversations at that moment.

"Oh come on darling.....stop putting up the long face already....we all miss her"

Lisa really doesn't like her relatives especially Mrs Kimberly, there's no actual reason for the dislike but she's not just free with her.

"It's fine aunt....I'm cool now okay"She responds.

"Take Care of yourself darling....we'll all be going back tomorrow...I'm going to miss my adorable niece" Mrs Kimberly uttered as she hugs Lisa tightly.

Lisa becomes weary from her grip and tries to speak.

"Miss you too auu....nt...." She responds slightly.

Mrs Kimberly was a very lively lady but she could be annoying at times just as Lisa thought her to be.

She's been married twice with four children and now she's with the third husband. Her first two husbands divorced her on the basis of her reckless lifestyle which couldn't be curtailed.

"I'm not the only woman with failed marriages.....at least" She always makes such comment each time someone tries to mock her about it.

"The day seemed to be very long maybe it's because of Grandma" Lisa said as she watched the guests leave to their respective destinations.

"Hope you feel much better now my love" Frederick said as he held her by the waist on the balcony.