excerpt
The funeral service for Matthew Roberts is simple; a couple of guests get up and
give eulogies, one of them being Bevan Longhorn, who has returned from Washington.
He speaks for a few minutes, reminding all to celebrate Matthew’s life as
a good family man, dedicated to his country.
Emily stares at the coffin with the satin lining she had to select a couple of days
ago at her meeting with the funeral home staff. She had to go through so many
details with them. Was the casket to be mahogany, maple, or walnut? Should the
lining be satin, cotton, or silk? Did she want roses, carnations, or mixed flowers for
the floral arrangements? For the gravesite, did she want a marble headstone, or
granite? What color, what shape, how high, how wide—so many details with a
detailed pricelist. What music did Emily want played during the prayer section of
the service and which foods did she want served later? Emily had to organize all that
as well as pay for it. She discovered funerals are not cheap.
The service is short and the family walks to the gravesite; Emily and Jennifer
walk together and are seated by the casket at the gravesite. Matthew’s dad is
unable not attend due to illness; Cathy is there with her family; Helena comes
with three of Jennifer’s friends from work; Bevan, Talal, and Hakim are present,
of course, as well as family relatives. The priest takes control of the rest of the
service, as usual, and makes the appropriate comments about life and death,
words he’s well-versed in.
Bevan Longhorn takes Hakim by the arm and leads him away from the other
people for a moment. Bevan asks Hakim, “How is your uncle; what do you hear
from him?”
“He’s very well. I spoke to him yesterday. He’s just fine and very happy to be
home.”
“Very good; well, when you talk to him again, please remember to give him
my regards and tell him I would like to see him soon.”
Hakim turns to the Admiral, with wonder written all over his face. Bevan
Longhorn notices and says, “Ibrahim and I go a long way back, young Hakim.
He’ll understand, trust me.”
“I will mention it to him.”
“Something else—perhaps you and I may find an opportunity to have coffee
sometime and chat?”
Hakim remembers Ibrahim’s comment before he left, to make sure to find
time for the Admiral, “By all means, are you staying for a couple of days?”
Libros Libertad 