The Death Process

“Well, I guess I’ll just go to bed now,” Diane said as she got up from her spot at the kitchen table. “See you boys later.” She smiled faintly before walking upstairs to the guest room.

“Do you think we should leave her alone?” I asked Mikey.

“I sure hope we can.” Suddenly a vibrating sound rang out in the room. Mikey took his phone out from his pocket and up to his ear. “Hey mom, what’s up?”

Mikey had a bad habit of keeping his phone volume too high, so anyone near him could hear the conversation. Gee used to tease him about it.

“We just got a call from the funeral house. Gerard’s funeral will be tomorrow. Tell Frankie and Diane please.” Her voice was defeated and raw, as if she had just stopped crying.

“Okay, I’ll let them know.”

“Bye, honey.”

“Later mom,” Mikey’s voice was no louder than a whisper. He hung up and shoved the phone back into his pocket. Silent tears began to fall from his eyes the same time my eyes betrayed me. “Did you hear?”

“Yeah,” Mikey began to cry harder, “Come here, Mikes.” I stretched my arms out and Mikey leaped into my arms.

“I don’t th-think I can handle see-seeing him,” Mikey sobbed into my neck. Since he was so much taller than me, I was on my toes and Mikey was hunched over.

“Me either.” We stood like that for what seemed liked forever.

~(time lapse to next morning)~

I was the first one to wake up in the Way’s house. I had slept over because Mikey and I wanted to get ready and go to the funeral together. “Mikey?” I whispered from the floor of his bedroom. I hadn’t felt comfortable sleeping in Mikey’s bed with him, so I decided to sleep on the floor with a couple of blankets.

He stirred in his sleep and eventually came to when I poked him too hard. “Wha…what time is it?” Mikey asked groggily.

“Nine-thirty, we should start getting ready now.”

Mikey’s face visibly fell. “Right; I almost forgot.”

“We all wish we could forget.” With that we both got up and he took his shower first as I waited in his room. When he came out I took a shower.

“What are you supposed to wear to this?” Mikey asked as he searched through his closet.

“Something formal and black I think. People in movies always wear something like that when they are going to a funeral.”

“I might have a black blazer someone,” Mikey was nearly engulfed in clothing as he looked further in his closet. He pulled out a wrinkled, black blazer and then a navy blue t-shirt and black skinny jeans. “This should do right?”

“I guess so; I’m gonna call my mom and ask her to bring over some clothes for me.” I said as I reached for my phone.

“Oh and ask her if she wants to go. She was a part of Gee’s life too.” Mikey asked.

“Sure.” I called my mom and she gladly accepted the offer and she told me she would bring clothes over soon.

**

“I can’t do it,” I whispered to Mikey as Mrs. Way asked me to say something about Gerard.

“Come on Frankie, you were the most important person in Gee’s life. If you can’t do this for yourself or for us, then do it for him. Please.” Mikey pleaded.

“You’re right,” I said before slowly getting up and going over to the podium where Mrs. Way stood. I was so relieved that Gee’s family decided to have a closed casket ceremony. She padded my back for reassurance before sitting down. I took a deep breathe before starting, “As most of you know, I was Gerard’s boyfriend. We met last year during the homecoming dance. He asked me to dance that eventually led to us being together. He was the sweetest most compassionate person on the face of the Earth; his jokes lit up my life and his drawings always made me cry with joy.” I began to cry. “He was p-perfect. His voice was angelic, even if he did smoke. He was a g-great guy and he should still be with us.” I ended my mini-speech and sat back down. The funeral went on like that for a while, before it was time to bury the coffin.

I was dying inside. I couldn’t even see properly with my eyes fogged with tears. Mikey was next to his mother and they were sobbing in each other’s arms. My mom wasn’t crying since she had never really known Gee that well. My entire body was cold and limp. My cheeks hurt from frowning and my eyes were burning. If it wasn’t for all the people surrounding me, I would have jumped in and been buried with him. I wanted to be buried with him.

I had never felt suicidal in my life, but now the feeling was fully there I didn’t want to live with out my sunshine. The ditch where Gee was buried was now covered and everyone began to disperse. I stayed with my boyfriend. I stayed for an hour before my mom got annoyed and dragged me to the car. I couldn’t stop crying for the rest of the day. People say that everything happens for a reason, but what was the reasoning behind Gerard’s sudden death?