“I know that,” Allie nodded. “We all do, Licia. No one expects you to be exactly the same. We just wanted to see you.”
“I know, and I’m glad I’m here.”
Allie gave me a skeptical look. I stared at her defiantly for a few seconds before sighing and letting a small smile creep onto my lips.
“I am,” I insisted. “Even if it’s weird to be back, it’s good that I came.”
Laughter echoed up the stairs and I heard children running around in the living room. In a second, my mother would come and demand they all quiet down. This was a morning of sadness, after all, not playing. Still, hearing them laugh helped make my words to Allie feel true.
“How’s Mom been?” Allie asked weakly. “I’m just asking,” she added when I gave her a warning glance.
“It’s like I said, she’s been freaking out since I arrived yesterday. They both have.”
“I don’t mean about the funeral,” Allie said with a wave of her hand. “I mean about you.”
“She’s been fine,” I said evasively. “Shouldn’t we get going? I thought everyone was afraid of being late.”
Allie opened her mouth as if to argue, but thought better of it. Instead, she grabbed my purse from the dresser and handed it to me. After smoothing my hair and pinching my cheeks, she smiled in the way only a big sister can.
“Let’s do this,” she said, her tone suggesting we were going into battle. Maybe we were. A Joppa reunion, even one for a funeral, was always an interesting event.
“Do you feel sad?” I asked.
Allie nodded. “Don’t you?”
“Not really.”
“Monster,” Allie teased.
“Shut up. I hadn’t seen the man in ten years.”
“You’re going to hell,” Allie said, pretending to be serious.
I jabbed her in the ribs with my elbow. “Fuck off.”
“There’s that Alicia Joppa charm.”
“I hate you.”
“You adore me.”
We stepped out into the hallway and I pulled the door closed behind me.
My mother stood at the foot of the stairs, her head tilted upward as if about to yell something to us. “Oh,” she said, relaxing her neck. “You’re ready.”
“Yup,” I said as Allie led the way downstairs.
“Good, let’s go.”
CHAPTER 6
Alicia
The funeral was large and loud. When we stepped inside the church, I immediately spotted ten cousins and four second cousins. They all crammed the middle of the aisle, talking boisterously. It almost looked more like a gathering for a wedding rather than a funeral.
My mother led the way down the aisle, squeezing her way between relatives and stopping to say hello as she went. I, on the other hand, kept my head down, knowing avoiding eye contact was the best way to get through without someone…
“Alicia?!” A voice yelled from a few feet away. Everyone in the vicinity immediately fell silent. “Alicia, you came!”