Chapter 133: You Were Supposed To Be Mourners
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There was nothing gloomy about the occasion, the Conrad happened to choose the sunniest of all days, making everywhere look bright and vibrant, the air was filled with the scent of exotic flowers and luxurious wine and sumptuous foods made by five-star chef await the many business advocates, a substantial amount of politician and few celebrities who came because of Ruby and Venita.
There was no grieved or somber face as most of them present didn't even know the woman and fewer liked her. Sapphire and her friends had a solemn expression on their face though, as well as Matthew and Maxwell.
Madam Emiliana is a very strict and private woman.
'I am sorry for your loss, Melissa. It must have been hard for everyone in the family," A man in his sixties said softly to Melissa and Marylynne, who were dressed in the finest of black dress, adorned with expensive jewelries while staring at the custom-designed silver casket with gold hardware and beautified with all color of roses that ever existed, even the one that were rare. 'I see that you make the grandest of all efforts, those roses are very hard to come by."
Sapphire who was sitting at a lone corner in the beautiful yard scoffed in disbelief.
What rare flowers? Grandest of efforts? Her grandmother didn't even like roses and everyone in the family knows that.
'They sprayed those flowers on her casket deliberately right? You once told us that Madam Emiliana absolutely hates roses." Luci said she was sitting opposite Sapphire and Claire sitting beside her. Alyssa and Alicia were sitting beside Sapphire.
'It was their act of giving her the fingers. Look at their faces, they seemed like they are having some sort of charitable anniversary party," Claire said staring at Venita who was engaging in a conversation that seemed to contain only humor with Oliver and Arielle who was showing some of her friends the type of exotic wine they had and comparing to the last party the others hosted.
'Yes, thanks Mr. Cal. It is a pleasure to have you show up to pay respect to her, my mother-in-law was a truly good woman. See my husband over there," Marylynne said pointing to her husband who was standing with the shareholders of the family company. 'He had cried his eyes out this morning before we prepared this majestic piece. I joined him in crying a bit too but we just had to accept that it was the old woman's time to move on," She added and Mr. Cal nodded with a smile on her face.
'Can't those assholes pretend to be sad about her death? Why the fuck are they laughing and smiling?" Alyssa asked and both Andrea and Andrew stared up to glance at Marylynne and Melissa.
'Yeah, I agree with you. Look at that breathtaking tribute that presents in the right amount Madam Emiliana's achievement, I would say that it was awe inspiring," Mr. Tyler said, joining the conversation out of nowhere. There was a flicker of annoyance in both Marylynne's and Melissa's eyes before they smiled at the man nonetheless, they couldn't afford to ruin their good reputation because of a simpleton like Tyler.
'I know that you all are glad that great grandmother died but can you please tone the smile down a bit? Your smiley face is creepy and annoying," Andrea yelled in the semi serene and quiet garden, her voice was childish but loud at the same time, drawing all attention to them.
'What?" Marylynne said, staring at Sapphire's brat with a dumbfounded expression, they dared to cause a scene here.
'You are supposed to be mourners for the sake of everything that breathes!" Andrew added and that successfully wiped the smile from their face and raised curious glances among the spectators, Melissa marched to where Sapphire sat with her friends and glared straight at the woman.
'I would not stand by like and let you make your kids turn the service upside down," Melissa said, squinting her eyes hard at Sapphire who didn't even spare her a glance.
'Yes, now this is how you are supposed to look. Gloomy and angry at everything that breathes, your ‘favorite' grandmother just died," Claire said and Melissa turned her heated glare on her but the woman was nonchalant just like the rest of the people sitting at the table.
'I agree with that," Andrea added.
'Sapphire, you shouldn't ruin your grandmother's funeral service, you know more than anyone that we have to honor her last moment of essence on land," Arielle said, she had quickly left her bunch of gullible friends to support Melissa when she saw that they are in a pickle again.
'Shouldn't ruin grandmother's party? Her last essence? You should apply for a role of a comedian," Alicia said with a small scoff, Arielle glared at the powerful women of the Aldine household and wondered what they were doing there.
'You ruined her funeral service when you prepared an outdoor program for her, her wish is for her funeral to be done in a cathedral, she told us that once when we were chatting with her at school," Andrea yelled at Arielle while glaring up at Arielle, Melissa and Marylynne.
Sapphire stared at her kids in surprise, she didn't expect them to be close with the older woman, and they hardly saw each other.
'And you made a mistake in the presentation, that stupid tribute is not right. She won the medal award in the cooking competition and not the gold, she also won the gold award in that prime party not the silver.
You mixed everything up together and listed a bunch of lies. Grandmother doesn't like roses because it makes her sneeze and at the same time reminds her of grandfather who died in their youth." Andrea added and Arielle and Melissa glanced at themselves before Arielle cleared her throat.
Venita shook her head at them, she wasn't going to move an inch away from where she was standing.
'Aren't you going to interfere in the matter?" Oliver asked and Venita shrugged.
'Nope. I am not going to. I don't really fear Sapphire but even you have to admit that her kids are a force to reckon with. You and Heather had your fair share of scolding, besides I just left the public's eye, Grandmother's death did that for me, I wouldn't be so stupid to jump back in view. Unless it has something to do with my trip to Miami." Venita replied and Oliver chuckled.
'I would air the interview this evening, I don't want to do it now since it won't be good for your image," he told her and she nodded, humming in approval before turning to continue watching the show.
'I see that your mother passed on some of her lying traits into your bloodstreams. Grandmother hardly has time to do most things that require her attention because she was so busy, but you said here that she had a chat with you? Stop lying!" Arielle snapped at the kid and Andrew shook her head at the woman.
'You are the one that is lying. You don't pay close attention to her and that's why you don't know that Grandmother used to come to our school every day and spend thirty minutes with us. She would go when it is time for someone to pick us up," Andrew said and his eyes started watering. 'But… we are not going to see grandmother anymore, not even by chance. She would not tell us the stories about how she spent her youth anymore," Andrew said, tears falling from his eyes and Sapphire felt her heart break for her kids.
They created a bond with her.
'You should leave before you embarrass yourself further. You are not really on the winning side," Aunt Brielle told them, coming to stand in front of them. She was the most dressed for the funeral and she outshined Marylynne.
'I would shut my mouth if I were you,"
'And I would get the hell away from Sapphire and her kids if I were you." She said Marylynne scoffed at her and was about to reply when she was called by one of the friends she invited.
'I would deal with you later," Marylynne said and Brielle only scoffed at them as they went away.
Melissa turned one last time to glance at Sapphire and her expression turned grim once again when she saw Matthew approaching her with the expression of a lost puppy, she turned and marched away angrily, Brielle shook her head at her in amusement.
