Ch. 4
Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long since I've updated but I was in Florida on vacation last week and
didn't have my computer with me. Had a blast. It was nice hanging out with all my family like that. I
will try to update soon.
Disclaimer: Same as Ch. 2
Three days later, Tony wakes up at 7:00. Today is the day of Jeanne's funeral. Gabriella is still asleep. She will be up soon. As griefstriken as she is, Gabriella has always been an early morning person. It doesn't help that her school started earlier than most.
Tony takes out the black suit and dark green tie that he plans to wear today out of his closet. He has had a hard time with all of this. He had been in love with Jeanne at one time and still cared for her in a way. Tony had also had difficutly comforting his little girl. He's been doing his best of course, but it's been difficult.
Gabriella wakes to the sound of her Dad starting the shower. As sad as she is, Gabriella is happy that she had someone to take care of her. It's hard to believe that two years ago, she hadn't known her father at all.
Gabriella gets up and heads to her bathroom. After about ten minutes, Gabriella gets out of the shower and starts getting dressed. Her dress is a dark green. It is a pretty simple dress. She blow dries her long brown curls and then puts it into a French Braid. She then brushes her teeth. She's not hurngry this morning. She really hadn't eaten much in the last few days. Her life had been turn upside down and it is really hard for her to do anything but cry.
Tony is fixing breakfast, French toast, bacon and milk. It is Gabriella's favorite breakfast and he wants her to eat. He's certainly noticed that his daughter hasn't been eating as much the last few days and hopes to entice her with this meal. Today would be hard enough for the poor girl without her being hungry on top of everything.
Gabriella comes downstairs fully dressed and ready to go. The wake the night before had been very difficult for her and she knows that today will be even more difficutlt. She is already about ready to cry and she knows it will just get worse as the day goes on. She doesn't really feel like eating, but Gabriella knows that her dad will expect her to eat something. She just hopes she won't throw it up later. That would be humiliating for her.
Tony passes his daughter a plate with a single piece of French toast and four pieces of bacon. He doesn't want to give her too much to start with. If she ends up wanting more, she can have it of course. Tony just feels that she will feel that he expects her to finish her breakfast either way, so he figures this is the best way to handle things.
Gabriella picks up the syrup and puts quite a bit on her French toast. She likes her sweets. She hopes it will make her feel a bit better.
Finally, breakfast is over and it is nearly time to leave for the funeral. Gabriella has been feeling as though her world has been turned upside down in the last few days, but is glad that she had her father. Otherwise, she could have ended up is foster care if her grandmother hadn't wanted to care for her. It is a huge weight off her shoulders to have someone to take care of her.
Tony and Gabriella leave for the funeral at 9:30. It will be a simple service and burial at one of the local Catholic churches and then the ladies from the church were having a dinner afterward for all of the mourners. Gabriella is nervous and scared with everything that has changed in her life. She hates the thought of having to say goodbye to her mother for the final time. The traditional funeral Mass seems to drag on for Gabriella. She knows that this day will be long either way anyway. Gabriella and Jeanne had started going to Mass on a regular basis a few months ago and Gabriella enjoyed it for the most part.
Tony, who hadn't been to church for many years had made the decision to have the funeral this way in honor of the woman he had once loved. He knows that she deserves it.
The burial service was short. Tony had had a nice headstone made, but it isn't up yet. It will be in the next week or so though.
That night, Tony tucks his daughter into bed. It had been a long hard day for the both of them. Tony knows being a full time parent will take some getting used to but he looks forward tot he challenge. He just wishes that it hadn't been under such devastating circumstances. Gabriella didn't deserve to lose her mother at such a young age.