Supermarket Flowers
Chapter Twenty Two
a/n – Tomorrow's chapter is going to be an epilogue, so welcome to the penultimate chapter of the story. Thank you all so, so much for sticking with me throughout this journey.
The sun shone brightly in the sky on the morning of the funeral, and Henry knew it was Elizabeth's doing. He'd barely slept the night before and was already up and dressed in his suit and tie by the time the kids came down for breakfast. He'd helped Jason to put on his tie and together he, the kids and Will stood outside of the house, waiting for the funeral cars to arrive.
At 9:30, two black cars arrived and parked in front of the house, in the front car Elizabeth's casket lay surrounded by flowers. The second car was to transport the family to the cemetery. They all bundled into the back of the car, fastened their seatbelts and sat in silence as they were driven. As they arrived at the chapel, they all stepped out of the car and were met by Blake who was standing awkwardly alone outside of the chapel doors. Henry had asked Blake only yesterday if he would like to be one of Elizabeth's pall bearers, a request which Blake had immediately accepted.
"Hi guys." Blake said, walking over to them.
Henry, Jason, Will and Blake walked to the front vehicle and waited for the casket to be removed, it was gently place on each of their shoulders and they proceeded to slowly walk the casket into the chapel, Henry and Will up front and Jason and Blake bringing up the rear.
Henry breathed deeply as he walked, willing himself not to cry as he walked past all of the rows of people who were stood inside the chapel, waiting. He owed it to Elizabeth not to fall apart yet, he could do that later when he was alone. He barely took anything in as he passed each person; he walked past so many people who had been important to Elizabeth, Conrad, Lydia and Russell Jackson were all stood a few rows back from the front. Behind them stood Elizabeth's old staff, Jay, Daisy, Matt, Nadine and alongside them stood their new boss. He barely acknowledged any of them, he just had to make it to the front of the chapel without falling apart, it was the hardest walk he'd ever had to do.
They reached the front of the chapel and gently placed the casket down in the center; they then turned back and went to take their seats on the front row, Blake returned to the row with his colleagues, who had saved a seat for him. Henry smiled at his brother and sisters who had taken the row behind his, grateful that they were here to supprt him. Will and Henry took their seats beside Stevie, Alison and Jason, and the service began.
"Good morning." The humanist said from the front podium. Henry pulled a packet of tissues from his jacket pocket in anticipation of what was to come. The humanist minister had been his idea, he knew that Elizabeth hadn't been overly religious and he didn't believe having a religious minister conducting the service would be right. The minister had called to the house a few days after they'd confirmed the date for the funeral, she was a lovely, warm woman who'd asked Henry, Will and the kids as much as she could to really get to know exactly what kind of person Elizabeth had been.
"We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of Elizabeth Adams McCord. I met with Elizabeth's beautiful family just days ago, her brother Will, her husband Henry and her children Stevie, Alison and Jason. Elizabeth was born on June 21st 1968 to her parents Benjamin and Suzanne Adams, she was a wonderful big sister to her brother Will. Unfortunately early on in their lives they lost their parents in a car crash and Elizabeth and Will were left to fend for themselves. I'm told by Will that Elizabeth was the best surrogate parent he could have ever wished for."
"Elizabeth later attended the University of Virginia, where she met her husband Henry. Henry tells me he knew from the day he first set eyes on Elizabeth that he was the luckiest man in the world. They married in 1990, and as I've been told, the rest is history!"
"Elizabeth worked as a CIA analyst for twenty years, all whilst raising her three children. It was at the CIA where she met her long-time friend Conrad Dalton who, at the time was the director, today you may know him as President of the United States."
"It was from Conrad Dalton that Elizabeth received her most challenging role yet, the secretary of state. Elizabeth worked as the secretary of state for two years before sadly being diagnosed with cancer in 2016. Elizabeth faced her illness much like she approached every obstacle she came across in her life, she rose to the challenge, she was determined to not go down without a fight."
"I'm told by Elizabeth's family that they were often blown away at what a fiercely strong woman Elizabeth was, when faced with utter tragedy – she went on full steam ahead. Elizabeth loved spending time with her children, who were the lights of her life."
The minister paused for a moment, adjusting her glasses.
"I'd now like to bring Elizabeth's daughter, Stevie up here who will be reading a modified version of the poem Do Not Go Gentle by Dylan Thomas. Stevie, if you would.." The minister gestured to the podium, stepping aside.
Stevie stood from her seat and slowly made her way to the podium, she pulled a folded piece of paper from her pocket and laid it down on the podium. She did her best not to catch anybody's eye for she knew that she would probably burst into tears. She cleared her throat and began to read.
"Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my mother, there on that sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light."
Stevie took her seat once again - glad the reading was over but feeling immensely proud of herself for getting through it without crying. As she sat beside her dad, he placed his hand on her shoulder and whispered in her ear.
"That was beautiful, I'm so proud of you."
Stevie smiled, as tears began to roll down her face.
"Thanks dad." She whispered back.
The service shortly concluded and Will, Henry, Jason and Blake once again were up to bat. They carried the casket out of the chapel and returned it to the vehicle from where it came. They then followed behind the vehicle and it drove to the gravesite, a few moments' walk away from the chapel. When they arrived, the funeral directors organised the lowering of Elizabeth's casket into the ground.
Each of the pall bearers had a hold of thick green fabric straps as they slowly lowered the casket into the grave.
Stevie and Alison held each other as they watched the casket leave their field of vision, sobbing gently as it went, this would be their mother's final resting place, forever.