Normally Louise loved Fridays. Yeah, she still had to go to school, but it was the last day of the week and depending on Ms. Labonz' weekend plans. Sometimes she would mentally check out early and they wouldn't have any work the last hour or two. This Friday, however, she hated. Because it was the first-time day that started without Tina. Tina was four years older, so she had never been there until now. She hadn't let Kuchi Kopi out of her sight since Rudy brought him over the night before. It had been a long time since she had actually been afraid of the dark. She still wasn't overly fond of it, but she wasn't afraid. Until last night then suddenly her childish fears came rushing back in full force. Every sound she was convinced of was the sound of another family member dying. When she could sleep, she was plagued by nightmares of everybody. She loved falling ill and dying, one by one until there was nobody left but her. Then it became like one of those thriller movies about the last person on Earth. Sometimes Rudy managed to survive the plague and would be by her side. Then his damn asthma. He would have an attack but there were no more inhalers. She would try her best to do what she was supposed to do if he had an attack, and his inhaler wasn't handy. It would work for a while but that was meant to be a temporary solution, not a permanent one, and he would die in her arms. When she was alone, she always had Kuchi Kopi but then he would break, or a wild dog would steal him. Then she was alone and in a cruel twist of fate she could not die. She would swallow pills, jump off buildings, hang or shoot herself, but she could not die, and she hated it.
Bob woke the morning after Tina's death with a feeling of unimaginable dread. Now was the time to start planning the funeral and making calls. Teddy and Mort knew. Which meant Kathleen and Samantha knew. The school had been notified and sent a mass email. So, he guessed most of Wagstaff knew, but his father did not know. His relationship with his father was less than ideal but he still had the right to know. With shaking hands, he dialed his father's number.
"Big Bob's Diner this is Bob speaking. How may help you?" Big Bob greeted in his professional voice. The phone in the diner was ancient and did not have caller ID.
"Dad it's me." Bob greeted.
"Bobby, you know I don't like having personal conversations during business hours." Big Bob reminded.
"I know dad but uh something happened. Dad, Tina died yesterday." Bob informed ripping off the Band-Aid.
"What?" Big Bob gasped.
"Tina died yesterday. She got really sick Wednesday night. She caught meningitis and she just went downhill so fast." Bob explained.
"Bobby" Big Bob whispered.
"She didn't even get to really say goodbye." Bob sobbed.
"Bobby I am so sorry." Big Bob apologized.
Linda's family needed to be informed as well and miraculously despite the amount she had drank the night before Linda was actually sober. Hungover as hell but sober. Bob gently reminded her that she should tell her parents and Gayle "Before she did anything else." Knowing full well she was going to hit the bottle as soon as she thought about it. He knew he should try to keep her reigned in, but he barely had the strength to sit up after telling his father. Big Bob had been sympathetic, at least as sympathetic as he could be. It was saying the words that hurt and they had a meeting with Mort at four to discuss arrangements. At least Linda had taken Bob's advice and called her family first, calling Gayle.
"Gayle listens it's me Linda. Uh something happened yesterday. Uh Gayle. Tina died yesterday." Linda slurred.
"WHAT?!" Gayle bellowed.
"Tina died" Linda repeated.
"HOW?!" Gayle demanded.
"Meningitis. It was bad really bad." Linda explained.
"Linda" Gayle whispered.
Linda convinced Gayle to call a few cousins, but she had to call her parents. Linda was addled by her hangover and despite Bob's earlier hopes probably actually still drunk. She struggled to dial Gloria and Al's number and ended up putting it on speaker phone when she was able to call.
"Mom, dad, Tina's dead." Linda announced almost coldly. Bob knew she was crushed but she was not herself.
"WHAT?!" Al cried.
"Ow" Linda winced.
"Was it something in the restaurant?" Gloria demanded.
"She got meningitis, mom." Linda replied finally acting somewhat like herself.
"Probably from dirty water in that disgusting restaurant of Bob's. That's what causes it dirty water." Gloria remarked.
Linda slurred her way through her conversation with her parents, but Bob could not take anymore. He hated how little Gloria and Al thought of him. Especially now. He hated that they assumed it was his fault. Mainly because he had those feelings as well. Dr. Philips had said she likely caught it from sharing a drink with somebody. As that was a common way the disease spread, but still what if it was him? Linda was not leaving the bedroom. He stormed to couch, grabbed his CD player and the CDs he had listened to after his mom's death. Actually, they had been cassettes but those had been lost years ago to various incidents. He buried his head in his knees and for a moment he was that scared fourteen-year-old again.
Zeke arrived at school completely unaware of Tina's death. Zeke's parents had to rush out of town the previous afternoon. They wouldn't say why but he guessed the Cheryl's brother got arrested again. Zeke obviously wasn't allowed to go but he'd had to babysit his younger brother Jamie while his parents were away. Jamie was a good kid, but he was in that stage of toddlerhood where he had to be watched constantly. It was after ten by the time his parents got home, and he fell asleep instantly. Zeke's parents were the same. Nobody saw the email and they probably wouldn't have checked anyway. He walked through the halls wondering why everybody seemed so upset. Why was Mr. Branca crying? Why there was an unfamiliar man in Mr. Frond's office.
"Hey Zeke" Susmita sniffed.
"Oh, hi Susmita." Zeke replied somewhat surprised as Susmita and him rarely interacted.
"Are you OK? I know you two were close?" Susmita asked.
"Do what?" Zeke questioned.
"Hey Zeke, sad, isn't it?" Jimmy Junior greeted.
"What?" Zeke asked.
"You didn't hear?" Susmita gasped.
"Obviously not!" Zeke scoffed.
"Zeke, Tina's dead." Susmita informed.
"What? No! How?" Zeke demanded.
"She got meningitis. It's uh an illness that uh caused by swelling of the brain and spinal cord membranes." Susmita explained.
"I know what it is." Zeke whispered.
Zeke picked up his backpack and made a beeline for the bathroom. He was going to be sick. He knew exactly what meningitis was and what caused it. He had done a report on it for science class a few months before moving to Seymour's Bay. He knew a lot of times people caught it from sharing water bottles. Something Tina and he had done a few days earlier. It was gym class, and they were doing some sort of fitness test. It was an unseasonably hot day, and they were doing' the outside portion of the exam. Gene had done something nasty in Tina's water bottle and her parents weren't able to get her a new one in time. Zeke had offered to share his on account of Cheryl buying him an unreasonably large bottle at the discount shop. He knew the risk but at the moment he was more worried about her getting dehydrated. Now Tina was dead, and he had killed her. He had killed Tina Belcher. He was a monster.
Rudy rested his head on the window of his mom's SUV. They were on the way to the Belchers to pay their respects. A Tupperware container stuffed with some sort of casserole sat beside him, he held the flowers on his lap.
"Now we are going to drop off the casserole and flowers, offer our condolences and then leave. Sylvia reminded.
"Why can't we stay? I really want to help Louise." Rudy questioned.
"This is a time for family. I know you are Louise's best friend, but she needs her space right now." Sylvia explained.
"What do I say again?" Rudy sighed.
"I am so sorry for your loss. If you need anything let me know." Sylvia replied.
"What if Louise wants me to stay?" Rudy asked.
"That will be different, but I want you to prepare yourself for her to want space." Sylvia explained.
"I know" Rudy sighed; they had been having the same conversation for nearly twenty-four hours now.
There was another knock on the door, another casserole, another meaningless well wish, more flowers that would die too soon. All day it had been that way. Teddy and Kathleen, Mort and Samantha, Ms. Jacobson, Ms. Shnur, Ms. Twitchell, Ms. Labonz, Mr. Ambrose, Mr. Grant. Louise was furious to see Mr. Grant. He had never really cared about Tina yet he showed up with flowers. Mr. Frond was by far the worst. With his stupid grief puppet and annoying concern.
"Louise! Rudy is here!" Gene called, apparently it was his turn to answer the door.
Louise's ears perked up. Rudy was here? Her Rudy? She leapt off her loft bed and ran for the living room. Rudy was standing by the couch in his suit holding a vase of flowers. His mom Sylvia was beside him holding a casserole dish.
"Thank you for coming by Sylvia and Rudy." Bob said in a monotone.
"We are so sorry for your loss. If there is anything we can do. Let us know." Sylvia replied in an equal monotone.
"I am here for you Louise." Rudy assured.
Louise studied Rudy his goofy grin, his kind eyes, that dorky suit that made him look like a travel salesman. Rudy set the flowers on the coffee table. Louise wanted to hug him. Slowly she walked over to her best friend. She was not a big hugger but at this moment she wanted to hold Rudy in her arms, but suddenly a chill washed over her. What if she hugged Rudy and he caught meningitis for her? She didn't think the kind Tina died of spread that way but what if it did? Even if he didn't catch meningitis what if she had something on her that triggered an asthma attack? She had borrowed some of Tina's perfume that morning. Just to feel close to her. What if it were something that bothered Rudy? What if he had an attack but had left his inhaler in the car? What if? It was too risky. She couldn't lose anyone else. She had to protect Rudy. She pulled back and took off running back to her room. She slammed the door behind her and bolted back up the steps. What if the nightmares became real?
Rudy stood in the Belcher's living room taken aback. What had just happened? He had seen Louise upset before, even afraid, but nothing like this. He had never seen her actively run away before. Well, she ran away from Mr. Frond, but most kids did that. She had never run from him before. She didn't even thank him for bringing Kuchi Kopi. He knew she was grieving but what if it was more than grief? What if she actively hated him?
Even though he lived next door Bob decided to leave fifteen minutes early for Mort's. He knew Mort was busy with clean-up after his last service, but he was hoping that arriving early would mean this ordeal would be over sooner. Who was he kidding? The ordeal would never be over. He just wanted the preparations and funeral to be over with.
"Gene! Louise! Your mom and I are leaving for Mort's!" Bob called.
"OK" Gene weakly replied.
"I'm coming too." Louise insisted.
"Oh, baby you don't wanna go that. Funeral plannin' is boring." Linda slurred.
"Tina was my sister. If we were older, I would be going." Louise insisted.
"It's going to be really sad." Bob reminded.
"Gee and the apartment is a real laugh riot." Louise scoffed.
"OK but if it gets to be too much go home." Bob insisted.
The three Belchers arrived to Mort's at four forty-eight in the afternoon. Mort arrived ten minutes later and escorted them to his office.
"First things first Tina is in the chapel of rest. You can see her starting tomorrow up until the funeral." Mort announced.
"OK" Bob replied.
"What's the chapel of rest?" Lousie questioned.
"It's a special room where family members can get extra time with their loved ones up until the funeral. Uh I am sure you are aware about embalming. They are embalmed first." Mort explained.
"But she still looks like Tina? Right?" Louise asked she had made the mistake of Googling meningitis and looking at pictures of what the disease could do.
"She will look a little different, but my stylist got her looking like herself." Mort explained.
"OK" Louise replied.
"Can we start planning?" Bob pleaded.
"OK I recommend first picking out the bulletin. A lot of people will choose just a simple white bulletin with a picture of the deceased on the front. Though we do have others and I think Samantha can put her picture on the other designs." Mort explained setting a handful of sample bulletins onto his desk. Linda took a few but immediately dropped them. Bob picked up the ones she dropped but immediately felt sick. Louise sighed and picked up the bulletins and sorted through them. There was a sample of the one Mort described with a stock photo on the front. Most were religious crosses, lambs, there were flowers, rainbows, and other pretty things. There was even an American flag "That's mainly for service members." Mort explained.
"This is the one!" Louise declared handing Mort what had been the last bulletin in the pile. It showed horses in a field at sunset.
"Tina would love that." Bob whispered.
"It's perfect" Mort agreed.
"What now?" Louise questioned.
"When would you like the funeral to be? These are my available times the next couple of months." Mort inquired showing the family his calendar.
"Months?" Louise questioned.
"Sometimes families will opt to wait and have the service at a later date." Mort explained.
"But she won't like be lying there the whole time, right?" Louise questioned.
"Of course, not families will cremate or bury their loved one. They may do a private service for family only and then have a public service later on." Mort clarified.
"OK in that case Friday at four." Louise replied.
"Louise that's an awful big decision." Bob commented.
"Why Friday at four?" Linda slurred.
"Cause Tina had Thundergirls, Fridays at four. That time was special to her." Louise explained.
"That's actually really sweet." Bob whispered.
"Now we plan the overall service what music would Tina want? What flowers did she like? Who will deliver the eulogy?" Mort explained.
"Carnations, Tina didn't get a carnation on Valentine's Day. She should get a bunch and daisies. She loved them. Had a picture in her room." Louise explained.
"What other decorations?" Mort questioned.
"Horses and zombies if zombies are appropriate for a funeral." Louise replied.
"OK" Mort replied.
"I know she would want "Boyz 4 Now" music, but I don't know if that is appropriate for a funeral." Louise explained.
"Uh I definitely don't know about singing but we usually do a slide show, and we could set it to Boyz 4 Now." Mort explained.
"OK I guess "Amazing Grace" that's a good funeral song." Louise replied.
"Very well do you want any scripture? Any poems? Anything like that?" Mort questioned.
"I know a lot of people do the twenty third psalm." Louise replied that the only funerals she had attended were her Uncle Earnie's and Gloria's cousin Faith, but she was only eight and three for those.
"OK any poetry or other readings?" Mort asked.
"Yeah, I am working on something." Louise muttered.
"OK now what about the eulogy?" Mort questioned.
Now Louise was stumped. She had no idea who Tina would have wanted to do her eulogy. Knowing Tina, she would want Jimmy Junior to deliver the eulogy, but she didn't see Jimmy Junior wanting to. Maybe her parents or her or Gene. Way too much to ask of Gene. She wanted to but didn't think she could.
"I'll do it." Bob replied.
"Do you want any of her friends or other family members to have a chance to speak?" Mort asked.
"I guess we could open the floor." Bob replied.
"I want to do something. Not the eulogy but I want to speak." Louise announced.
"OK" Mort replied.
"Are you sure, Louise?" Bob questioned.
"Yes" Louise replied.
"Now for the biggie cremation or burial?" Mort questioned.
This was the one Louse was dreading. She knew her parents should be doing the planning, but Linda could barely sit up and while Bob was sober, he still barely had any idea where he was. Tina deserved the best and it was up to Tina to ensure she had the best, but this question. Should Tina be cremated or buried? Everything else it was like they were planning a party but with this she was dead. Then there was what would be done to her. Should Tina be buried in a huge confusing cemetery where Louise may not be able to find her. She remembered the hours they spent looking for Grandma Lily's grave. Even when they went back a few weeks later. It was easier but still took forever. Of course, not all cemeteries were as big as the Red Fern one, but they were still big and confusing. Cremation wasn't any better. The idea of Tina being burned to ash. Made Louise sick to her stomach.
"Burial" Bob replied.
"But we aren't burying her at Red Fern, right?" Louise questioned.
"No" Bob replied aside from Red Fern being unreasonably expensive he also hated the idea of not being able to find Tina's grave.
"OK uh here is an information on local cemeteries." Mort replied handing the family a pile of pamphlets.
"Thank you" Louise muttered.
"Do you want any sort of reception?" Mort questioned.
"A smaller reception at the restaurant." Bob replied.
"OK" Mort replied.
"Is that it?" Louise asked.
"Yes, uh I just need pictures for the slide show. You can email them to me or bring them to me on a flash drive or CD. My email is Thundertaker ." Mort explained.
"What about physical photos?" Louise asked, knowing the family did not have very many digital images.
"Just bring them here and we will scan them." Mort replied.
The rest of the family was next door planning Tina's funeral. Gene knew he should probably have joined them. If Louise could bring herself to go, he should have gone. He felt so weak and worthless, so pathetic. In a vain attempt to distract himself. He grabbed his keyboard and placed it onto his lap. He flipped the on switch and began to stroke the keys. Music was coming from the plastic piano was unlike anything Gene ever played before. There were no farts or burps, no robot sounds, no sound effects at all. Normally his music was upbeat and lighthearted, but today it was melancholic and somber. His heart was in ten million pieces but something about this tune made him feel a flicker of hope. A flicker of joy.
It was well past midnight, but Louise was too afraid to sleep. The idea of being subjected to the same nightmares that had plagued her the night before. She could not handle it. Instead, she sat with photos scattered around her bed. Every photo of Tina. She could find. So far, she had selected a picture of Bob buckling newborn Tina into the backseat of the car, Tina on her first day of kindergarten, Tina in her Boyz 4 Now shirt, Tina at that terrible horse camp. Not exactly the best memory but the only picture they would ever have of Tina with a horse. Tina in her Thundergirl uniform, Tina working in the restaurant, Tina in a Hormoniums production, Tina doing the Tina table, Tina sitting at her desk. Now Louise was onto younger pictures. A few pictures of Tina at the park and a museum, Tina on the beach, Tina with Chariot. All Tina's Halloween costumes, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter. Tina in Linda's lap. Tina meeting baby Gene at the hospital. Tina looking in the window of the NICU where Louise had spent the first months of her life. Tina finally holding her for the first time when she was well. Tina playing kickball with Jordan Sturham. Which brought Louise to Tina in her Capoeira uniform. Next was a picture of Young Tina and toddler her on the beach. Louise didn't remember the events, but she had heard the story numerous times. A friend of Lily's had a rented a house on the short and invited the family to spend a week with her. Unfortunately, Louise picked that week to be hit by a nasty UTI and double ear infection. She could not go in the water and was miserable the entire time. Her misery made Tina miserable. She was feeling a little better the last day and Tina took her walking on the beach. They found a seashell on the shore and Tina showed her how to hold it to her ear and listen for the ocean. When Louise couldn't hear due to her infected ears. Tina picked her up and made the ocean noises herself. Tina really was the best. God Louise missed her so much already. She added the photo to the pile but quickly picked it back up and held it to her chest. Sobs were soon racking her body but there was nobody to come to her rescue. Linda was passed out on the kitchen floor, Bob was blaring bad eighties music in the living room, Gene was playing with his keyboard, and Tina was dead. For the first time in her life Louise was truly alone. She hated being alone.
The Belchers were allowed to visit Tina up until the day of the funeral. Bob went daily, Linda went a few times in the morning but always preferred her personal coping mechanism. Gene went twice but Louise could not bring herself to go. She wanted to say goodbye to Tina. She wanted to see her one last time, but she did not want to see her dead. Death had never really phased Louise. In fact, she had once had a sick curiosity and enjoyed watching when bodies were delivered to Mort's. She even managed to grab an unused toe tag when he was watching her once. Of course, Bob made her give it back and apologize but she had it for a while. Even after the Cotton Candy Dan incident. Which upset her far more than she let on. She still was not afraid of death. She stopped watching the body deliveries after that, but she could still look at Mort's. Maybe it was just because she knew Tina was in there, but she found herself feeling sick any time she even looked at Mort's. She managed to deliver the pictures she wanted used for the funeral. Linda spent every waking hour drinking. Anytime Louise tried to give her the pictures she would just drop them, and Louise would have to reorganize them, or she would forget what she was supposed to do before she even got to the stairs. Louise tried Bob a few times, but he kept saying he would do it later. He would then leave them when he went to visit Tina. Gene had offered to do it, but she couldn't put that on Gene. So, on the sixth day after Tina's passing. Louise made her way to Mort's, fighting nausea and fear.
"Can I help you?" Mort's receptionist questioned.
"Yes, I have some pictures for Tina Belcher's funeral." Louise replied.
"I will make sure he gets them." The receptionist replied.
"Uh one more thing. Can you point me to the Chapel of Rest?" Louise questioned.
"Uh we aren't really supposed to let kids go there alone." The receptionist replied nervously.
"Our dad is in there." Louise replied unsure if she was lying or not.
"Down the hall second door on the left." The receptionist replied.
Louise took a deep breath before stepping into the chapel of rest. She could not believe she was doing this, but the funeral was in two days. Even though it was open casket, this was one of Louise's last chances to see her sister privately. She turned the knob and the door opened eerily slowly. Bob was there but was invested in a book he was reading. Louise thought it was strange but didn't have the strength to call him on it. She walked to the table where Tina lay. She closed her eyes and pinched herself, praying this was all a horrible nightmare. That she would wake up safe in her loft bed, Tina would have heard her cries and assured her that she was alive, but she did not wake up. It was not all a nightmare. Tina was not wearing her glasses. The only good they would have done is make seeing her less startling. Tina was beautiful but she looked strange without her glasses.
"Tina I, God, I miss you so much. I am sorry I wasn't a better sister, but I didn't think you were going to die at fourteen." Louise whispered gently stroking Tina's hair. "It's just not fair. I miss you so much. You were the best sister in the world. I love you so much."
Louise stayed by Tina's side until Mort told her she had to leave. She just sat by the table stroking Tina's hair and kissing her forehead. She did her best to hug her sister. She could not believe this was her reality. The next day they would bring the clothes Tina would wear for the rest of time, or at least until they disintegrated. Linda had picked out the leather pants, drunkenly mumbling something about "Olivia Newton John, in heaven." All they had to do was pick a shirt. After being forced to leave Mort's. Louise returned home and entered Tina's room. She studied the shirts that were spread across the bed. A blouse Tina had bought for eighth grade graduation (something she would never see.) There was her black t-shirt, her "Clip Clop, Don't Stop" shirt, and her shirt from the Boyz 4 Now concert they had gone to. The shirt was from "I Love You So Much It's Scary." Boyz 4 Now and Zombies. It's what Tina would have wanted. Lousie carefully took the shirt, folded it, and placed it on top of the pants. She grabbed the Clip Clop shirt and hugged it to her chest. It was actually Tina's favorite, but Louise could not bring herself to let that one go. She slipped on the shirt and opened the door to Tina's closet. She took a seat on the floor and lifted up a small box Tina kept hidden in there. She opened it. It was just random junk. Not junk, nothing of Tina's was junk anymore. Then she discovered another smaller box, this one had a lock. Louise emptied the larger box in a desperate attempt to find the key, but it was nowhere to be found. She rifled through Tina's desk drawers, her dresser, and under her bed. No keys in sight. Louise carefully brought the box to her own room. She would have to find her lock picking kit. Maybe it was wrong, but she had to know what was in there. This was Tina's last mystery. Her door opened and she jumped. Maybe this really all had been a nightmare. Maybe Tina really was alive and was now furious with her for tearing her room apart. She would be grounded for ten thousand years if it meant that Tina was still around to bust her. It wasn't Tina. Of course, she knew it wouldn't be, but she just wanted a second of hope.
"Hey Lousie." Gene greeted taking a seat on the beanbag.
"Hey Gene." Louise replied.
"How are you feeling?" Gene asked.
"Depressed" Louise admitted.
"I miss her too." Gene replied.
"Why did it have to be Tina? Why our Tina?" Louise questioned.
"Why anybody?" Gene rebutted.
"I guess it's true the good really do die young." Louise scoffed.
"Hey Louise, dad said that you were working on a poem for Tina's funeral." Gene commented.
"Yeah, it's almost done I guess." Louise replied.
"Well, I am writing some music. It's pretty rough right now but I know what I want. Maybe we could you know perform it together. Even if it's not ready for the funeral. Maybe at school or something." Gene offered.
"Yeah, I would like that." Louise replied.
"Cool can I see your poem? Or is it private until it's done?" Gene asked.
"You can see just don't show it to anybody." Louise replied, grabbing the poem off her desk.
"Louise this is beautiful." Gene whispered wiping away a tear.
"Can I hear some of the song or is it private?" Louise asked.
"It's still really rough but here you go." Gene replied, placing the keyboard on Louise's desk. He switched on the keyboard and began stroking the keys.
"Th… that's rough? Gene that is the most beautiful song I've ever heard." Louise sniffed.
"Thank you" Gene replied.
"Want to see how they sound together?" Louise asked.
"Sure" Gene replied.
Gene again began playing his keyboard, while Louise read her poem aloud. Their projects were completely separate from each other. They hadn't even known the other was working on anything for the funeral, and yet when they were preformed together, they flowed seamlessly. As if they had been working on them together for days. It was beautiful and if Tina were there by their side, it would have been perfect. Without Tina, perfect had ceased to exist.