Chapter 9.4 – June 2023 – part II: The funeral portrait..

                                         Song: Otis Redding – I've got dreams to remember

The news of Mariannes death was, of course, a hard hit to the three remaining members of the household..

Max especially seemed to take it really hard, and would occasionally faint at the thought of his long time wife no longer being there.. They were only teenagers when they first got together, and though it was against their will, and their marriage had it's ups and downs, over the years they both learnt to respect and even love one another.. 70 years is a long time to be married..

Three days later they decided to host a small funeral ceremony, only inviting some of their closest friends and family before her urn would be placed inside the family mausoleum..

A stone and a plaque to her memory was already in place in their backyard, along with the flowers and wreaths they had been given as expressions of condolances and grief by the local community.. She may have been rumoured to be a criminal, but that doesn't mean people would be unwilling to show their last sign of respect... Bad guys feel sorrow too..

Bill and Julienne were still griefstruck on the day of the funeral...

..and not to mention the now only remaining head of the family, Max, turning to the Watcher to get some relief from the pain he felt, before serving the food to the guests that were soon to arrive..

Supper was served while the stereo in the background was playing Mariannes favourite soul records from her younger years when they sometimes would spend their weekends out on the town enjoying the local nightlife.. those were dreams to remember..

All these people, the music.. it was still a little to much for Bill to handle after his mothers passing, so he picked up his meal to eat it inside. That was just the way he wanted to handle his grief, in private.

Palash had also shown up at the party, though he was uninvited. The Skurchk family may have a sketchy reputation, but they were neighbours – and being the family oriented man that he is, he couldn't let this opportunity to show support to the family in their time of sorrow pass him by...

He walked over to Max's table to sit down with him and was met with a low grunt from Max where he thanked him for the consideration, but he would rather eat alone.

 

So Palash had to turn back and sit with the other table alongside the rest of the guests. And as it would be, the Skurchk family couldn't even arrange a funeral without having a paparazzi come in and crash the event..

The paparazzi didn't even have the decency to dress in all black formal wear, but chose to just show up in his everyday attire.. no respect from that lot.. Normally, Max would have gotten up to tell the paparazzi to get the hell out of there and stick the camera up a place where the sun never shines, but now.. he just didn't bother...

If the general public wants to feast on stories about an old man grieving, then let them...

After supper was over Pattina Knekknes, Juliennes mother, and Julienne walked over to look at the condolence flowers and say their last goodbye to Marianne, but both found themselves unable to do so without bursting into tears...

Rosa and Rikard Rikerud somehow found it more fitting to display romantic affection towards one another instead.. A part of them knew that their relationship with the Skurchk family was mostly based on them being affluent mostly, so though they were saddened by the passing of Marianne, they had no issues keeping their uh.. composure...

After finishing his meal and mourning for a while on his own inside, Bill finally felt ready to join the others and let his emotions show..

Father and son spent a moment grieving together, while the guests of the party do their best to talk and mingle..

Dudleif had, for obvious reasons, not showed up, or even been invited to the ceremony, but he wasn't the only one of Mariannes sons absent this evening. Though his wife, Sol, was there, Bills twin brother Dennis was lacking in attendance... "He just couldn't make it" Sol told Bill as they slowed dance to another one of Mariannes favourite soul tunes. "I.. I really tried to encourage him to come over with me, but.. he just shut down and locked himself into his office and refused to speak to me..."

Bill looked away. He thought he knew how his brother felt..He didn't at all blame him for wanting to keep to himself. "We were not..... he uh.. he probably just needs some time alone" Bill said with a soft voice. "You know.. it was always like that..."

"I know." Sol said, giving Bills left hand a gentle squeeze. "I know..."

Over by the swimming pool things were a little more dramatic...

    "I never asked for your condolances!" Max scoffed at Palash. "What makes you think you can just come in here, grab a plate of MY food and ask to sit at MY table and pretend to be oh-so-sad about..."

"Just get the hell out of here before I whoop your ass, you little punk! Get the hell out of here and go home to your mistress! If it was up to me, we should've done her in too!"

"Wow, chill there Max.." Palash said with surprise. "I only came here to pay my respect, you know.. and what was that last thing there...?"

"Just get off my property before you end up at the bottom of the river there!"

    "Fine! I'll leave! But know that I heard everything you just said!" Palash shouted back, before turning on his heel and heading for the door. Now, Palash knew that Skurchks were a little dubious to say the least, but he wasn't expecting to receive death threats directed at both himself and his wife.. and what sounded like an admittance to murdering someone.. but whom? Was there something there that Sofia hadn't told him...?

Max was frustrated and angry now, still riled up from the confrontation with Palash as he walked back over to Pattina to berate her for wearing a sleeveless and open back dress at his wifes ceremony..

That didn't receive much understanding from Pattina as she snapped back at him. "Look! We're all grieving here, and I'm deeply sorry for your loss, I really am, but that doesn't give you the right to act like a dick the way you're doing!"

Julienne overheard the quarrel between her mother and her father-in-law, and stepped in to change the topic. Not necessarily a more lighthearted one, but still one she hoped would cool things down a bit, as she began to talk about placing Mariannes urn at her final resting spot in the family mauseloum.
    "She's going to feel right at home there, right next to several generations of this wonderful family" Julienne tried. "She'll love it, and I'm pretty sure it will give her all the peace she wants."

Pattina agreed, and continued in the same vein, talking about how beautiful it was to have everyone in the family gathered in the same spot like that..
    "Wow... wow, ladies..." Max was a little freaked out by their conversation... Sure enough, he was convinced there would be no better place for his wife now, then inside the family mauseolum, but.. did they really have to talk about this now...?

It was getting late and all the guests except Pattina had left by now, and Bill had stood for a while by the poolside overhearing the arguments and strange conversation and decided it was time to go to bed and get some rest... It would be a hard day tomorrow as well when they would – in private – put Mariannes urn at her final resting place....

He could hear his father lashing out at Pattina once more for being disrespectful towards his wife as he walked up the steps to the back door entrance to go inside..

Pattina decided enough was enough and offered them both a brief goodbye and goodnight, before she went back to her car to drive back to her own estate just a few blocks down the road...

Max knew he had crossed the line maybe once or twice, and apologized to Julienne for his behaviour, and Julienne offered him an apology in return. "I'm sorry, we probably shouldn't have talked about... the mausoleum... "
"I should've known it would be upsetting.. Marianne.. she sure had her ways, but.. she was always good.. she was always good to me, and I..."

"...I always felt welcome in this family you know, and I'm just so.. grateful..." Julienne struggled to keep her voice from cracking "...grateful for every.. for everything... you know.."

"I know..." Max whispered, and for a split second he almost gave Julienne a hug... "I know.... now, if you don't... if you don't mind.." he said "..I would like some time... some time alone with my... ...with my wife..."

The last three words were almost inaudible, but Julienne felt she knew excactly what he meant.

"I understand..." she whispered quietly as she turned to walk back to the house with her tears being a secret shared only between her and the absence of light by their backyard swimming pool..

Previous | Next