The Dark Shadow of Thursday

by H P Steven

  “Yeah sweet man will do,” Drew laughed. As Hannah just shook her head at me. Which wasn’t lost on Anna who started blushing.

  “All right we all in, let’s get cracking then Hannah,” I hollered.

  We had a great run with traffic. I actually thought with leaving around school pick up and the end of the working day might have slowed us down a bit, but it took us just over a couple of hours to get to the bed and breakfast. Only having to stop once for petrol.

  The bed and breakfast itself would do for a couple of nights. The lady behind the counter as we walked in looked a little bit like Mrs Doubtfire. She was old but quite on to it, she had us checked in and wanted to know if we wanted something to eat or if we wanted there was a courtesy car that could drop us off at the pub then pick us up. Which was brilliant and after we checked in and got sorted we met back down at the front desk and headed off to the pub.

  “Wow, good call on this place Phil,” Hannah remarked.

  “Yeah completely fluked it I think aye Hannah,” I replied. Anna just smiled and shakes her head at me.

  “So where we heading?” Drew asked.

  “Ah, to a pub for a few drinks and something to eat bro,” I replied.

  “Oh man sounds good, I could eat a horse,” Drew mentioned. With everyone else laughing.

  “I refuse to eat horse again,” Hannah responded.

  “Again?” Anna remarked, eyeing me suspiciously.

  “It wasn’t me,” I whispered back to Anna. Just as the courtesy car pulled into the pub, The Station Hotel. We got out and I help Anna out, which made Hannah chuckle.

  As we walked in, I’m surprised to see Scott in there with a few of his friends, I guess he doesn’t notice us at first and it wasn’t until Hannah got up to use the toilet after being seated that he came over to say hello. “Hey guys, Mum and Dad will be super happy you could make it,” Scott insisted.

  “Yeah man wouldn’t have missed it,” I replied. “How are your parents doing?” I asked.

  “Ah, you’ll be able to ask them yourselves they should be here with a few family members in a couple of hours. I’m just here with those guys and girls over there, some cousins and some of them went to school with my sister,” Scott explained.

  “Ah cool man, we’re just gonna have something to eat then we’ll head over to have a few drinks and say hello to everyone,” I replied.

  “Yeah no worries guys the foods pretty good here, we’ve just had a quick meal also. How’s the speech coming for tomorrow Phil?” Scott asked. “You may want to talk to the little blonde over there if you decide to sing,” Scott added.

  “Ha I thought that was someone that looked familiar, will do Scott. Thanks mate,” I replied just as Hannah got back in time and over heard something about me singing. Anna just laughed as Hannah shook her head at me.

  “Susan would have found it funny,” I remarked, to Hannah.

  “Ha, hope you’ve been practising.” Hannah laughed.

  “Of course I haven’t, I’m not a professional singer,” I joked.

  “Margaret and Ian should be here in a few hours so let’s eat up,” I added.

  Just as a waiter comes over with water and menus, Drew leaned over and tried to tell us, dinners on him tonight.

  “Nah bro you don’t have to do that,” I said.

  “Nah the least I can do for you guys,” Drew insisted.

  “Yeah but I’ll get the drinks,” I replied. Hannah and Anna both agreed.

  “So I know what I’m drinking,” I laughed.

  It doesn’t take us long to devour the entrees and a couple bottles of wine, it was the mains we struggled with as they were huge, we got half way through them when Margaret walked in and walked over to us.

  “Hi Margaret,” I announced, getting up to give her a hug.

  “I’m so happy you guys could be here, for Susan’s funeral tomorrow,” Margaret said, with a slight tear in her eye. Followed closely by Ian, who holds out his hand to be shaken.

  “Evening Ian,” I said.

  He replied the same way Margaret did and is also happy we could make it, walking around to shake Drew’s hand and find out how’s he’s doing.

  Hannah and Anna just sat there quietly till, Hannah got up to hug Margaret. Followed by Margaret hugging Anna. “So happy you could all be here, we just need to head over there. Finish your meals then please come and join us,” Both Margaret and Ian insisted.

  “Yeah we will,” I replied, with everyone on the table nodding in agreement.

  Turning to tackle the rest of the meal on the plate. It doesn’t take us long to finish, full and slightly knackered. Drew gets up to pay for the meal.

  “I would have beaten him to it if I could move,” I declared to Hannah.

  “Yeah me too,” Hannah insisted.

  “Oh well its done now, do we want another bottle of wine to drink?” Anna asked.

  “Yeah one more should do us,” Hannah suggested.

  “Yeah let’s go talk to Margaret and Ian,” I mentioned.

  “Yeah how much longer do you think we’ll be here?” Hannah asked.

  “No idea, play it by ear,” I responded.

  “Sounds good,” Anna remarked smiling just as Drew comes back with another two bottles of wine.

  “Hey are you guys ready, lets fill up our glasses and go talk to those guys and girls,” Drew commented.

  “Yeah man lets go,” I laughed.

  We all walked over slowly towards the group of Susan’s family and school friends. Having met none of them it doesn’t take Margaret long to introduce us, luckily she had told them all about us. Some even came up to me to asked me what song I was planning to sing. With laughter from Hannah and Anna, I told them I’m still working on it.

  Drew spent most of the evening talking to Scott and Ian. Hannah was talking to Margaret and a small group of Susan’s Uncles and Aunts. While Anna and I were talking to a few of Susan’s old school friends. I even met the small blonde that said she’d be happy to sing a song with me tomorrow, though she laughed when I said Ava Maria. We were there for at least four or five hours before I noticed Hannah yawning.

  “Hey Phil should we try and get the courtesy car to pick us up or jump in a taxi?” Drew asked.

  “Just jump in a cab I reckon, I need to get some sleep,” I sighed.

  “Yeah I could head off now and I think I saw Hannah starting to yawn,” Anna whispered. By this stage most of Susan’s friends were starting to say their goodbyes and a few of the Aunts and Uncles were asking us where we were staying and offered to give us a lift back.

  “Ah cool that’ll be great,” I agreed.

  “Yeah, but no talking him out of singing tomorrow,” Margaret insisted.

  Coming over to give us a hug and tell us again how great it was for us to be here, with Ian thanking us again. Leaving the bar and heading back to the B&B it’s not long till we all head to our rooms.

  “I’ll see you guys in the morning,” I muttered.

  “Yeah meet down here for breakfast around eight-ish,” Hannah declared.

  “Yeah sounds good to me,” Drew added. Anna grabbed my hand and we wandered up to our room.

  “Oh my god I’m so tired,” I sighed.

  Grabbing a towel and heading into the bathroom to have a quick shower. I was in the shower for a few minutes before Anna joined me.

  “You were great tonight, I didn’t know what to say to some of Susan’s friends,” Anna mentioned.

  “Yeah me too, but they helped and it was great to hear some of her dodgier stories,” I whispered. Leaning in to give Anna a kiss.

  “Oh I thought you were tired,” Anna remarked, looking down.

  “Hey my eyes are up here and I am a little tired,” I insisted before turning off the water and we both stepped out of the shower.

  “So do you want too?” I asked Anna.

  “What after where we’ve just been,” Anna joked.

  “Yeah I’ll be quick,” I said.

  “Oh just
what every girl wants to hear.” Anna laughed rolling her eyes.

  “Yeah your right.” I yawned. Grabbing my PJ’s and getting changed, while Anna goes and gets changed in the room. Leaving the bathroom, I grabbed my suit bag and hung it up so it’s good to go. Anna brushes her hair and gets ready for bed. I walked up behind her and start massaging her shoulders.

  “Thanks for coming this weekend, it really means a lot,” I commented.

  “You’re welcome, thanks for inviting me,” Anna remarked smiling.

  “Yeah about that.”

  “Don’t worry I was always gonna come along,” Anna insisted.

  “Oh good to hear,” I whispered. Kissing Anna and heading to bed.

  Wow, as soon as my head hit the pillow I was out like a light.

  Waking up with a little bit of spittle on my neck was a little weird, but the knock on the door, also woke up Anna. Who laughed and apologised when she saw she had dribbled on me. Getting up to open the door to find Drew had knocked.

  “Hey bro what’s up?” I asked.

  “Hey man just woke up thought I’d see who was up,” Drew announced just as Hannah walked up behind him.

  “Morning Hannah you guys heading down for breakfast?” I asked.

  “Yeah I might quickly jump into the shower then should we meet down stairs in thirty minutes, it’s still only seven am,” Hannah commented.

  “Yeah sounds good,” I replied.

  “Yeah all right that sounds like a plan,” Drew remarked.

  “Cool, meet you guys down stairs then.” Closing the door and heading back to bed to kiss Anna good morning.

  “I’ll jump in the shower first,” Anna whispered.

  “Okay,” I sighed.

  So, good to finally be heading down to breakfast especially after last night. Anna and I walked down to see Hannah and Drew had already gotten us a table. Luckily it was a buffet set up and we were told to help ourselves. We sat down next to them.

  “Hey Hannah, do you know where the funerals being held today?” I asked.

  “Yeah spoke to Margaret last night and got directions from Ian so we all sorted, kicks off around ten this morning,” Hannah commented.

  “Ah cool, all right let’s go get something to eat,” Drew insisted.

  As we all got up I headed over to make myself a coffee before being joined by Anna. “Ah great minds,” Anna whispered.

  “Yeah makes it a bit easier,” I sighed. Anna just smiled at me as we walked back to the table before going to get something to eat I hand Anna a plate.

  We all sat around having breakfast with hardly anyone saying anything. After finishing breakfast off, I excused myself and headed off back up to the room. Sitting down at the desk I started to scribble down a few stories to tell at the funeral. Finally, a knock at the door, I got up to open it and Hannah walked in.

  “How’s it all going?” Hannah asked.

  “Yeah good,” I commented, showing Hannah the outline of stories to talk about at Susan’s funeral.

  “Ha, I’m not sure you can tell that one.” Hannah laughed.

  “Yeah I wasn’t sure,” I replied. “So what’s happening?” I added.

  “Oh, we thought we’d get ready and possibly head into town for a coffee before it all started,” Hannah declared.

  “Yeah sounds good, how are you doing?” I asked.

  “Yeah I think I’ll be okay,” Hannah sighed. Just before leaving Anna walked in.

  “I’m gonna get changed how’s the speech coming along?” Anna asked.

  “Ah good thanks,” I replied turning back around to continue a few other story outlines. It’s not till heading back downstairs in my suit, did Drew ask me about the speech.

  “All good bro, I’ll mention your olds and the family man,” I commented.

  “Ah cool man, cheers,” Drew replied.

  “We all about set to head into the city?” I asked.

  “Yeah let’s go,” Hannah remarked. Jumping into the car it doesn’t take us long to get a park and head to the local Starbucks for a coffee, even if we were the best dressed in there.

  “So are you ready?” Hannah kept asking me.

  “Yeah I should be fine,” I replied. Anna just looked at me smiling.

  Drew just laughed and asked, “Are you gonna check that list or shot from the cuff?”

  “Who knows bro, will see,” I replied.

  It doesn’t take us much longer to get to the church, just as the butterflies’ start and we see, Ian and Scott, welcoming everyone in.

  “Hi Ian, Scott, how are you both?” I asked. Not really knowing what else had to said.

  “Mums inside she’ll be happy to see you,” Scott replied to us.

  “Thanks man,” I responded. Shaking his hand before we all walked in. The four of us grab a seat near the front. I noticed Margaret asking for me to join her.

  “Go,” Anna and Hannah insisted. “We’ll be fine,” They remarked.

  “Good luck bro,” Drew insisted.

  As I’m met up the front by Margaret, who gives me a big hug and thanked me for coming again.

  “Please grab a seat up here, less chance of you tripping over as you walk up to the podium,” Margaret insisted.

  It’s not much longer after this that we are joined by Ian and Scott and three quarters of the church is filled with friends and family. The priest gets up to start the service.

  It’s by this stage the butterflies really started with the sweat on my palms, I didn’t want to think to hard about what I was going to say. Luckily I got to follow the Uncle that drinks too much and may have had a couple of beers before he had even arrived. After the second song, the uncle gets up there and tells stories of Susan when she was younger. After slurring through most of it, the priest goes back to the podium and asked for me.

  “Good luck Phil,” Margaret whispered in my ear.

  I go to stand up but can’t feel my legs, I turned to Margaret. “I can’t swear in here can I?” I asked smiling.

  “Ha, do what you have to but if you use profanity your probably gonna go to hell,” Margaret laughed.

  Catching this, Ian started laughing and wishes me good luck. Finally getting to the podium I thank the priest. Looking out into the crowd I notice Anna looking up at me smiling.

  I start my quickly revised speech, thanking everyone for being here on one of Susan’s biggest days or at least being available for her last. Immediately cringing, but I heard a laugh, possibly from the drunk uncle. There’s always one I thought to myself. I thanked Susan for getting all dolled up. And she would be happy to know I didn’t go commando today. Which caught a few laughs, Margaret I noticed was half trying not to laugh and half trying to hold back the tears? I spoke of how I first met Susan and how she could have done a lot better than Cam. The first night we went out and some idiot tried to hit Cam on the way back from going to the toilet. And how she told him, how he meets so many interesting people in toilets. I didn’t ask many questions that night. I spoke of how we’d go on day trips, or I’d just tag along. But most of all I knew they were waiting for something special so I started to sing. I sang without really knowing the words so I made most of them up but luckily sounded right. I noticed Hannah giving me the okay sign then shaking her hand. I noticed Margaret really enjoying it. I surprised a lot of them, that I had met the night before. Due to Hannah telling them I couldn’t sing. I noticed a few put candles on their phones and waved them into the air. I tried not to look at Susan’s coffin, cause I was starting to struggle, with the fact she was right there and couldn’t shake her head at me and tell me to stop. I could hear her saying those words. “Wow, you cannot sing idiot.”

  I finished singing, then started to finish my speech but had to wait, as I wasn’t expecting the clapping. I thanked them before, continuing. There was tears by the end of the speech as I mentioned one of our last conversations and I started to feel sorry for anyone trying to say something after me that wasn’t Susan’s Mum, Dad or Brother. I thanked each of
them for allowing us to come today and allowing me to get up here and say a few words. I know Cams family and Hannah and Anna, are gutted about today, I know Cams parents would have liked to have been here, as Drew told me earlier. The last trip we went on was something special I’ll always remember happily, finding Anna in the crowd and smiling at her. Again, I thanked the family before thanking everyone else for sitting through my speech and horrible singing. As I left the stage, Margaret got up to hug me followed by most of the family in the front row. I sat back down next to Margaret as the priest asked the next speaker to the podium. The whole day was filled with laughter and tears, some cringing as somethings that shouldn’t have said were told by people who shouldn’t have had a chance to speak. But it was funny and probably needed to be said. Margaret found the day easier as I offered to help her to the podium. As her, Ian and Scott got up to say a few words. I helped Margaret up the steps flanked on the other side from Ian. And quietly stood behind them as they had a lot to say about their daughter. Their speeches drew laughter and a lot of tears. It wasn’t till the end, when we were carrying out Susan to the hearse that I met up with Anna, who gave me a hug. “You were really good up there, I thought you sang really well also,” Anna whispered.

  “Thanks,” I replied kissing her on forehead and hugging her back. “So happy your here today,” I mentioned.

  “Me too,” Anna replied.

  Finally joined by Hannah and Drew.

  “Hey nice job bro,” Drew insisted. Shaking my hand.

  “Yeah you did a lot better than I thought you would,” Hannah remarked just as Scott comes up to us.

  “Hey guys, you could follow us to the cemetery or go to our place for the wake,” Scott announced. “There’s gonna be a few relations heading right there so it’s up to you guys” Scott added. We all knew we’d be going to the cemetery so we didn’t bother asking each other.

  Finally, after leaving there though we headed back to Susan’s parents place with them a few cars ahead of us.

  “Don’t follow to closely Hannah they may see us,” I joked.

  “Ha, cut it out we’re not M.I.5,” Hannah replied, trying not to laugh.