Married

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Liana's POV

"Welcome Miss Jones, I am officer Morales. I spoke with you on the phone."

I shook hands with the officer. He had sent me a message earlier about the hospital I needed to go to for the identification of the deceased. When I got there, he met me at the entrance where he seemed he had been waiting awhile.

"So how was your flight? I hope it was not a bother asking you to fly over here?" He asked pleasantly. My mind had gone wild so I was not listening to what he was saying. All I wanted to do now was to identify the body and hopefully it wouldn't be Glady's.

"This way Miss."

"Actually it's Mrs. I am married now. I'm  Mrs.Miller."

"Oh sorry about that Mrs. Miller. I didn't know that. Please follow me."

I trailed nervously behind him, saying little prayers in my head. I have not known God, but I know he exists and if what I hear about him is true, I am begging him to make this a dream. Or better still he shouldn't let it be my friend.

We walked past several wards then we came to an end of a hall. We took a right turn which led us to a less busy area of the hospital. We walked further down the hall and only stopped in front of a double-doored room. It had Morgue inscribed on it. I inhaled, and let the tears flow down from my eyes.  This situation was overwhelming and I couldn't stand it anymore. It was like waiting for an important educational test result that will determine what your life will be.

"Let's wait here, a doctor will join us soon." He had barely finished talking when a man in scrubs approached us.

"Doctor Kitto, this is Mrs.Miller and she is here to identify the body that was sent here yesterday."

"A lot of bodies were sent here Morales, which one exactly?"

"The accident victim. Our 'Jean Doe'"

"Oh okay. Please follow me."

He opened the door before us and asked us to follow him.

I placed my hand over my mouth so I wouldn't puke nor scream. This place was horrible. Not as in dirty or unkempt. It was horrible in the sense that there were a lot of dead bodies being stored here. Though I couldn't see all of them, there were a few that were lying on the tables. I think they were fresh bodies of people who died today.

We walked from aisle to aisle until we reached a certain number, 48. He pulled what looked like a locker out. I instantly turned my head away, shutting my eyes tightly.

"Mrs. Miller are you okay?" I heard the voice of Morales but it sounded distant.

"Mrs. Miller, look at me, are you okay?"

I opened my eyes and was met with two worried pairs of eyes looking at me.

"If you are not in the state to identify your friend we can leave and come back later."

"No no no I am ready". I objected quickly. I want to hurry up and get done with this so I can go home to my son and husband. As it is now there are certain things that need to be straightened out between Heath and me.

I could see the body but not the face. Partly because I was standing behind Morales. I slowly moved, bracing myself for the worst or best. I gathered all the strength and looked at the face.

Time Skip (Five Hours Later)

"You were my friend, my sister, and above all my mother. We grew up together and you taught me all that I know now. I know you were not perfect for the world but you were perfect to me. We fought, joked, smiled laughed, and cried together but I loved you.  You never let me go to bed hungry under any circumstance. You had my back all this time and I know you still do and you are looking out for me from heaven. I spoke with you barely a week ago and you were fine and full of life. I can still remember your voice asking me when I will come and visit.  I am sorry for not seeing you for the last time.  If I could give everything to see you again, believe me, I will. I will go up and beyond to hear your voice and see your smile again. I never in a hundred years thought I will see you lying lifeless in a wood but even in your death, you have thought me a lesson and that is, I should value and love the people I  got for in a blink of an eye, I can lose them just like I have lost you."

I kept mute for a long time, pondering over my life with her. I was at the cemetery with about eight people by my side. Some were from the funeral home and Morales also offered to help bury her. There was a priest and his assistant priest too. Going down memory lane was painful. I remembered what she means to me, then reality set in. I have lost her and that too forever.

  "I-I-I-I_ ahhhhhhhhhh!" I screeched amidst uncontrollable tears.

"Noooo Nooooo Nooo! Please Gladys come back, get up from this wood, and tell everyone that you are alive. Tell me it's a prank. Please, I can't live without you. Have you forgotten that we planned to live forever together? Then where are you now? My life is fucked up, nothing is working for me. I need you back to make me sane. You know how we have suffered. Sleeping in uncompleted buildings, eating from trash cans, wearing torn clothes, and being chased by cops for trying to beg for money and food. Have you forgotten the countless nights we went to bed hungry? Guess what, we won't be hungry again. I am rich now so please get up. Get up I am here for you. You know we had no one and all we had was each other. Please angel don't leave me."

What am I going to do? She was my only real family. My tears had soaked my top and my face was a mixture of it and sweat. If tears could bring the dead back, then I guarantee mine will bring her back. But unfortunately, she lay in her wooden coffin lifeless. She looked beautiful just like an angel and though her coffin was made of wood, glass was used to cover her so you could see her. She hadn't changed at all, truthfully she had become prettier.

The priest said certain things that I didn't care to listen to and then slowly the coffin was lowered into the grave. I succumbed to the floor, holding my hand out in a way to stop them from putting her in the grave. Is this the end for me? I am losing my mind, my son is being fought over in court, I'm having misunderstandings with my husband and now I have lost my most trusted friend. I don't want to live. No, I don't. In a huge way, Glay's death had made me weak. We were like an Alpha and his mate. One can not live happily without the other.

"It is okay Mrs. Miller, you will be good. My condolences to you and your family." Morales said, trying to help me get up from the ground.

I went to her apartment later in the day so I could have a feel of her presence. Not much has changed over the years. The same old blue and white painted walls and the old clock we got from target hang on the wall. The worn-out couches which had patches sat unmoved in her living room. The only thing that was different was the flat-screen Tv and fridge I had shipped to her earlier this year. I moved to her room which only had a neatly laid bed, a bedside table, and a wardrobe. The well-known blue bag that contained our photographs was lying on top of her wardrobe. I fetched our photo albums and cried whiles looking through them. Before I knew it, I was fast asleep on the couch.