PRIORITIES (Completed)

17

Tiara looked at herself into the mirror and sighed. She was wearing a dark brown knee length dress. Her hairs were let down to dance freely on their own.

It was Gwen's funeral. The minute Tiara got up this morning, she was struck by sadness. Her whole mood was drained off. She was going to see her mom. Who was going to be laid on the funeral bed, dead. She didn't know how her Mom was going to look. Tiara was freaking out already. The last time she saw her mom was in the dead body's ward, she was looking so pale and so .... Dead?

Suddenly, two hands were dropped on both her shoulders. Aiden kissed the top of her head and made her turn around and look at him. He smiled sweetly at his daughter.

"You're looking sweet, princess," Tiara forced a smiled and nodded and then mumbled a quite 'thanks'.

Aiden wore a black blazer outfit and his half grey-half black hairs were patted back.

"Let's go downstairs. Everyone is waiting for you." Aiden said. The both of them got out and then downstairs.

The whole Collins family was dressed very elegantly. Maria was in an ankle length long black dress with her hairs in a neat bun. Steven was in a turtle neck white t-shirt/sweater and a thick black cotton jacket with a brown beanie on his head. Anthony and Benjamin were in black silk shirts looking very handsome and outgoing with their hairs gelled backward.

All of them, without any word got out of the house seperated into three cars that were waiting for them outside. It was a thirty minutes ride to the church where Tiara's mother was. The church was filled with Gwen's family and friends and some of Mark's side of family too.

All of them gave Tiara pitiful looks. She didn't acknowledged them as her head was down all the way untill she was seated on front seat. She realised that her dad and Mark were the one she was sitting between.

"where's Susan?" Tiara asked quietly to Mark.

Mark looked at Tiara and answer "with my mom," Tiara nodded and looked away.

There was a priest standing infront of Gwen's coffin. He was preparing to say the prayers. There was utter silence in the church. A few sniffles were heard from Gwen's close friends and a few family members who lived over seas.

The priest finally started with the prayer, "Receive the Lord's blessing. The Lord bless you and watch over you. The Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The Lord look kindly on you and give you peace; In the Name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit."Congregation: " Amen."

And then the speech started. First Gwen's big sister gave a heart warming speech in which she ended up sobbing. Tiara's eyes teared up everytime someone said how her mother was. This one word 'was' hit Tiara's heart so hard. It was making her realise that her mom was no more on her side and won't ever be even if she wanted to.

Then Mark stood. It was his time to give s speech. He'd bought a sheet rear out. He went and stood infront of the microphone and started giving his speech. "Dear friends and family gathered here today.. This day today is a hard one for us all. It is so much easier to mourn in silence; it takes away the worry of not being able to get your words out, or even just simply getting the right words out. But silence or not, one thing which I am sure we all appreciate today, is being here all together, sharing in each other's silence, sharing in each other's moments of thought for Gwen Ross, who we all loved, as a friend, a loved one, a girlfriend, a sister, a mother, s friend, our Gwen. We will all have our own personal and special memories, of the mark she left in our hearts, in our lives and it is very hard for me today to be up here, hearing my own thoughts out loud, trying my best to focus on the happiest times Gwen brought us, rather than the fact that she is no longer here with us today as know it. I am certain of two things though. she would have wanted us all to be here today with our happiest thoughts of our times spent together and secondly....she is still here with us, very strongly in spirit. Gwen was such a strong person through and through, from character, personality and presence. We are all here because somewhere somehow, we have all been touched by Gwen. For me, she will always be with me. What I will remember will always be. How often she made me laugh, smile and just feel loved. This is what makes her remain with me personally and I am sure that you all have your very own, special and private moments that you will cherish and keep close to your hearts. We were all very lucky to have had her in our lives and as much as she will be missed by us all, she will remain with us all, every day, as long as we can remember. We love and miss you Gwen, past, present and future. Thank you." Mark finished with his brilliant speech. When he came back, his eyes were slightly red, and so was his face. The speech was so professional and sophisticated.

Now, it was Tiara's turn. She looked at the paper sheet she'd wrote the night ago after the dinner. She took a deep breath and stood up, making her way to the stage where the coffin was closed. The coffin where her mother was buried.

She gave one long glance to her mother's coffin and then looked at the family and friends who'd gathered. With a deep breath, she cleared her soar throat.

"Hello, my dear friends and family. Its-Its a tragedy that Gwen Ross, my mom has passed away. It's really overwhelming and sad. Last night, when I sat an thought about my mom, I wrote a little something for her and I would like to read it out," everyone smile and cheered her with love. Tiara took the little paper out and started to read that out loud.

"She is gone

You can shed tears that she is gone,
Or you can smile because she lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back,
Or you can open you eyes and see that she has left.

Your heart can be empty that you can't see her,
Or you can be full of love that you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday

You can remember her and only that she is gone,
Or you can cheerish her memory and let it love on.

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back.

Or you can do what Mom would have wanted: smile, open, your eyes, Love and go on."

The church was filled with tears and applause. Gwen's older sister, Mark, Gwen's students, friends and even Tiara was in tears.

"Mom has left a beautiful life behind. We need to cheerish that life. She has left her beautiful new baby girl, our Susan and we have to be strong for that little life of ours. Thank you." she said and got down the stage and to her place. Feeling better and lighter that before.

PRIORITIES

It was the time, when Tiara would see her mom in the coffin.

The coffin was wide open. Mark held Tiara's hand and assured her that it was good to be okay.

The two of them went towards the coffin and peaked in. Tiara clunged onto Mark's hand and he squeezed her arm. Both of them were nervous.

Gwen was dressed in a purple dress. Black sandles and her haira were tied back. She looked pale but she didn't look horrible. Or that is what Tiara felt she would look. Nonetheless, Tiara burst into tears. Sobbing and weeping. She couldn't help the tears anymore. She missed her way too much. She loved her way too much. This was hard, so hard. She'd lost her Priority. Her top priority.