The funeral director stepped up onto the stage, pulled a black curtain across, and lying behind was my father’s coffin. Initially, I felt nothing, merely a slab of wood lying there, definite and real, until I imagined my father’s body inside, then images of him hanging in his study flipped through my mind.
Emotions thundered in my chest, swelled into my cheeks and eyes, and I gasped desperately, trying to stuff them down again.Don’t cry. Don’t cry.It was no use. The tears streamed down my cheeks as uncontrollable sobbing consumed me, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop it.
Lev found my hand and laced his warm fingers with mine. The boy who struggled with tenderness and intimacy was doing a wonderful at supporting me at this terrible time. While Ezrah kept his hand on my trembling knee, “You can do this, Adina,” he whispered. “You can survive this.”
I nodded, swallowed, took a deep breath, and sniffed back my tears as the pastor began to speak. The ceremony was the longest hour of my life, and by the time it was over, my tears had dried up, and I was ready to go into battle.
We piled back into the limousine, and our driver drove to the cemetery, an hour’s drive away, where my father’s coffin was lowered into the earth beside my mother’s plot. Leslie stood opposite us, wearing large sunglasses, so no one could see her dry eyes, while her lackey, Peter, stood near her, but not close enough for anyone to assume they were together.
At one point, she turned toward me, and I shot her the middle finger. I didn’t care if anyone else saw because I knew they would see me as the unhappy daughter left without a mother and a father. Fuck this world.
Numbness came over me, an emptiness scoured my stomach, but I had to focus on the task at hand, which was to take down my stepmother.
After my father’s coffin was lowered into the ground and we threw a handful of dirt in his grave, we turned and walked back toward the limousine. And just as I expected, my stepmother’s wailing voice called my name. Lev and Ezrah, my protective bookends, paused and checked that I was okay speaking to her. I nodded and allowed them to walk ahead so I could speak to Leslie alone. As she walked toward me, I reached into my pocket for my engagement ring and slipped it on my finger.
“Adina, I know it must be difficult for you at this trying time, but I’m happy to give you a role in the company, once you’ve finished school, of course.”
“No,” I told her, “That won’t be necessary.”
“Oh?” she glanced at the boys by the limousine. “You have other plans?”
“Yes,” I raised my chin proudly. “I’m getting married,” and I showed her my engagement ring.
Her eyes flicked to the boys leaning against the limo. “Which one?” she questioned as she made a face. “Surely not…” she dithered slightly, before adding, “Isn't that Leon Warwick’s son? Adina, it’s hardly appropriate for you to bring him to your father’s funeral after what happened with you being caught and filmed, you know, romping with them. Your poor father was devastated by your carelessness.”
I followed her gaze and smiled at my boys patiently waiting while watching her every move. “Yes, that is Leon Warwick’s son, but it’s not him I’m marrying.”
“Why on earth would you socialize with your father’s enemies, Adina?” she asked, genuinely confused.
“Oh, they’re my protectors after you tried to hurt me,” I said, completely devoid of emotion.
“I’m sorry?” she tried to play dumb.
“The razor blade in the cupcake, the Yorks coming after me and filming me having sex in the garden with my boys,” I explained plainly. “Anyway,” I stepped away from her, “I’ll see you back at the house for the reading of my father’s will.”
She scoffed arrogantly as if she knew exactly what was in the will, but what she didn’t know was that my father had changed the will only days before she killed him. He knew exactly who she was and what she was trying to do, but needed some evidence before confronting her.
