Chapter 24 - Luna Rivera
***Saying Goodbye!***
The trip to Nicaragua was in total silence. I just wanted to be quiet with my memories and emotions. Romolo was looking at his cell phone, reading emails.
It didn't take long to arrive. As soon as we got off, a man approached us.
“Miss Rivera, my name is Patrick Sullivan, and Mr. Jhones left me at your disposal. I will take you to your destination.”
“Thank you very much! We'll go to this address.” I show him the address on my cell phone that my mother had sent, and we follow him to the car.
“We left the airport for Grandma's wake, which was taking place at a community center. Grandma was very loved by everyone, and Mom told me via message before we got on the plane that the mayor had looked for her, as everyone liked my grandmother, it would be the ideal place for her final farewell. As soon as I arrive, there are many people, and I give a restrained smile, knowing that she was unforgettable for many. There are several flower arrangements and a huge cross behind the closed coffin. Her photo in front of the coffin was taken by me in our old house here in Nicaragua; she loved flowers and lived among them. I get closer, and when Mom sees me, she starts crying even more. I hug her and console her. I try my best to be strong for her, but… I fail miserably! I hear a commotion and look at the door, not believing what I'm seeing. When the girls see me, they run to meet me, and I get up being hugged by them. I allow myself to cry in the arms of my friends.”
“After the wake, we all go to cremation, as that was Grandma's wish. We went to my mother's farm, and one thing can't get out of my head — to throw her ashes in the place she loved. The first time she went to the place, she was enchanted. I was still little, and Dad was with us. That same night I tell my mom about my idea, and we go on Mr. Jhones's jet. We arrived in Ontario, Canada, and crossed the Rainbow Bridge, which is called Rainbow Point, which marks the border with New York, in the United States.”
“Romolo parks the car we rented as soon as we arrive; he helps Mom get out and sit in her chair. We went to a part where he was pushing her chair; Mom was holding the urn with Grandma's ashes in her hands. As soon as we reach the stairs to go down to Niagara Falls, I pick up the urn, and Romolo takes it in his lap; Antony closes the wheelchair and takes it in his arms. We all walked in silence to the deck; we could see the falls illuminated by lights. Some fireworks lit up the sky, and I smiled; Grandma loved watching the fireworks. Antony opens the chair, and Romolo sits Mom on it; we spend a few minutes listening to the sound of the water falling. I close my eyes, remembering the day we came here, and Grandma said that one day she would return, to admire the waters.”
“Can we really do this?” Jully says, and I open my eyes looking at her; she looks like a child who is doing something hidden from her mother, looking everywhere.
“Of course, Jully, this is a public place!” Kefera says.
“I do not know! Let this be an environmental crime.”
“You're crazy, Jully, it's nothing like that! We can throw Grandma's ashes wherever we want, and she loved this place,” Kim says, and I look back at the falls that change from red to blue, Grandma's favorite color.
“Let's say goodbye, girls,” I say, and they all come closer, touching the container.
“Goodbye grandma!” We all talk together, and when they walk away, I bend over for Mom to say goodbye.
“Adios mama! I hope that you are happy and know that we will love you forever.” I get up and open the lid of the urn and start pouring out Grandma's ashes. A tear runs down my face, and I wipe it away quickly. I feel Romolo's arms around my waist, and I finish playing.
“Oh damn! The police are coming there,” Jully says taking steps back.
“Stop it, Jully, we're not doing anything big,” Antony says. “We're saying goodbye to someone important, and we can do it anywhere.”
“I don't think so here! Even though I can't see clearly because it's nighttime, I can clearly see that he's wearing a uniform,” she says, and I start to get suspicious that Jully is right, that it wasn't a good idea for us to throw grandma's ashes here without saying anything to anyone. “I love grandma, but I went!” Jully runs down a wooden walkway, passes close to the man who was coming towards us, and runs even further.
The man turns to look at her, trying to hold her arm, and I despair. I put the urn in my bag and walk away. I start running up the stairs; they start calling my name, and I look back and see the man coming after me. I start to cry.
“I just wanted to say goodbye to her, in the place she loved! Why didn't I try to find out if I could? What did I do?” I say to myself and look back to see Romolo coming after me with the man. I trip on the steps and fall.
“Lunna, stop!” Romolo says, approaching.
“I didn't know! I just wanted to say goodbye to her, in the place she liked!” I say, crying.
Romolo helps me up, looks at me to see if I'm hurt, and wipes my tears with his thumbs, smiling.
“Baby, it's okay! You are the security guard at the place and just wanted to offer your condolences.”
“ What?” I ask, and the man approaches.
“ Forgive me for scaring you, miss, I was just doing my rounds and came over to give my condolences,” I keep looking at him. “I'm sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you, but can I ask you a question?”
“Clear!”
“Can you throw the ashes here?”
“Yes, you can, miss! This is a public place, and lots of people do this! You can say goodbye in peace,” he says and continues on his way.
“I'm going to kill this Jullyete, that crazy woman pays me!” I say going back to the deck.