Chantella was tired of crying Her mother had died a little less than a year earlier and she had been crying ever since But today was the worst day in a long time Standing at her mother’s grave listening to her family and friends applauding in front of the church she thought she might cry again But instead she sang You are my sunshine my only sunshine Her mother used to sing it to her at bedtime and bath time When Chantella felt she was too old to be sung to like a baby she asked her mom to stop She was probably twelve then just three years ago Now she wished she’d never asked her mom to stop singing
2 Chantella sang the whole song right there in the graveyard and when she was done she was still crying My sunshine is gone Chantella whispered to the stone placing her hand on its cold hard face I miss you Mommy She’s gone completely insane said a voice from behind her It was Mara’s son Colin And that surely meant Colin’s twin Colleen was there as well Talking to dead people Colleen said nearly cackling Twisted Go away Chantella said It took all her effort to hold back more tears Happily Colin said He leaned toward her though and added in a whisper We’ll see you in the limo sis With that her new stepsiblings departed laughing as they went Now that she was alone with her mother Chantella let the tears flow again
Chantella couldn’t linger in the cemetery much longer From the corner she could see her dad’s long silver limo as it pulled away from the curb Behind it flew a ghastly banner Just Married And with that her father’s limousine was gone headed to the reception Still at the curb was a black limo its back door wide open so the twins could take their places The driver was waiting for her to climb into the back with those miserable twins If she didn’t get there soon she could only imagine what lie the twins might tell him so they could leave without Chantella She pushed through the creaky iron gate of the cemetery and headed for the front of the church I hope we don’t get stuck in traffic Chantella thought as she headed toward the limo She was sure she could only stand the twins in doses of five minutes or less For once Chantella was glad her father’s work schedule was so hectic He wasn’t going to take a honeymoon with Mara which meant she wouldn’t be stuck at home alone with the twins
