“You need to stay strong since he has sacrificed himself just to keep you safe. We need to spend the rest of our lives together in spite of the challenges awaiting us.”
I nodded since I was of the same idea. “You’re right! We need to stay strong!”
After stabbing myself in the arm more than once, I had sustained quite a serious injury. It took me a few days until I could move my arms around again.
On the day of Lyle’s funeral, Christopher told me everything and brought me to the cemetery to send Lyle off for one last time.
I stood afar since I was afraid of approaching the rest of his family, including Sharon. She was the first to show me some mercy throughout the years. Although it was part of a greater scheme, she was the first who truly made me feel safe.
It must be tough for her to send the sole successor of the family, her grandson, off when her son had long passed on years ago due to an accident. Lyle was the only one she had in mind throughout the years.
“What am I supposed to do, Christopher? I’m afraid to join them! I’m afraid Grandma is going to take things out on me since I had brought upon Lyle’s demise!” I stood next to Christopher in fear of startling the rest.
Christopher grasped my hand and suggested, “You need to send him off since you were the only one he had in mind during his last breath. You don’t have to worry since I’m right next to you.”
I mustered my courage and marched in the direction of Lyle’s resting ground. When I was a few feet away from the resting ground, I heard Wendy wailing hysterically as if she couldn’t care less about others’ opinions.
“Lyle! How could you leave me? What am I supposed to do without you?”
All of a sudden, I was overwhelmed with guilt. The vicious woman who wouldn’t stop picking on me throughout the years was no longer my irritating mother-in-law.
At that point in time, she was just another heartbroken and sorrowful mother who couldn’t help but mourn her son’s passing.
Instead of bawling her eyes out, Sharon had her eyes glued to Lyle’s resting ground in silence. She seemed to have aged over the night since she couldn’t even maneuver around without her wheelchair. Josephine brought her around in an attempt to pay her final tribute to her grandson.
“Yvonne, how dare you show up in front of us? You were the reason Lyle was dead!” Crystal yelled at me since she was quite far away from the rest of the Smith family. They were against the idea of having her around as well. I would’ve returned the favor and yelled at her back in the day! However, am I in a position to pick on her when I’m the one at fault? She’s merely repeating the truth!
In the end, I lowered my head in guilt and heard the commotion coming from the rest of the attendees while marching ahead to pay my last tribute to Lyle. I got the man his favorite lily bouquet and thought he would’ve loved it.
Staring at the weeping Wendy, I expressed my utmost apology with a bow, “I’m so sorry for your loss!”
“You’re the one who has brought upon his demise! You’re a murderer!” Wendy rushed to my side and launched a powerful slap in my face.
I felt a tingling sensation coming from my cheek, but those were nothing as compared to the heart-wrenching sensation I felt.
“Where’s my son? Stop expressing your apology because it won’t bring him back to me! I want you to bring him back to me!” Wendy let loose of her emotions and started beating me to a pulp.
Instead of evading her brutal punches, I braced myself through the blows and thought it was not a big deal if those were the things it would take to bring Lyle back to life.
Holding me in his arms, Christopher turned around and took the serious blow from Wendy on my behalf.
“Yvonne, you’re just a good-for-nothing! I hate you so much! I want you to bring him back to life!” Wendy stepped aside to throw a punch at me.
