By Paula Bianchi –

Lucy’s vision slowly began to clear as she began to recognize the decorations in her living room with their familiar shades of earth tones. She was also acutely aware she was not alone.

“We’ve all been so worried about you, Lucy.” Ava rushed to her side.

Lucy found herself standing in the middle of the Livingroom with no memory of how she’d gotten there. She looked down at her body dressed in a navy blazer with matching slacks, and a sky-blue blouse. She touched her body up and down, then slowly reached up to touch her head and neck as she remembered her last thoughts before blacking out.

“Decapitated.” Lucy repeated, rubbing her neck.

“It’s never easy coming to terms with how and why we died. Some of us can live in a constant replay of our deaths, while others show the physical effects of theirs. You, Lucy, are neither of those.”

Lucy could hear the wonder in Ava’s voice. “So, what does that mean for me? I’m obviously dead, but I can’t remember my fatal crash, and I’m not showing any physical manifestation of how I died. I guess I should be happy, but all it leaves me with is more questions.”

“I died from internal injuries from my car accident.” Lori joined in their conversation. “I remember standing there watching the emergency people trying to save me, but it was too late. This is what’s left of my accident.” She pointed to a large bruise on her abdomen that was partly covered by her purple halter top.

“Do I have a mark on my neck?” Lucy lifted her chin for them to check.

“No.” They answered together.

“Where’s Ben and Dobson?” Lucy asked, looking around the room.

“I’ll go get them.” Lori answered. “I’m sure they’ll want to know you’re back.” With that said, Lori turned to leave the room and as she passed through the living room doorway, she changed into a bright, white orb that floated up the stairs and out of sight.

“Back? Where have I been, and how long was I gone?” asked Lucy.

“I’m not sure where you were, but we all refer to what happened to you as a kind of hibernation. It’s like a panic attack for ghosts. We just kind of blink out. We looked for you all over the house, but you just disappeared days ago.” Ava tried her best to explain.

Hearing this, only made Lucy feel more confused. Since the moment she found herself standing in the foyer, she has felt like she’s been in a dream. She didn’t want to know about the afterlife. She wanted to be with her family again. With this thought, Lucy realized her house was too quiet.

“Where’s Michael and the kids?”

“They just left to go to your funeral. I believe that’s what brought you back.” Ava answered.

“How do I go? Please tell me what to do, so I can be there too.” Lucy pleaded.

“You can walk right out the door all the way to your destination, or change into an orb and fly there. The best way you could have gone would be riding along in the car with your family.” Ava reached for Lucy’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “So sorry you just missed them.”

Just then, the front door burst open, and Michael came running in acting like he was on a mission.

“Hurry!” Ava gave Lucy a push towards the door. “Go get in the car before he does!”

Lucy sprinted out the door and came to an abrupt stop after seeing all 4 doors, of Michael’s white, Range Rover, were closed. She looked back at Ava, who was standing on the porch, and shrugged her shoulders.

“You can go right through the doors. Don’t think about it; just do it.” Ava called out to her.

Lucy looked at the passenger’s door behind the driver’s and started to push her way through the door. After hearing a loud buzzing sound, she found herself sitting next to her son, Justin, in the back seat of the car.

Emma sat in the front passenger’s seat waiting for her dad. “Good thing Dad remembered his eulogy for Mom.” She said, through a plugged nose.

At the sound of the front door slamming, Lucy turned to see Michael running towards the car, and he quickly jumped in. “Is there anything you might have forgotten or need before we leave?” He asked.

Both of the kids shook their heads no and sat very quietly. Lucy noted she’d never seen them this quiet before. She took a closer look at her family. She saw red puffy eyes and a look of sadness she wished she could take away.

Michael must have sensed the same thing as he took a moment before starting his car to ask, “Are you guys alright?”

Emma broke down in tears. “I don’t wanna do this, Dad. I don’t want to say good-bye to Mom. It hurts so much.”

Lucy heard quiet sobs coming for next to her when Justin’s tears began to flow with his sister’s. “I feel the same way, Dad.” Justin quietly said.

“I know this day is going to be hard on all of us, but we still have each other. I want you to know I’ll always be here for you. You can bank on it.” Michael put his hand on Emma’s cheek and wiped away her tears, then, he reached back to put his hand on Justin’s knee for a reassuring pat.

“I’m right here, guys. I haven’t left you.” Lucy tried to add her hand on Justin’s knee, but her hand went right through the both of them. When it did, she heard the same buzzing sound again.

Michael started the car and backed out the driveway. As they were pulling away, Lucy looked back at her beautiful, yellow Victorian house, with magenta trim,. She could see four faces looking out the window at her. She waved at them, and they waved back.

The ride over to the mortuary was quiet as they all attended to their own thoughts and feelings. Lucy wished, more than anything, that she was still alive and with them. They were, and always will be, her whole world. She had no clue about what she should do now. She just knew she would never leave them.

Emma tucked some tissues into her purse before Michael finally found a parking space at the funeral home. When they all exited the car, Lucy shot out of Justin’s door before he closed it.

Lucy followed her family into a large entry hall with two gathering rooms on either side. The air felt electrified and ascending to Lucy as she moved toward the room that held her ashes. The closer she got; the stronger the energy felt. But she never expected such a powerful force of energy to hit her like a brick when she walked into the room full of people. She couldn’t believe her eyes. It was overwhelming.

Come back for part 2 of: Lucy in the Afterlife: My Funeral. I appreciate your visit. Bye for now.

Email: Remyel@hotmail.com