Her Mother

I entered the funeral home

scared out of my wits of what I would find



Would I find a

crying friend

shocked friend

happy friend

or no friend at all



My mother by my side said “be respectful”

I didn’t say anything back

I was afraid that if I talked my voice would break

as I walked to the back room I thought



Why her

why my dear friend Kateri

she has done nothing wrong



I reached the back room and found Kateri sitting with her siblings

she was holding her baby sister

too young to understand what was happening



I told Kateri I was sorry

that her mother shouldn’t have died

she smiled and said “Thanks Sam”

then she cried



I stayed with her while my mother went to the

open casket

I didn’t want to see Kateri’s mother like that

I wanted to remember her alive and well

As I waited for my mother I thought how Kateri would be

the only one that remembered

her other siblings including baby Molly would not remember their

dead mother



I said my goodbyes to Kateri

and said goodbye forever to

her mother