His Tempting Widow

Chapter 5: Mourning

Wallace watched as his coffin was entered into their home. He witnessed his wife hug their children, as they cried when she explained to them.

“Papa is home at last. He’s in there in his special bed,” Shaina told her children, with tears forming in her eyes. She tried to be strong for her little children.

Her mother-in-law cried and sniffled, touching the open coffin, with the glass that let them peer at Wallace’s seemingly sleeping form inside. His hands were folded on his stomach. He was dressed in a Barong Tagalog and black pants. These used to be his wedding outfit, but Shaina could not find any more decent clothes for him.

The funeral staff busily arranged the sympathy flowers and the candelabras at the head and the foot of the coffin. The big candles were lit, and they were told the fires should not be put out. They must change before the candles’ wicks were eaten up. It was a superstition, so that the soul of the departed would find his way to heaven.

Hilda told the funeral staff about the internment schedule, which was in five days. Shaina had to process some paperworks. She still had to go to the insurance company to claim the money.

“Is he not going to wake up anymore, Mama?” Spencer asked his sister’s question for her, as the latter cried quietly.

Shaina’s lips trembled, and she gently shook her head with tears threatening to flow down her cheeks. “I’m afraid not anymore, Spence. We’ll just let him sleep, okay?”

“Is Papa so tired, Mama? Is that why he’s in that special bed?” Spencer asked again for his sister.

She stifled a sob and embraced her two children. Wallace knelt down to hug his family, too. And yet, his arms and hands could not hold them, and they could not feel him. He was so frustrated that he cried. He wanted to assure them that he was there and that he would never leave them.

***

The next few days, Wallace watched his widow closely. She barely slept. She let Hilda sleep with the kids in their room, while Paola and the neighbors were with Shaina during the wake. They had set up a couple of plastic tables outside, so they could play either Bingo or card games to keep awake. Cups of coffee and biscuits were distributed.

Some of his colleagues at the work came to give Shaina money and see Wallace in his coffin. They talked with Shaina afterward.

“Ace was such a good person. He would help us whenever we need it, so we don’t screw up at work,” Mark recounted. He was with Luke, Raffy and some others.

Shaina smiled at Mark faintly. “He was a good husband, and he was a good provider. He was a responsible father to our kids. I felt so lucky to have him,” she said, slightly embarrassed. Her cheeks turned pink.

Wallace chuckled when he heard it. He could not believe his wife did think so highly of him. Oh, how he loved her so much!

“Thank you for your help, and please extend my thanks to your colleagues,” she added, glancing at Luke who could barely meet her eyes. Then, she excused herself to go inside the house, to leave them outside sitting at a table with snacks.

“Mrs. Adanza—” Luke started, standing up to talk with the thirty-two-year-old widow.

“Shaina. Just call me Shaina,” she told him.

“Shaina, I would like to apologize.” His tone was filled with regret.

“For what?” She looked confused.

Wallace let out a sigh as he stared at Luke. The latter gulped visibly, and he hung his head.

“I-it was my fault. If I hadn’t urged him to go to Raffy’s birthday, he wouldn’t—”

“Oh, man. It wasn’t your fault! I went there because I wanted to!” Wallace butted in, but no one heard him, of course.

Shaina shook her head, touching Luke’s arm gently. “No. It wasn’t your fault, Luke. It was no one’s fault. It just happened. It was all an accident,” she reassured him.

Luke glanced at the coffin and stepped closer to peer at his buddy inside. “I was just caught up in the moment. I didn’t think that he had a family to go home to. I egged him, Shaina.”

“You told me this before, but don’t. Don’t beat yourself up, Luke. No one knew what would happen then. Not even Ace. I understood that he just wanted to have a little fun. There was no harm in it… It just happened…” Her eyes became misty again. “Maybe… it was God’s plan.”

Luke gazed at her. “I promise to help you if you need it,” he vowed, touching her shoulder lightly.

“Get your hands off her, Luke. You’re my friend, but you can’t touch my wife in any way, okay?” Wallace stood between his widow and his colleague. His eyes started to burn.

Luke withdrew his hand when he felt something cold touch his skin. His eyes darted to Wallace in the coffin.

“Thank you, Luke,” Shaina said to him, with a small toothless smile.

***

Wallace’s heart seemed to be wrung inside his chest. Although technically, he knew he had no heart anymore, he could still feel the pain of watching his wife lament as his coffin was lowered into the rectangular hole that had white cloths around it to cover the ugly, cold earth. He stood there while Paola tried to console his widow.

“Ace! Why did you leave me? Why?” Shaina kept asking.

“Hey, let’s go and let them do their work,” Paola coaxed her gently, referring to the grave diggers as they began to cover the coffin with soil. “Ace wouldn’t like seeing you like this, so come on. Let’s go and let your husband rest.”

Shaina sobbed hard, and Paola hugged her, rubbing her back to at least make her feel better. Some neighbors and distant relatives watched as the coffin was covered. Some already left, but some took their packed snacks with them.

Wallace took a deep breath, even though he knew he did not need it. It seemed like he was still living and doing things that the living people do. He caught someone staring at his wife, but he could not see his face as the latter turned away and suddenly dropped to his knees.

“What’s wrong with him?” Wallace was about to approach the mysterious man. However, his attention was taken by Paola when she exclaimed Shaina’s name. He found out his widow fainted again, and some of their neighbors brought her to the van, which was owned by Mark. They lay her down on the long seat, while Hilda took the children to another vehicle to not be alarmed.

“What happened to Mama, Lola? Is she also going to sleep here like Papa?” Spencer asked.

“No, no, buddy. Your mom wouldn’t. She’s going to take care of you,” Wallace murmured and tried to touch his son. But then again, his hand went through his son’s head like air.

“No, Spencer. Don’t say that. Your mama will be fine. You’ll see,” Hilda assured her grandson. Her own eyes welled with tears. His mother’s nose and eyes were already red from crying hard earlier.

When Wallace glanced at his fresh grave, he could not see the mysterious man anymore. He was nowhere to be seen. It was a bit weird why that man bugged him, as though he had seen him before.