Just in Time.

The needle hand on my watch passed the hour hand at the 12 mark and I expected my alarm to be buzzing in about two minutes. Did I really sleep? I was sure that Dodie and I were having crab cakes at our favorite restaurant, and we then headed to her place to laugh at the late-night comedy reels on her tilted plasma LED TV. 

I then drove back here at 5 am and mushed into my bed, eyes half open watching the blue slivers that peeked from the curtains.

I got up eventually, and my black dress and jewelry neatly set out on my desk and then I know I was indeed, sleeping.

Eventually, the blue light shifted to yellow behind the curtains and although it called me to open them, I couldn’t.

Gotten ready and I left my room to see Dad all set in his black suit, and mother outside on the phone still in her night robe, and she walks in frantically. 

“Honey, we’ve got a problem with the casket. It’s Broken, BROKEN, can you believe it? They’re furnishing another one and I don’t trust them. Should we send your brother Barry?

“Mom, I think I’ll go,” I said, surprised at my words

“What, you sure you could go alone?” Dad worried as he held my hand.

“Yeah, I could really use the distraction.”

And with that, I was in the hearse with the tempered driver, 1 hour to the mortuary in Culvercot. We stopped eventually when the lights went red and not too far away a church stood proud, at the doorway, a bride in silk satin white and an array of women in turquoise stood around, the bride’s nervous laugh, a sweet bass to the distant piano playing inside.

It took me to a similar day.

Why isn’t Dodie here already?” Hushed questions sprung in every corner of the aisle of the church

Here too, there was a flock of wide-eyed guests, a ring boy who took the opportunity to declare proposals every chance he got, uncles who gobbled on stolen snacks from the food hall, in an attempt to salvage the waiting time and the nervous tap of a groom’s foot as he waited by the aisle.

I overheard whispers among the guests.

“Grandma look, doesn’t Matt look too nervous? He’s sweating a little too abnormally.

“Ah, that is the face of a groom with cold feet.”

Finally, the town car did make its way through the gates, dashing over the humped concrete, in a very Dodie style, she came out, smiling and my mum frantically fixing her make-up. 

She marched to the aisle twirling her fingers to the band to get ready and everyone stood up, relieved sighs brushing alongside.

“Why are you late?” I whispered in my forced smile. “Don’t tell me a story that you magically swam in a pool of wine coolers, or something whimsical like your bridal bouquets flying all over the road”

“Relax Rita, I'm just in time.

The music began and the bridesmaids started walking upfront.

I adjusted her train and got ready, “Someday Dodie, you’re going to be late for your own funeral.”

"Perfect, just like I want." She winked at me and held Dad’s arm. 

As I walked down I realized the groom was indeed sweating buckets, his white shirt developed an off-white. 

Dodie made her bridal entrance, walking up to him, the groom gestured to the priest and bent down and whispered to her ear. What followed was a couple of gasps as he declared he didn’t want to marry her.

Mum always said it was because they were late that day, and it gave him too much time to think. Dodie decided it was for the best eventually as she might have spared herself future pain. I thought the same too.

The lights turned green as I sat in the hearse, watching the happy couple jumps into their limousine blowing kisses off to the teary-eyed crowd.

Once we signed off from the mortuary, with her body in the casket delivered in the hearse.

“Alright then, the casket’s placed in, let’s go.” The driver shouted from the back door as I stepped in and sat beside the closed casket.

I had only one glance at her prettied-up face, in her favorite blue dress.

It must have been too quiet because we both jumped at the ring of my phone.

I picked it up, “Hey Mom.”

“Rita dear, How did it go?” She sniffled from the other end.

“All good Mom got another casket and she looks fine. How are the preparations there?”

“The “Beatles medley” Accapella group she likes has arrived, the hall all decorated in blue, 70s themed, just like how she would have wanted it.”

My hands brushed the teal on the casket. “ For someone who was born in the 80s, she had a weird obsession with the 70s.”

“Well, it was the year of Beatles.”

“True. Alright, Mum, we’ll be there soon.”

Although it did feel like I’d be there soon, I couldn’t help but feel an odd feeling in my stomach, like how something might go wrong.

It must have been just minutes from the call, but there was a jerk and I slid to the front of the hearse holding the casket from both sides.

The driver grumbled and got out of the van opening up the front hood.

“What’s the matter?” I called out from inside.

“Well if you dint notice, the car broke down.”

“Okay, I’m sure we can arrange another vehicle from the mortuary."

“I would, but dint anyone tell you? It’s strike day.” 

“Oh God, it’s a Sunday. What’s the strike for”

“Fair pay for drivers and mechanics.” He looked at me nonchalantly.

I felt my fingers curl up, “Okay I see. I’ll pay you double then. Get another vehicle.”

“ I just said. It’s a strike.” He paused,” You know what lady, I don’t like your tone.”

He threw the keys at me. “I’m joining the strike.”

“Are you being serious?”

“Dead serious.” He gestured to the casket whilst walking away.

My palms were clammy as I opened the back door, realizing I was stuck in the middle of the road with a broken van and my dead sister Dodie inside.

“You know what, thanks for nothing. I’ll figure it out” I shouted back as I looked back at the van.

These familiar words hit me like deja vu, from another day.

“We’ll figure it out, okay”, her hand casually rested on the wheel as she swerved an icy path.

“Oh Dodie, Please don’t give me that nonsense.” I ripped at my scarf. “We’re going to be late for Christmas. I should have just taken the bus.”

“Oh Rita, Please Santa’s not going to take back your presents. He’s not that kind of guy that just takes back your presents even if you didn’t show up” She spewed at the last word.

“Dodie, I’m 13. I know there is no Santa.” I chided back as I looked upon my dying cellphone, checking how many miles left to reach home.

“What?” She shouted, her hand to her temples dramatically. “Who told you?”

“Dodie, I never believed, in the first place.” 

“You smart but very pessimistic kid.” She chuckled. 

“Just, take the next right after this turn okay, and then it's just 30 miles to home.”

The car suddenly jerks and we slowly come to a stop. I can see smoke behind fogging the back glass.

“What happened?” 

Her eyes widened and she got out to check.

“Uh-oh Looks like the car broke down.” 

“What?” I stomped out of the car and picked out my phone in search of cell reception.

“I’m calling Mom to send someone,” I took out my cell and saw it was soon to die.

“Relax kiddo, we should get a cab or something?”

“Dodie, It’s the 24th of December and we’re stuck on a road with no cars. Why do you think that is?” My phone flung on the icy footpath.

She clicked her boots and stomped towards me.” Why are you shouting?”

“I’m..I’m mad at you. What’s your excuse this time?”

“What do you mean?” She folded her arms.

“You knew that this was my first Christmas after boarding school. You could have arrived early but as always, I was the last one to be picked up.”

“I really did leave on time.”

“Oh yeah, and what happened?”

“Things got in the way Rita, you know I always try.

“Well try harder. It was embarrassing to look like I had no one to pick me up.”

I walked back to the front seat and got in, rolling my windows down.

She held her arms fending from the cold, “You’re going to be home soon. I promise. I’ll find a way.”

“Yeah good luck, let me know when Santa’s reindeers magically arrive.”

I sat at the hood fiddling with my bag.

“Rita, relax. You never know, we might find help. You just have to seek it.”

I looked at my watch. “We’re officially late for Christmas. You know Dodie, someday you’re going to be late for your own funeral.”

As I looked up, She ran up to the road waving her hands up and down to a driving vehicle, and it did indeed stop.

After an exchange of pleasantries, she turned to me, gesturing to hop in.

——

I wasn’t sure how long I stood frozen by the road, but the sound of a beeping RV caught my attention, double the size of the hearse and it was passing my way. I wiped my tears that gripped at my chin.

I had only one choice.

I charged for the road and raised both my arms in protest at the driving van, my eyes closed before the screeching of the tires. My eyes slowly opened to reveal the front hood an inch away from my nose.

A man’s head popped out behind the front door, “ Lady if you need a ride there are other signals to make up stop.”

I rested my arms, “Sorry, I thought this was the only way.”

A couple of more heads popped to the front window, instruments gripped at their hands.

What followed was a couple of words from my mouth entailing “Funeral” and “Dead Sister” and “Casket” and nevertheless, with a couple of helping hands we got her in and set off for the funeral.

“We’re heading for the nationals tomorrow. Do you want to listen to us sing?” The youngest of 10 teenagers sat by my side.

“Sure.”

Their pretty pastel outfits seemed a complete offset to my long black dress and the wine red casket that sat by my side.

The man in charge passed me a cookie giving me his condolences.

My cell rang and I waited for the rambling, “ Rita, I got your text. This is crazy. and things are not so great here. "

“Mom, What’s wrong?”

“Aw, well it’s past 2. The guests are hungry, the rain, oh did I tell you it's raining?

“Mum,”

“Well, it brought down the decorations and worst of the worst,”

“Mum,”

 “those wretched Accapella singers left. That was Dodie’s favorite group”

“Mum.”

“What?”

I took a deep sigh, “We’ll figure it out.”

“How? everything’s ruined. This was not how she wished her funeral to be."

“I'm coming in 20 minutes, you could serve the guest wine coolers we got.”

“What? Rita, you sound just like-” she held her words.

“Yeah, it will keep them busy," I assured.

“And for the singing group.” I paused looking at the kids, “I’ve got one.”

——-

The rain did indeed keep going, but so did the rest of the funeral and with the entrance of a shy gleaming sun, every stone scattered over the green meadows, the open tent, and the church gleamed, the sky a sad blue. And the guests seemed to be double in number of what we originally anticipated. 

The kids from the competition did sing Dodie her favorite Beatles song, it was off-key, but no one minded.

My throat cleared, as I tapped at the mic, 

“Hello everybody, I see everyone took the 70s theme seriously.” A couple of haughty laughs followed from behind.

 “So I left my eulogy speech back in the van we left with, but it’s okay I didn’t like that one anyway.” The tired crowd seemed to bubble.

“I know we’re late, but you’re probably accustomed to this, knowing Dodie.” I glanced at her, laying in the casket.

“You know when I woke up today, I expected it to go as per my plan, no hiccups. No kind of mishaps for my sister's funeral. But it did happen, and I was stuck. And for the first time ever, I realized, I did not know what to do without Dodie. Before, All I ever had to do was call her, anytime something went wrong.” I paused.

“She’d make it worse.” The crowd giggled.

“But she was there for you. And today, I thought to myself, what would Dodie do? And then I knew.”

“She was never afraid to ask for help, for love. And as much as I miss her, we all miss her… she’s never really gone.”

Mum and Dad watched with tears filled to the brim of their eyes. A reflection of my own face.

“And ladies and gentlemen," I begin to laugh wiping my tears, " she really, was late to her own funeral.”