Forbidden Fruit

CAPITOLO SESSANTA-Bittersweet

"Amen." Came a solemn affirmation from the congregation.

Everyone who knew KD or had been impacted by his life had came out to say their final goodbyes. Those who lived with him in the trap house, the brotherhood, his classmates, even some of his teachers. The church building was packed to the brim but the people inside were broken and hollow.

"Now this service today was put together by the family and loved ones of our dear young brother Khalil, and one of the things I love and admire about their process is that even though there was grief and heartache in the formation of it, they continuously made sure that every song, every word and every message was a reflection of the bright, loving and humorous soul which was, as he was known to everyone as –KD. One particular memory I have of this process was the selection of the songs. Normally it can be a struggle for loved ones to remember or decide what should be chosen but with this family, I'm sure not even a second had passed before they'd all chorused the name of this one film. Now forgive me if I don't remember the title too well but I'm sure it was called acts of sis–"

"Sister Act 2." The majority of the church relays followed by a light buzz of chuckles at the pastor's mistake.

The pastor smiles as he settles down from his own brief laughter, "Yes, Sister Act 2. Naturally I was a little confused by what they'd said until they explained that Khalil was very fond of the movie, so much so that he'd make it a mission to make sure that anyone he'd spent time with would watch it with him at least once, sometimes even more than that..."

Off the back of that statement, the Giovanni sisters were immediately blessed with the memory of the first time they'd watched the film with KD via his request and how he would so effortlessly get into the roles of his favourite characters Ahmal and Tyler, particularly when Ahmal impressed the crowd with the high note he belted out in the song 'Oh Happy Day'. The memory, though brief, managed to put a small smile on the girls' faces and lift their mood ever so slightly, but the feeling was only fleeting as the sadness and sorrow of reality came crashing back down onto them.

They'll never have another moment like that with KD again.

"So, to start of this celebration of life service, I'd like to invite the choir up here once again and ask the congregation to stand as we sing one of Khalil's favourite songs from the movie: His eyes is on the sparrow."

Right on cue, the pianist begins to play the beautiful melody of the song while the choir take formation on the pulpit. Gravely, the whole congregation rises from their seats, some turning to the first page of their funeral programmes to reveal the lyrics to the song. Others wipe away the ever forming tears swelling in their eyes and swallow the lump of grief in their throats, all in preparation to sing along with the choir.

"Why should I feel discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart feel lonely?
And long for heaven and home..."

o o o

Despite the Anderson brothers efforts to make the service as lighthearted and joyful as KD, the grief and sorrow sealed in by the reality of the loss of the young man soiled and dampened even the brightest moments of the service and the mood of everyone present. So much so, that as the service lingered on, the pain and misery felt by everyone in the pews continued to ache and grow within their hearts.

It was agonising.

"...Death has never been the easiest pill to swallow. It's the one thing in our nature that is indeed certain, that we are more than aware of the inevitability of it, yet it's still the only thing we struggle to accept and it causes the most chaos and destruction to one's soul. And as I look across the many faces in the congregation today..."