Secrets And Tea

Chapter 5

Rionna stood on her balcony overlooking the ocean. She breathed in the fresh air blowing in off the Atlantic. 

Tomorrow tourist season would be in full swing and she would be busy at the shop until the season was over.  

Already she could see tourists wandering down the beach. There were eight hotels, four inns and five bed and breakfasts in Witch's Cove alone. Aside from the docks where yachts and boaters lived. 

She sipped her tea as she listened to a group of kids screaming as they stepped into the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It brought a smile to her lips. Remembering her childhood years doing the same thing. 

Turning she went inside and shut the door to the balcony. She headed downstairs of her two story home and sat down at her piano. Placing her fingers along the keys she closed her eyes and began to play music. 

Once in a while at the shop she would bring a keyboard to play for guests to entertain them. Letting the music flow and her heartache at losing her ex boyfriend spread out in notes of sorrow and pain. 

She was winding down from her song when the doorbell rang. Getting up from the piano she opened her front door to find Thomas's parents standing there. 

"Mr. and Mrs. Leem? Is something wrong?" inquired Rionna, "Please come in. I'll make us some tea."

"Thank you dear, we appreciate it," stated Thomas's mother Leanne. The couple entered the home closing the door and joining her in the kitchen where she was already preparing the tea.

"We are making arrangements for Thomas's wake," Mr. Robert Leem stated, "As we already have his ashes we have decided to do a ceremony at Temple Park." 

"We would like you to say the rites of passing," Leanne said softly, "Robert and I talked and we think you would do the rites perfectly."

Tears sprang to Rionna's eyes. She was speechless at the prospect of doing the Rites of Passing. It was a big responsibility to help those who had passed move on and find peace. She didn't know if she would be up to the task to help Thomas's spirit move on to a better place.

At the same time she didn't want his spirit to linger either. Many poltergeist's and malicious ghosts became what they are because no one helped them to move on or after time they become resentful of not moving on to a better afterlife.

It'll take place in four weeks. We have signs up announcing the event for anyone who wants to come aside from family," Robert said, "Would you do the honors to help our son move on?"

Rionna swallowed, "I will do my best," she choked out.

"Thank you dear. We know this is hard for you, just as it is hard for us," remarked Leanne, "But we could think of no one better to do the honors than you."

The trio talked for a while longer before Mr. & Mrs. Leem left the house. Rionna felt her heart ache. No matter how she thought of it, pain always followed the words of Thomas's death. She wondered if the ache would ever go away. 

Sitting down at her table she placed her head on her arms and let her tears fall. Right now she didn't have to pretend that she was coping alright with Thomas's death. Here in her home that she had bought just a few months after he had left for the military she could weep for the loss of her best friend and lover. 

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Dusk settled over the island. Rionna sat on the verandah swing. Gently pushing it back and forth with her bare foot. She had moped around the house all day.

Hearing the sound of a car driving up her road she frowned. Getting up she headed for the front to see who was coming. A small smile came to her lips as Abigail stepped out of her little volkswagon carrying pizza, a six pack of beer and a bag filled to the brim with snacks.

"I figured you needed a friend. Thomas said that you were crying again," Abigail said as she stepped onto the front porch, "Inside or outside?" 

"Outside. I want to watch the sun set and the moon rise," stated Rionna. As she took the bag of snacks from her friend and they headed back to the swing. 

"You don't have to pretend to be strong Rionna, loss hurts us all. You and Thomas were a thing, but he felt that your breaking up was the best idea," reminded Abigail. The other woman cracked open a beer, slurping up the bubbles. 

"I'm not trying to be strong," denied Rionna, "I can't be sobbing in front of customers and friends all the time. I don't want people to feel that they have to walk on eggshells if they want to talk about losing Thomas."

"Stubborn woman," Abigail muttered, "You always were stubborn."

This brought a genuine smile to Rionna's lips. She could hear Thomas saying those exact words in her mind. He always hated her stubborn streak. 

"I am sure footed, not stubborn," She said with a haughty tone.

"Sure, sure and Mars is a star in the sky," grumped Abigail as she slugged back her drink, "I swear one day you're going to find someone just as stubborn and then you'll understand all of us who had to put up with you."

The two talked well into the night about memories they had of Thomas. It wasn't until midnight that Abigail left and inspired by talking to Abigail. Rionna sat down to write out the rite of passing for Thomas.

The rite of passing was a speech, followed by an incantation that would help the spirit cross over to the afterlife without regrets, sorrow. They would find peace and love.