Ellie had been wondering about the funeral. She wondered what it would be like. She had no idea who the kid had been, so didn’t know what she’d have liked. She expected something pretty awful, a lot of religion, and a lot of prayer, and Ellie and Sameh sitting down the back while people who had actually known the kid lied and said she was a good and happy person.
Lied, because she obviously wasn’t, since she’d ended up the way she did.
Ellie wondered if that was anything to do with her. She’d left Naomi because she’d been fifteen when she had her, and hadn’t been able to cope. She’d run away from her family, and into the army, but maybe she should have come back and got the kid too.
Ellie didn’t plan to say who she was, but people would work it out. They were going to stand out, Ellie and Sameh, especially since Sameh would be hugging Ellie. Ellie was expecting trouble. She was expecting snide comments, and glares, and being ready to grab Sameh’s arm, just in case.
Instead, there was no-one here.
They were standing in an empty, quiet church.