'He Was My Man' by Rachel Burrows

 

Kate watches Dad appear from the back. The pallbearers appear to be sashaying to the Nina Simone song. And, as if they’ve rehearsed it, they remove the coffin from their shoulders in time with the ba, ba ba, babababa ba. Dad would have found that hysterical. Feelin’ Good was an inspired choice - Rhian’s idea. The Floral Dance too. Dad spoke about Terry Wogan like they were best mates. He would have been devasted to realise he’d gone.

She is amazed at what Ro pulled off with the coffin - she had no idea that she was so talented – never given her much thought really. She had expected it to be easy, decorating it, but three wonky daffodils in, and she had had to admit defeat and call Ro for help.

He’d love this though! He’d be so proud of them.

 

Ro smiles as the bright yellow coffin makes its entrance. It feels joyful. There’s a stir of knowing laughter as the liquorice allsorts at the foot end become apparent. The bobbly ones had been hard to paint, but she couldn’t have left them off. Great tune too. Dad would have been so chuffed to see how the three of them had come together to plan this. Their unity was his lifetime’s wish.

When Kate finally relinquished control, her inner peace had been indescribable. Kate had seemed surprised to realise that Ro was a capable, grown woman.

Everything Ro had painted on the coffin reflected Dad’s life before the brain damage: the mackerel; the gorse wine; the beach. A beautiful man.

Rhian was getting up to read – a Dylan Thomas piece about the bay where Dad grew up, where The Hut was. The next time they went there it would be to scatter him. He’d be back at last.

 

Sue is mortified. What were the girls thinking putting John in a cardboard box? They were treating this like a party. The man she had loved, in vain at the end, was being danced down the aisle by strangers who looked like they were auditioning for Strictly. She does not feel good, even if that bloody woman singing does. Members of John’s squadron are here too! What must they think? She hasn’t had any say in today’s proceedings: their history was wiped clean by the divorce. Apparently, there won’t be any hymns. John hadn’t been a churchgoer, but you still needed hymns at a funeral. And now Dylan Thomas and that ruddy beach. Things had shifted in their marriage when she suggested selling The Hut.

The girls really have no idea what he was like!

She makes a mental note to plan her own funeral later.