“What do you say about visiting Wenzo’s funeral?” I asked him.
His eyes widened, and he didn’t answer right away. “Ravael?”
“Uh, sorry, I was spacing out. What was it?”
“It’s been 7 days since he was reported dead. My friends invited me to attend the last day of his funeral.”
“What about you? I mean… You two had something going on before. Are you okay with visiting him?”
"It's his funeral now. And… I've forgiven him. It took me a while, and there were days I didn't think I could. His death wasn't the solution I was longing for. But holding a grudge against someone who's already gone… especially someone who was taken so violently… it doesn't feel right. It wouldn't bring me peace, so I chose to forgive. Not because what he did was okay, but because I don't want to carry that weight in my heart anymore."
“If you’re okay with it, then I’m okay with it as well.”
“Thank you, Ravael.”
***
We arrived at the destination. All are wearing white, including me. There were plenty of visitors who weren’t familiar to me. Some stood in small circles talking quietly, others sat on elegant chairs arranged neatly across the lawn. There were flowers everywhere, not simple wreaths, but grand arrangements, white lilies, orchids, roses, and carnations that filled the air with a floral, sweet scent.
“I have a favor to ask,” Ravael uttered.
“What is it?”
“I’ll wait for you in front of the funeral home. Give me a call if you’re done.”
“You’re not coming inside?”
He shook his head.
“But why?”
“Wenzo and I weren’t close to begin with. I only had one moment with him, and that was when I hung out at his house with Kevin and TJ. Besides, social gatherings aren’t my thing.”
“Okay, I understand.”
He pushed my wheelchair carefully and placed me near the aisle. He glanced at me and gave me a warm smile, as if he was cheering me on without saying a word. Ravael has his reasons for not coming inside with me, and I respect his decision. He's been so supportive in his own quiet way, and I didn't want to push him.
Inside, the hall was fuller than I expected. So many people had come for Wenzo's last day of the funeral. I looked around but didn't see Lyca yet. Frances couldn't make it, though she sent her regards and asked us to pass along her condolences to the family. That meant a lot to me, knowing she was there in spirit even if she couldn't be here in person.
Then two familiar faces caught my eye. They were standing off to the side, talking to an elderly visitor. I waited patiently until they were done, and when the older woman walked away, I gently rolled my wheels and made my way toward them. My heart felt a little lighter seeing someone I recognized in such a big, unfamiliar crowd.
“Good afternoon, Ma’am and Sir,” I greeted Wenzo’s parents, Sir Lorenzo and Ma’am Rowena. “I am so sorry about the loss of your only son.”
The mother nodded slowly when she saw me approaching. She is gentle and graceful. The father, Sir Lorenzo, gave me a soft, kind smile, even though one could tell he was tired. His hair was well-polished, not a single strand out of place. He still wanted to look dignified even on such a painful day. And Ma'am Rowen wore nude matte lipstick, simple but sophisticated. It made her look both strong and delicate at once.
My chest aches a little. They reminded me so much of how much they must be hurting, yet they still found it in their hearts to smile and greet everyone. I wanted to say something comforting, but for a moment, I just felt grateful to be welcomed by them.
"I'm one of Wenzo's classmates. I also became his tutor for a while. He was a bright student with such a good sense of humor, too. He was generous, and he really loved being around his friends. You could always see him with someone because he knew how to make people feel included."
“Tutor?... Are you Shamikha?” Sir Lorenzo asked, staring at me in a wheelchair, maybe he realized something. He glanced at his wife. “Is she the girl Wenzo was talking about?”
“Yes, Sir,” I confirmed.
I don’t really know what things Wenzo told his parents about me, but I guess I was the only Shamikha that Wenzo knew.
"We had never met you in person. Our son insisted on your hospital arrangements himself, which is why we weren't able to visit you. At the time, we were working overseas and couldn't return home right away." He extended his hand to shake mine. “How are you doing?”
“I’m doing well, Sir. My medications and therapy are ongoing with the help of a friend.”
"Yes, I heard that you moved out of your house. Wenzo was searching for you. After that, we unfortunately lost all news of you. We were confused as to why Wenzo suddenly stopped requesting money for your medication. He simply told us that you were no longer in contact with him. We were genuinely worried about you, but our son insisted that we not meddle any further."
"That's true, sir. We had a little misunderstanding. I didn't want to accept any financial help from your family because I didn't want to be a burden or depend on you."
“But how did you finance yourself? You were still a student. Did you graduate?”
“I didn’t graduate, Sir. I couldn’t because of what happened to my legs. But a kind friend of mine let me live in his house, supported me. Then I got an online job recently.”
"I'm sorry you didn't get to graduate with your batch. Our son bears responsibility for this, and yet he didn't take good care of you until the end. Your therapy must be very costly. It would be best if you could receive treatment continuously for a faster recovery, isn't that what the doctors recommended before?" he asked.
“Yes, Sir. A physical therapist would be ideal for my condition… that’s what they said.”
"Then there is hope that you will recover, so why don't we seize that opportunity? We will fund your continued therapy."
That was an unexpected response from the father of Wenzo.“O-Oh-”
"We will also sponsor your final year of college, all the way until you graduate. You only have one year left, and it would be a waste to let that opportunity slip away. Our son has caused these problems for you, and we want to make things right. Once you've completed your therapy and graduated, you will be free. What do you say?" he smiled, trying to convince me to say yes.
“This is embarrassing…” I whispered.
He motioned his arms openly, “Come on, we wanted to help you.”
“It was hard not to say no,” I whispered, looking at the white, polished, shiny floor.
He embraced me. “Good, dear.” He placed his hand in his breast pocket. “Don’t forget to connect with us.” He handed me a card, a calling card with his name. “Don’t hesitate to give us a call to process everything.”
I didn't know Wenzo's father could be this thoughtful and kind. He seems a bit intimidating at first, but he's actually really approachable once you start talking to him. It caught me off guard, in a nice way.
“…Thank you, Sir…” I said with a deep appreciation.
Of course, this is their way of silencing me, don’t they?
I gazed at Ma’am Rowena. “Thank you, Ma’am.”
The wife is with her blank expression.
To my surprise, she shook my hand and leaned closer towards me. "We've located the driver of the vehicle that struck you and fled the scene."
My eyes widened. Everything around me stopped for ten seconds.
“M-Ma’am?”
It was hard to tell if I heard it right. The words didn't quite sink in at first.
“Rowena, should we tell that to her?” Sir Lorenzo sounded concerned.
"She deserves to know. She is no longer a minor, and we have no contact with any of her relatives." She fixed her gaze on me. "You're an orphan, aren't you?"
“Yes, Ma’am… How did you find the driver?”
"The police assisted us, along with several staff members in our employ. It took longer than anticipated to track down the culprit, but they did what could be done. The better news is that the culprit never left the country. We are prepared to apprehend her at any moment. We’ve hired people to keep her under twenty-four-seven surveillance. In fact, we have been searching for you to obtain your approval."
It really baffled me how efficient Wenzo's parents are, not the police and the staff she mentioned, but them too. Everything seemed so organized and fast. They had everything under control. Maybe this is that 'power of money' people always talk about. I am starting to see it.
"We’ve already spoken with that woman and have been planning to file a case against her, even if the incident occurred several months ago. However, we require your consent to move forward with the case, as you are the primary victim in this matter."
“Will you give me at least a day to decide, Ma’am? I’ll contact you using Sir Lorenzo’s contact details.”
This is all a lot to take in, and being really sure about the decision is important. No rushing into something this big; it needs careful thought. Talking it over with someone trusted would help a lot. Ravael would be perfect for that, since there's no family or relatives around, and not really any other friends to turn to for something this sensitive. He and I are close, and he already knows the whole story about the accident.
Ma’am Rowena continued. “Besides, my son was simply dragged into the incident with you because you’re an acquaintance, then the hit-and-run happened out of nowhere.”
Her tone kind of made it feel like she never wanted her son to be involved with me at all. But since I was his tutor, they ended up dealing with all the headaches their son caused. As much as I feel the same way about wishing none of this had happened, there's really nothing I can do to undo everything between us. If only I had known he would do something like that to me, I never would have agreed to tutor him, even if he called me a snob for saying no. Honestly, none of this would have happened if Wenzo had treated me with respect and never harassed me inside his car.
Wait, don’t tell me…
“Uhm, do you happen to know the cause of why I ran and got hit?”
She glared at me. “Isn’t it because you two were playing? Good grief, Wenzo is so childish to play in the woods with his tutor.”
“Our boy is always adventurous,” Sir Lorenzo commented, grinning like a doting father to his spoiled son.
“It’s because you treated him loosely. He needs some discipline.”
“Come on. Don’t talk like that, like he’s still alive. Our dear son is not with us anymore. May the fond memories of him remain in our hearts instead.”
I became silent.
Playing? That word struck a nerve. I am definitely not playing with her son like we’re inside the dollhouse, role-playing as a husband and wife who kiss each other intimately! What he did wasn't some innocent and fun game. It was real, and it scared me.
Until the very end of Wenzo's life, he never once thought about telling his parents the whole truth. Yes, we had a deal. I would keep quiet about what happened, and in return, he would help pay for my healthcare needs. But the moment I stopped receiving that support… if he were a decent human being, he should have at least told his parents why he spent so much of their money on me. It wasn't because he cared; it was to pay for his guilt. And honestly? It feels like it's also paying for his parents' guilt for raising someone who could do something so hurtful.
They may not know what truly happened, and maybe they never will. But this whole arrangement, the money, the silence, the way they're still trying to take control. It must be their way of keeping me quiet to protect their own peace. It seems so unfair when I think about it. But maybe… we can make it fair on my side for once.
I stared at both of them. “Ma’am, Sir?”
“Yes, dear?” Sir Lorenzo responded.
The wife turned her eyes to me.
“I would like to give you my answer about the suspect.”
“Oh, what do you say?” Sir Lorenzo is intrigued.
“Let’s proceed with the case, please.”
They stared at me for quite a long time, speechless.
“Shamikha!” I got startled when someone called me.
“Hey, how are you?! Long time no see!” Lyca finally arrived. “Mr. and Mrs., I am deeply sorry for your loss.”
“We appreciate your visit here,” Sir Lorenzo replied to Lyca.
Sir Lorenzo glanced at me. “Excuse us.” He raised his eyebrows with a smile. “Shamikha, dear, we’ll connect with you for further details.”
“Thank you, Sir and Ma’am,” I responded.
They left and began entertaining the other guests by shaking their hands. They sit with them and talk.
“Oh, how has it been?” Lyca hugged me gracefully. I tightened my arms around her chest as I truly missed her.
“I’m doing better. Sooner or later, with the help of continuous therapy, I’ll be able to walk again. How are you?”
She had gained a little weight since the last time we saw each other. Her cheeks were puffier, and with her new short haircut, she actually seemed younger.
“Frances and I visited your house last time, but you weren’t there! You never replied to our messages. You ghosted us!”
“I didn’t want to worry all of you.”
"Yes, you did, girl! We literally heard nothing about you after graduation. And I couldn't even ask anyone about you 'cause, well… you don't really have any relatives."
“I am truly sorry for doing that… It won’t happen again.”
"As it should be! If you're going through something good or something totally rough, hit us up, and we'll be all ears. Maybe we can even help you out! I mean, that's what friends are for, right?"
I nodded, crying with all these mixed-up emotions. We laughed like high schoolers.
Me: We will eat snacks for an hour. Let’s eat together
Ravael: No, I’ll wait for you at the same spot. Have a great time.
Ravael still refused to come. Texted him in case he wanted some company. Waiting for me before we go home together must be boring.
We stopped by a dessert parlor.
“So, where do you live now?”
I paused eating my cake.
“A friend took me in temporarily.”
“That’s nice. Do I know that friend of yours?”
“Probably not. But he’s kind and takes care of me. I never had an issue with my medication because of him.”
“Him? So, he’s a dude. Never knew you had a male friend.”
“Uhm, I didn’t tell you, but yeah…”
“Good to know you’re in good hands. How about your therapy?”
"I actually found an online job that helps me with my finances now. I assist foreign clients from a different country. It's mostly answering their calls and helping them with little tasks. It's nothing too fancy, but it gives me some stability, and I'm really grateful for it. It feels nice to be able to support myself, even just a little."
"Ugh, that sounds like such a nice job, though! You get to work from home and chill whenever you want. Meanwhile, my job seriously sucks. I'm the newbie, so they love dumping all their extra work on me. No overtime pay or anything, a cheap 'thank you!' And don't even get me started on how they nitpick every little thing we do, then try to make up for it by bribing us with pizza. Um, hello? Pizza doesn't pay my bills!"
Working remotely is such a great blessing, especially for someone with a disability like mine. I don't have to struggle with commuting or worry about tiring myself out too much. But… I'm not fully happy being in this state. Not that I'm not grateful, because I truly am. There are times I miss the old me. The one who could go out freely, meet people, and live without having to think twice about every little movement.
“Oh, and get this. Our classmates, especially Wenzo's college circle, you know, those popular guys from the student council? They all showed up at the funeral a few days ago. I totally couldn't meet up with them 'cause of work, ugh. I'm so glad I got to see you instead!”
They had a small reunion at Wenzo’s funeral. A sad event that was supposed to be celebrated with each other’s milestones.
“I see.”
“By the way, any news regarding Jesse?” she asked.
“Why did you ask?”
“Well, we are originally four. The two of you are the closest. Wondering how she’s been. I had no connections to her at all.”
It was fun catching up with Lyca. So great to see her again! It felt like ages since we last had a proper chat. There go the two of us, eating plenty of sweets, laughing, and sharing stories like old times. Time flies so fast, doesn't it? I can't believe how much has changed, and yet some things still feel the same when we're together. I'm already looking forward to the next time we meet. Hopefully sooner than later.
“How was it?” Ravael asked, taking a spoonful of the hot peanut stew he cooked for us.
“I get to meet Wenzo’s parents.”
He raised his head, looking at me intensely. “What did they say?”
"They insisted on sponsoring my studies and my health, at least until I'm able to walk again. At first, I felt a little shy about accepting so much help. But they were really persistent about it, in a kind and gentle way, so in the end, I decided to take the opportunity they offered."
I told myself maybe it's okay to accept help sometimes, especially when people genuinely want to give it. And honestly… it made me feel a little less alone.
“Did they know about you and Wenzo?” he whispered.
“Most probably no. Wenzo must have kept it from them.”
We paused talking for a few seconds.
“Lyca is as energetic as before.”
I smiled. "That's true. We talked a lot, and we would've stayed for a few more hours if she didn't have work over the weekend. She's hardworking and is passionate about what she does. I only found out later that she and Frances visited my house after graduation, but we lost touch after that. I am guilty about cutting them off… but back then, I didn't want them to get involved in what happened between Wenzo and me. That was my way of protecting them. But now I'm not so sure if that was the right thing to do."
Ravael became silent.
“And… I will be meeting the driver who crashed her car into me.”
“H-How?” His eyebrows met, unexpecting what I announced. The same reaction I had when Sir Lorenzo and Ma’am Rowena told me about it. “Where did you find the culprit?”
“Wenzo’s parents got the information on tracking the suspect. They asked me if I would be willing to file a case against that woman, and I agreed.”
“Now, that’s good news… but are you sure about it?”
Maybe he sensed I was hesitant at first. Living under one roof for several months, he knows me well.
"I wish for a peaceful life. I thought it would be better to focus on getting better rather than opening up a case that would remind me of everything that made me end up like this. But when I saw how much Wenzo's parents were suffering, how broken they were because of their son's death… something in my heart shifted suddenly. Even though it was hard, I decided to go through with it. Not for revenge, but maybe… for a little bit of justice and closure."
He breathed a heavy sigh. This is too much to take for him, too. “I’ll support whichever your decision is.”
“Thank you.”
After helping out with washing the dishes, I went straight to my room. So much happened today, my mind still feels a little all over the place. I was about to sit down when Sir Lorenzo sent me a message.
Lorenzo Stanislao: Pardon me for messaging you late. This is Wenzo’s father. This is news that cannot wait. We will meet with Elana in two days to file a case against her. I hope you can join us.
I was expecting to simply greet Wenzo's parents and offer them my warmest condolences. But I never expected justice would come this fast. It all feels a little overwhelming now. I don't know how I'll react when I come face-to-face with that woman. My heart feels all mixed up with shock, nervousness, scared, but at the same time partly hopeful too.
“The wicked woman who hit me shall die.”