Excerpt: Fish out of Water

It was deceptively sunny the day of the funeral, autumn’s first chill sneaking into the breeze that was trying to free my dark hair from the tie that held it back.
I stood next to my dad, his hand clutched tightly in mine. Jonah was on my other side. He shakily tried to take my hand, but I allowed my fingers to slip through his so that our hands fell away.
He didn’t try again.
I was wearing a black dress that my mom had worn just two weeks earlier. I could still smell her in the fabric. Every time a sob threatened to escape my tight-lipped mouth, I would breathe in deeply and imagine her standing with me.
“Lily Westynn left behind a loving husband, Neil Westynn, and daughter, Lorelei Westynn. She will be greatly missed. Let us pray now for her soul’s journey…” the minister’s words were lost in my ears as I focused on remaining standing. I could hear the distance crash of the ocean and I shuddered whenever I heard the waves break.
Closing my eyes, I allowed a few tears to drip onto my face. I felt Jonah’s eyes on me and turned away.
“You alright Lori?” my dad breathed into my ear.
“Lila…” I replied weakly.
“What?” he asked, bending down closer to me.
“Call me Lila. Lila-lou….” I whispered into my jacket. He was quiet for a moment. Then his hand left mine, only to be placed around my shoulder.
“Ok Lila, it’ll be ok…”