My Body Was Left Unclaimed for Five Years

Five years had slipped by since I had passed, yet my remains languished, untouched, at the local funeral parlor. My dearest friend, Wendy Brown, had exhausted her funds, only managing to secure a place for a week. She was informed that without purchasing a burial plot soon, cremation was inevitable. Lacking a family member's signature, the fate of my ashes would be entirely up to the funeral home's discretion. In a state of desperation, Wendy reached out to Caleb Sullivan. "Caleb, will you really abandon your own sister's remains for your god-sister?" Caleb responded with a derisive laugh, "Are you spinning a yarn just for effect? If she was intent on dying, she should have done it thoroughly instead of returning after two days!" Left with no options, Wendy proceeded with having my body cremated. Clutching the death certificate, she then made her way to Caleb's residence. ***** As Wendy rapped on the door, Caleb was engrossed in dinner with Stella Stevens. Outside, the rain battered down, and pressed for time, Wendy hadn't thought about bringing an umbrella. She was utterly drenched. The villa was aglow with lights, and a servant swiftly appeared at the door. Stella sneered as Wendy entered, "Hold on! Who allowed you to traipse in here, bringing all that muck and water?" Ignoring her, Wendy marched up to Caleb and slapped the death certificate on the dining table. "Sarah is gone for good! You're her brother. Aren't you going to step up?" Caleb calmly placed his chopsticks down, dabbing his hands with a neatly folded napkin. He didn't even spare Wendy a glance. "I get it. You're all after money. Have Sarah return and apologize to Stella. I'll ensure you're amply rewarded." Fury flushed through Wendy, and she shoved the paper under Caleb's nose. "I've told you countless times, she's gone! Gone! How on earth could she make amends? Here's the death certificate. If you don't take my word for it, surely this piece of paper stands as evidence?" Caleb's eyes narrowed, clear annoyance etched across his features as he began to reply. Just then, Stella stormed in, snatching the certificate and ripping it to pieces with a few fierce tugs. "Who would trust something like that? You're supposed to be Sarah's closest confidante. Caleb won't buy into your story!" Wendy stared at the fragments fluttering to the floor, her eyes wide with shock. Beside her, Caleb continued to back Stella. "Stella has a point. I only have one sister now, and I severed ties with Sarah a long time ago. If she refused to apologize back then, it's time for you to leave." I hovered unseen, offering a wry smile that mirrored Wendy's distressed expression. I never imagined that Caleb would still be fixated on receiving an apology after all these years. With her voice thick with emotion, Wendy retorted, "How could Sarah have a brother like you?" She turned to walk away, but just as she reached the door, something I had said to her five years ago stopped her in her tracks. Holding back her tears, she said with a choke, "Sarah's deepest wish was to be laid to rest with the family. "Her remains are at the funeral home on Glory Road. If no one from the family signs the necessary documents in three days, they'll be disposed of. "Caleb, do with that knowledge what you wish." After Wendy exited the villa, she collapsed onto the roadside, overcome with grief. I followed, settling beside her as she wept into her hands, murmuring apologies, "Sarah, sorry, I tried. I really tried." "I understand," I mouthed silently back, wrapping her in a comforting embrace.