My mom died that night. Amora found her.
“Roman. Roman.” She called out as she tapped me. I lazily opened my eyes and saw Amora. There were tears in her eyes and I panicked. The remaining traces of sleep in my eyes cleared and I jumped out of bed. My eyes looked deeply into Amora’s, quizzing her, wanting to know what made her cry.
“It’s Nicole. Roman, she’s gone. She’s gone.” Her shoulders shook as she sobbed. I walked out of my room speedily and entered the room my mom slept in, Amora behind me. I looked at my mom on the bed. She didn’t look dead, she looked like she slept and I swear, there was a smile on her face. I sat beside her and I held her hand, they were cold.
“No,” I said. “You can’t be dead.”
I knew she was going to die for so many weeks and that evening when we danced in the beach, I thought I was ready to lose her but as I looked at her body still and lifeless on the bed, I then knew that there was no preparation in the world that could actually have you prepared to lose the ones you love.
“Mom!” I called out and the tears poured. “Mom!” I shook her this time but she was still. The ache in my head was painful and the dryness of my throat hurt. My mom didn’t answer. She couldn’t. She was dead.
“Amora.” I finally said. I don’t know why I called her but she rushed to me the moment I did and she embraced me. I cried and she cried with me.

My mom was buried a week after she died.
“For dust thou art, and unto dust shall thou return.” I heard the officiating minister say. The pain I felt was physical, from the agony in my head, to the burn in my chest, to the cramp in my belly. My eyes were tired from crying and they were just dry. Amora stood beside me and she held my hand. She held onto it so firmly and the warmth that flowed from her hand through my body somehow comforted me as I watched my mom being put in the ground. Derek and Sally were there and Mrs. Harris too and a few of her friends and a few of my colleagues from work. They all came and gave their condolences.
“Roman. I’m so sorry man.” Derek said and stretched out his hand for a shake but I hugged him instead.
“Thanks for coming.” I said and I detached myself from him. “You too Sally. Thanks for coming.”
Then I saw him, an older version of him. I saw my dad. I couldn’t help it. What the hell was he doing here? He needed to leave immediately. I walked up to him. He had aged. The corners of his eyes were wrinkled and his beards had a tint of grey in them.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“Roman?” he asked.
“It’s me dad. I asked what the hell you are doing here.” I sneered.
“I’m here for your mother.” The moment the words came out of his mouth, I gave him a hard blow across his face and he staggered and fell and everybody gasped.
“You bastard.” I yelled. “You heartless bastard. She begged to see you before she died, all she wanted was to see you.”
“Roman please.” Amora wailed.
“Amora you stay out of this.” I tried hard not to shout at her. “That woman loved you till she died. She loved you more than life even after everything you put her through. Not once did you show your face to her. Not once did you apologize and you have the nerve to come when she is already dead? To her funeral?” I couldn’t believe it. I just couldn’t believe it.
“Roman please, let me explain.” He pleaded from the ground. The side of his mouth was stained with blood but I didn’t care.
“Listen old man, if you don’t want your funeral to be next, get the hell out of this place and never show your face to me again. Leave! Now!”
He scrambled up to his feet and ran. I turned and everybody looked at me and Amora was on her knees crying. I ran to my car and drove home. I entered my bedroom and I locked the door. I didn’t want to see anybody. I didn’t want to talk to anybody. I just wanted to be alone.

Amora knocked on my door a few hours later but I ignored her, then she came back at night.
“Roman, please open the door. You need to eat something.”
She knocked and knocked and knocked but I didn’t move, I didn’t have the strength. I was grieving and I wanted to do it alone. I curled up on the bed and forced myself to sleep. The angry knock on the door the next morning woke me.
“Roman! Open this door right now!” Amora yelled and I swear, I thought she was going to kick down the door but she started crying. I heard her sobs through the door and I jolted out of bed. I hated to see Amora cry, more so if I was the reason for her tears. I walked to the door and I sat in front of it.
“Amora. Please don’t cry. I’m fine.”
“I’m not leaving this spot until you come out of this room. You want to lock yourself in there forever? Fine. I will sit in front of your door forever too. You want to starve yourself? I will starve too. You want to kill yourself? I will kill myself too.” She said sobbing. I smiled and closed my eyes. I enjoyed how she loved me. I loved how she loved me.
“You don’t really want to kill yourself, Amora.” I said and unlocked the door.
“I swear I’d do it, if that what you want.” She wiped her nose angrily and looked up at me. I sat in front of her. Her cheeks were stained with tears and her eyes looked like she hadn’t caught much sleep.
“I’m sorry. Don’t cry anymore. I’m just scared.”
“Why?”
“That you’d leave me too just like my mom.”
Amora knelt before me. “I will never leave you. You have no idea how much I love you. You are my world.” She said and then plastered her lips on mine and kissed me.
“I love you Amora. Right now, it’s only you. You are the only thing that makes sense.” I drew her close and locked her in my arms.