I woke up from the ringing sound of my handphone.
"Grandma just passed away this morning." mum said.
Collecting my thoughts, I said, "When do you want me to come back?"
She said aunt JB was coming back this afternoon, along with my cousins, and told me to liase with them.
My mum sounded calm, but I could hear her voice just a little muffled.
When she hung up, I sat on the top bunk and waited a bit.
Then I lay down on my pillow and said a little prayer.
♠
I called my cousin and we decided to meet up at Keranji mrt.
I arrived early and took my morning meal, thinking I'd need the strength for the long trip home.
My cousin brother arrived carrying a luggage, similarly we walked towards the bus stand and caught up with the happenings in our lives.
Walking towards the Singapore custom, we talked. We havent met for quite some time, and he went back for a while back attending to grandma in the hospital.
He told a few stories, bout people who had been there, watching over grandma.
One after another, the children came back and watched over her.
I nodded and listened.
♠
Arriving at the JB airport, we took lunch.
Senai airport sux, there's only Marrybrown around. I was craving for old fast food restaurant. Where's KFC when we need em.
Vow to myself never to eat at Marrybrown ever again, we walked towards the departure, waiting for the plane to arrive.
Just as we sat down, I saw a familiar couple striding in.
I cried out to my aunt and uncle. Uncle sat down with the baggages while aunt went to freshen up.
I asked uncle, how's aunt holding up.
He whispered, "Havent you notice her red eyes? Been crying since this morning."
When aunt came out and sat down, I asked her how's she holding up.
She hold my hands and said something, I couldnt remember what she said, but I remembered hugging her and offered her some sweets.
When the plane arrived, we hold up our bags and marched in along with the masses.
For the life of me, I cant remember so many people at the airport on a Tuesday.
♠
Arriving at Sibu, aunt's eldest daughter arrived to pick us up.
We met up Kch aunt in Sibu, she flew in from Kuching.
I was lagging behind after puking my stomach contents out in the plane's toilet.
Basically I spent most of my time holding up the toilets.
My cousin Ling brought us for dinner. Her eldest son was reaching my armpit's height, the last I saw him, he was this cute little boy my uncle couldnt stop picking up.
Now I couldnt get him to shut up. How time passes.
Still groggy, Ling ordered many food. I'd love to eat, but the stench threw me off.
Taking a walk, I called B and nat.
Then I gathered my stomach muscles and went back into the restaurant.
I missed Sarawak's food, unfortunately I could only do best with soup.
After filling ourselves, we took the taxi home to Sarikei.
I prayed for my stomach to behave, at least till we reached home.
♠
Taxi was fast. But not enough faster for my stomach.
As soon as we reached the ferry point, I asked Kch aunt properly to let me out cos I'd like to puke again.
Then I hurled on the grassy side road with Kch aunt patting my back and offering me tissue and water.
We walked into the ferry cause we werent sure when I was going to throw up again.
When I gathered all my nerves, I sat back into the taxi.
JB uncle was teasing me bout how he wasnt sure if I was pregnant or not. *sigh, mum's been telling auntie stories again.
By the time we reached my house in Sarikei, everybody was gathered at my Skei uncle and aunt house.
When we reached there; mum and the rest of the siblings with their respective partners were there.
After finished greeting everyone, I washed my face and mouth, sat down and start filling up the contents I threw up earlier. And listened to stories.
Every household has their stories. Mine's no different.
But that night, it was mainly bout catching up with each other; as one whole family.
JB uncle was teasing me bout never ending hurling and how aunt even cleaned up my stomach content when I could barely made it into the plane's toilet. She even said that one of the stewardess helped her out.
Sad event as it was, I was never happier to be home.
It was somber, but not quite.
All my grandma's children dressed up in white, the children of the men wore yellow.
And then time came to go to the hospital.
