Tarnished Armor
Part 145

Wildwind Chapel.

There’s a picture of Belinda at the front of the room, surrounded by flowers. The room is crowded.

Mateo is seated with Edmund. Trevor and Janet are sitting with Jack and Brooke.

Judge Carson is sitting by herself. Jake, Tad, Dixie, Opal, Joe, and Ruth are sitting with Adrian and Aunt Grace.

Myrtle is sitting with Stuart and Marian.

Hayley, Adam and Liza enter the chapel and sit by themselves.

Aunt Grace rises and goes to the front of the chapel.

Aunt Grace: Thank you all for coming. I guess I’ll start.

Aunt Grace glances at the photo of Belinda.

Aunt Grace: Lindy was very happy in Pine Valley. I think one of the things that was very important to Belinda was the idea of a home. And she really felt that this town was her home, in the best sense of the word. And you all were her family. Some of you were protective, as a big brother would be. Some of you were full of fire in the way that only family could be. And as time went on, and she felt the loss of Rose and Noah, this family became much more precious to her. Adrian, I hope you know how much she loved you. You gave her things that, for a very long time, she thought would never be hers. I guess what I’m saying is “thank you.” I’d like to thank you all for her, since she isn’t here to do it herself. Even though I know that Belinda, being like she was, said “thank you” in her own time and in her own way.

Aunt Grace goes to her seat and sits down. Opal pats her knee.

Trevor gets up and goes to the front of the room.

Trevor: I don’t even know where to start. How do you sum up Belinda? I think I must be the luckiest guy alive, because I had three great ladies in my life at the same time: Amanda, Janet and Belinda. And when Tink was staying with me, it was like having it all. I ain’t an easy guy to be nice to sometimes. I say stuff without caring about stepping on people’s feelings. And making someone feel great isn’t always a big priority. But Belinda... Belinda didn’t care about the way I stomp around. She held her ground and stuck it out like only the best people do. I’m wondering what I’m going to do without her, you know. Not because of her terrible filing, neither. Because I don’t know who’s gonna yank me aside and say, “Trevor, you’re being a jerk.” when I’m being a jerk. I mean, Janet and Amanda tell me that too, but sometimes I’m a big jerk with both of them, and I need Belinda to let me know. Lindy had such a huge heart. And she didn’t care that it might get hurt when she was sharing it. That’s real. That’s something that nobody gives you. You’re born with it. I... I really loved her, you know? I don’t think I’ll ever stop missing her.

Trevor sits down. Jack rises and goes to the front of the room.

Jack: I feel a lot like Trevor right now. I remember when I was at my lowest point as a human being, and Belinda came to see me. She was one of the few people who had enough guts to tell me what I was doing to myself and the people I loved. And she was gentle enough to know that I didn’t need a lecture. She told me that she was doing it for me because I had done it for her before. She always knew the right way to get to me.

Jack looks at Trevor and Brooke.

Jack: Like some other friends I know. I honestly feel like Belinda helped me become the man I am today. She helped me get back on my feet and realize what was really important. And those are things you can never forget. They’re things that will always stay with you.

Jack sits down. Mateo stands and goes to the front of the room.

Mateo: Belinda and I had a lot in common. We were connected through my sister and her brother. And when they were gone, we had even more in common. It wasn’t the easiest thing in the world, but no matter what, it helped me so much knowing that we were still family. I could look to Belinda and see how much we all are connected through the love two people like Noah and Julia shared.

Hayley meets Mateo's gaze for a moment. Then she looks away.

Mateo sits down. Opal gets up and goes to the front of the room.

Opal: I owe a lot to Belinda. I’m not just talking about the things she did for me as a lawyer -- although there was a lot of that. And heaven knows, she’s the reason I have my Petey with me. But the most important thing I can say about Belinda is that she was real family. She gave me a lot of my family right here in Pine Valley. She helped me keep Petey, and she really brought Adrian to me. My son. If it wasn’t for him falling head over heels for that girl, I probably wouldn’t have known him at all. And being like she was, she brought him to me because she thought we needed each other, even though she didn’t know we were mother and son. I read Tarot cards, you know. And Belinda worked her magic like the cards. There was something so incredible about Belinda. The things she did were like the best part of what destiny really is.

Opal sits down. Adrian gets up and goes to the front of the room.

Adrian: What can I say about a woman whose smile lit up my life? I can tell you that I’d traveled the world and never met anyone who made me feel the way Belinda did. We met in a funny way. I had come to town on a mission of sorts. I went into Holidays as Janet’s bachelor party was going on. And Belinda assumed I was the stripper. I tried to tell her differently, but she wouldn’t listen. Belinda wouldn’t listen. That must have been a first for her. So I let her believe that I was this stripper. We’d keep bumping into each other, and I’d let her embarrass herself a little more. And when she found out the truth about me -- not being a stripper, I mean -- the look on her face was enough for me to fall in love with her. When she found out all the other truths, the way she was ended up being more than enough for me to stay in love with her and find more of her to love every day.

Liza begins to cry a little.

Adrian: I keep thinking “Why?” With all of the people in the world who cause so much misery, how can someone who created so much good be taken away? All the things we’ll never do together, all the new experiences we won’t share. And if someone knows the answer to that, I wish they’d tell me.

Adrian sits down. No one gets up. Aunt Grace turns in her seat and looks at Liza.

Aunt Grace: Liza?

Liza hesitates and then slowly shakes her head. Adam studies her.

Then Adam gets up and goes to the front of the room.

Adam: I wasn’t blessed enough to know Belinda as well as the rest of you did. But I saw Belinda through my wife’s eyes. And what I saw was enough to make me stand in awe of her.

Liza watches Adam.

Adam: The way she gave of herself, the way she allowed others to give. Yesterday morning, Liza was making a decision, and she said that Belinda had given her advice about it. I asked Liza what she was going to do. And she said that on the one hand, she never took Belinda’s advice. And then she said that, on the other hand, Belinda was always right.

Adam looks at Liza.

Adam: I wish I could tell you of all the wonderful ways in which Belinda revealed herself. She was ... uniquely special.

Liza stands up. She walks to the front of the room. She touches Adam’s arm.

Liza: Thank you. I can...

Liza looks at the picture of Belinda and then faces the room.

Liza: I’d like to say something.

Adam tentatively goes to his seat and sits down.

Liza: I know that most people probably look at my friendship with Belinda and wonder how we could be friends. I know I do. I asked Belinda why she was my friend. A lot. And she always came up with something. But I know ... I know I didn’t deserve Belinda. I... I don't think there's any way that I could have given her anywhere near what she gave me. There were so many things I didn’t know about myself before Belinda told me about them.

Liza looks at Belinda’s picture again.

Liza: I sing flat.

Liza looks at the room again.

Liza: Did you know that?

Liza begins to cry a little. She wipes away her tears.

Liza: I go out of my way to make it hard for someone to be my friend, but someone like Belinda will be my friend anyway. Why?

Liza looks out among the mourners as if someone could answer her. No one speaks.

Liza: Did you know you’re supposed to keep a picture in your wallet of when you... you were at your worst? It keeps you humble. Did you know that? I didn’t. No wonder I’ve been such a pompous ass all my life. I’m sorry. Excuse me.
God, I’m letting her down even now. Although, come to think of it, she said that sometimes when I was an idiot, I was really at my best. Can you imagine? Only Belinda, you know? I hope she was right because I want to be good enough to be able to stand here and...

Liza looks at Aunt Grace.

Liza: What am I going to do? Who’s going to tell me...?

Liza looks at Adam.

Liza: How will I...?

Aunt Grace rises. Adam quickly gets up and goes to Liza. He hugs her.

Liza: Oh, Adam. What I am going to do?

Adam kisses her forehead.

Liza: Why?

Adam (whispers): I don’t know.

Adam slowly leads her out of the chapel.

Tarnished Armor Index
Part One Hundred and Forty Four
Part One Hundred and Forty Six