The funeral

I went down to my favorite boutique and picked out a gown to wear to Aunt Margaret's funeral dinner. Set me back several thousand simoleans, but hey, Aunt Margaret was worth it.

The obituary I submitted to the local paper got published. It was something about seeing it in black and white that really got to me. It was, like, man, she really is gone. And she's not coming back -- at least, not in human form.

Dad was really having a time of it, trying to potty-train Sebastian. I mean, he really shouldn't be still potty-training at his age. He's about to turn elder!

After I'd changed into my gown, Noah came into my bedroom (got to get used to saying my bedroom, as you see, I've redecorated Aunt Margaret's bedroom in my favorite color, blue, and dad said when they first moved in that's what color it was originally). He tapped me on the shoulder. "Hey, sis."

I knew it was him by the way he spoke to me. His voice was soft and kind, like dad's. Pretty much anything sets me off these days, even something as minor as someone saying 'hi.'

"Just make sure you don't embarrass the family."

I rolled my eyes. "Since when have I ever?"
Noah looked at me incredulously. "More times than I care to count. Do you need me to rattle them off?"

"You know, sis, I'm really proud of you. You got your grades all the way up to where you're now up for valedictorian. You put all this together for Aunt Margaret. You know what, you're becoming quite a young lady. You look great tonight."

I smiled. I couldn't tell him mom had done most of the work arranging things. "Thanks."

Then he pointed out my choker. "Say, is that Aunt Margaret's? I remember seeing that in a photograph."

"Yeah, it is. She gave it to me a few simdays before she died. She said it belonged to her grandmother in England."

"Well, it looks great on you."

When I went into the banquet room, I ate the cheesesteak and I caught sight of Windy eating the baked angel food cake. "Say, Win, is it good?"

"Yeah, it's delightful."

I knew Windy had had some tie with Aunt Margaret, exactly what tie, I wasn't entirely sure. But the way Windy had told me, apparently she'd come to lecture her class and stayed behind to sign some books.

Windy's family was of Pakistani origin. Her grandfather, Iqbal, had come over to Sunset Valley with his two boys after he split from their mother. His third son, Adrian, was born in Sunset of a Simerican woman.

"So," I told Windy, "I heard a noise coming from the upstairs bathroom, and it's what we all dread, it's the Reaper. He showed up while my aunt was taking a dump."

"You sound excited about having seen him," Windy noted.

I had to admit I was. Ever since I was little I've had this curiosity about, well, things little girls just aren't supposed to be curious about. I think it's the story Aunt Margaret used to tell, that when mom was pregnant with me, she spent a lot of time in the cemetery late at night fishing for deathfish for her secret recipe.
"So, Savannah, you're up for valedictorian?" Windy asked me, desperate to change the subject.

Oh boy. News travels really fast around here. "I suppose so," I said, "I was as surprised as anyone when I found out."

"Why should you be? You're smart, and you know it. You have as good a chance of getting valedictorian as any of the others in the running."

I had to admit, Savannah Rachel Plumb, class valedictorian, had a nice ring to it.

After dinner, I heard Noah down in the basement, and HE, not my father, was playing the elegy! Everyone, my dad included, gathered around to hear him play it. Apparently my dad had taught it to him. I wonder if he chickened out of performing it and then let Noah do it instead.