Bridget
Mum and da died when I was seven. They were in an auto accident on the way home. Colum walked home with me from school, just like any other day, but when we got there mum and da were nowhere around. We didn't know what to do, so I just sat on the floor and played with my dolls while Colum did his homework a few feet away. It started to get dark and I was hungry, so Colum went into the kitchen to try to find something to eat. There was a knock at the door while he was out of the room, but I didn't want to answer it in case it was a stranger. The person just knocked harder though, and Colum ran out to answer it. I think I told him not to, but he did anyway.
A guardia was standing at the door. He took us to the neighbor's house and she hugged us and cried over us. I don't remember crying though, not then anyway. She made us dinner, but I wasn't hungry anymore, and when it was time to go to bed, I wouldn't let go of Colum's hand.
The next day, gran and Uncle Dermot came. I'd seen them before at holidays, but I wasn't used to them and I clung to Colum all the more. He let me. That didn't stop Uncle Dermot from trying to talk to me. He was always trying to get me to play games. Looking back, I'm sure he was always a little drunk, but I had no idea then.
Gran was much quieter. She let us have our space. But she was also dependable. Really, I think she was taking care of all three of us, Dermot, Colum, and I. Only I'm not so sure about Colum.
We had the funeral at a cemetery in Belfast. It was cold and raining, as usual, and we buried mum and da next to mum's parents and her brother. Aunt Maggie came all the way from Liverpool. She looked very smart, but serious, and I thought she looked a bit like mum so I watched her the whole time. Then it came time to lower the caskets and fill in the garves and Uncle Dermot started crying, loudly. And Aunt Maggie looked at him with such disgust and said something, but he just dried harder and fell down. It scared me, and while they tried to calm him I slipped away.