Lily’s eyes lingered on a faded picture of herself and Gran sitting at the piano when they were both laughing.
Jasper took to the podium, and smiled at Lily and her parents.
‘Friends, family, esteemed guests and all who knew Violet Rose Baxter.’ His background in theatre was clear in every word and Lily smiled at him. Gran would have loved this, she thought. Jasper was putting on a show for Gran and those who loved her, and Lily felt herself relax.
‘Enjoy the show,’ she was sure she heard Gran whisper in her ear. ‘Tonight, we have come together to honour Violet Baxter’s extraordinary life. A bright light on our small stage, a cornerstone of our neighbourhood, and a close friend to all of us.’
Lily let her eyes roam the room as Jasper went on and she saw Mr McBride from the school and the choir behind him, all in their school uniforms. Lily felt her eyes fill up with tears, genuinely moved by their presence, reminding her that she was in the right place.
‘We will start this tribute to Violet with the choir from Silverton Grammar who will sing for her and us tonight.’
The students walked out onto the stage and stood in formation. Mr McBride stood in front of them and then the sound of Andrew playing the piano started and the choir sang ‘Seasons of Love’ fromRentand Lily felt happy tears fall as she turned to Nick, who was also wiping his eyes.
As the children sang, she mouthed the words with them and smiled and clapped along. She was taken aback to see her students, some of whom she had only known for a few weeks, honouring Gran in this manner, honouring her.
Lily felt a warmth rise across her chest as the young voices sang about measuring a year in love. It was so beautiful, she thought as she watched them.
The eulogy was next on the schedule. Peter, Lily’s father, got up and walked over to the podium. He cleared his throat and unfolded a piece of paper, his hands trembling a little.
With a faltering voice, he said, ‘My mother, Violet Baxter, was an incredible woman. However, she would have laughed at me if I had said that. She would say, “I’m just an ordinary woman who has lived a very long time.” However, the truth is known by those of us who loved and knew her.’ His voice broke at the end of the sentence and he stopped and composed himself.
‘Mum had a talent for elevating the ordinary to the spectacular and making everyone feel special. As a child, a stroll around the garden could become an adventure, and a simple cup of tea could become a momentous occasion. Her intelligence was great, her laughter contagious, and her love, well, it seemed limitless.’
As he went on, Peter’s voice got louder as he related tales of Gran’s life, including her romance with Lily’s grandfather, her time spent performing on stage with the amateur dramatics club, and her steadfast devotion to her friends and family.
‘But her role as a grandmother was perhaps the greatest,’ Peter remarked, his gaze falling on Lily. ‘There was something quite unique about the relationship my mother and daughter shared. Mum used to say that Lily was the surprise gift that she loved more than a standing ovation.’
Lily sensed tears trickling down her cheeks, and Nick’s fingers constricted around hers, offering silent comfort.
‘In the past few months, since Lily moved back to Appleton Green, I’ve noticed a brightness in my mother’s eyes that I hadn’t noticed in years,’ he went on. ‘She enjoyed seeing Lily rediscover who she was and what her real calling in life was. She would proudly tell me over the phone, “Our Lily is blooming.”’
He stopped and inhaled deeply. ‘Mum showed love and faith in her last deed. She hung on to watch Lily play one more time, to watch her granddaughter take centre stage in life as well as on stage and knowing Lily was happy, settled with love and purpose in her life, Mum made her farewell bow.’
Upon finishing his sentence, Peter’s voice broke as he firmly held on to the podium. ‘Mum, words cannot express how much we will miss you. However, we will live in your memory by following your example of love, laughter, and a constant song in our hearts. Mum, I hope you rest well. You deserve it, all of it.’
There was not a dry eye in the church when Peter returned to his seat.
Jasper was back at the podium. ‘And now we ask Lily, Violet’s granddaughter, to sing her tribute to her.’
Lily stood up, and felt a sense of calm she had never felt before singing.
She smiled at Andrew who was at the piano and he nodded. He knew what song Lily was to sing and he started the introduction. Lily closed her eyes and ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’ flooded the room. Her voice was faint at first, but as she continued, it became louder. Gran seemed to be right there with her, singing along at the piano in the cottage. They loved to sing the standards and this was a favourite for them both.
There was a deep stillness in the room as the final note was heard, and then the room broke into soft cheers. Lily stood, tears on her cheeks that she was unaware she had wept, and then made her way back to her seat, where Nick waited for her.
Jasper spoke again. ‘And as a final tribute to Violet, she told me how much she loved a particular song so we will sing it for her, in full chorus, so if you pick up your order of service, you will see the words on the back.’
The music started and the cast ofMy Fair Ladyout the front, all ready to sing and off they went, encouraging the crowd to join into a rousing version of ‘Get Me to the Church on Time’.
It was a perfect ending to a perfect service – irreverent, silly, loud and utterly mad – and Lily knew that Gran would have abso-blooming loved it.
The rest of the evening was a slow ebb and flow of music, stories, and conversation around cups of tea and cake, and Mrs Douglas’s shortbread.
As the crowd began to thin out, Lily wandered the room, looking at the work Jasper had put into the service. It was better than any show she had ever been in, she thought.
Nick’s arm slid around her waist as she took a step back. ‘You okay?’ he whispered.
Lily leaned closer to him and nodded. ‘Yeah,’ she answered, startled by how accurate that statement was. ‘I think I am.’
