Dreams Of Fame
2.1 - Celebrity Funeral
In the few days since Zoe’s passing, the house had been rather quiet. Summer gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, which she and José decided to call Nash, but other than that, everything remained very subdued.
Liberty and Travis spent most of their time in those days unenthusiastically playing with Clara and Jacob. Immediately after Zoe’s passing, Liberty swore to herself that she’d try to be a better, and less absent mother to her children, but it was clear that her mind was still focused on Sixam and Beatrice. Travis tried his best to be present enough for the both of them, but it didn’t make up for Liberty’s one minded focus. Or at least, that was what he felt, so he was regularly consumed with worry.
Despite the birth of Nash, Summer found herself wracked with guilt over Zoe’s sacrifice. Sure, she hadn’t been the greatest person in the world, but in the last few years of her life, she’d definitely been trying to change. And Summer felt that she’d taken that opportunity to change away from her. She regularly found herself reaching for the bottle, but José was always there to stop her. José, meanwhile, found it difficult to grieve for Zoe, act as a father for the first time, and take care of Summer all at the same time, but he was trying his best.
Even Giovanna toned herself down considerably. Her usually boisterous behavior all but disappeared, and she stopped sitting Clara and Jacob down to tell the two of them stories.
Yet, life went on. And, within a week of Zoe’s passing, the day of the grand opening of the Presley School of Excellency finally arrived. It happened the very day of Zoe’s funeral.
Giovanna, Liberty, Travis, Summer, and José were all gathered in the entry hall of the school, along with Sergio, the architect who’d worked with Zoe to build the school. They’d left Clara and Jacob with Jo, and Summer had sent Nash to a daycare.
“Are you sure you guys are ready for this?” Sergio asked. “I can do the whole presentation if you all aren’t feeling up to it.”
Liberty shook her head. “This school was Zoe’s last great dream. We’re going to do this, for her. Regardless of any fear of crowds I might have.”
“And it isn’t even much of a presentation anyway,” Travis said, smiling at Liberty.
“The whole school is a worthwhile cause too,” José nodded.
“Alright then,” Sergio said. “The grand opening is scheduled to start at 9, and that’s in about five minutes. So, I recommend you all spend the last bit of time preparing yourselves.”
With that, Sergio disappeared deeper into the school to briefly check on something.
“Isn’t it literally just us saying like, welcome to the school? This isn’t a big deal at all, why would we need to prepare?” Summer muttered.
“Well, I’m sure Zoe would have had some grand speech prepared, knowing her,” Liberty said quietly, eyes downcast. “We’ll just have to do our best.”
“We’re not Zoe, and I’m sure everyone outside knows that. We’ve got this,” José nodded.
“Hahaha, moo moo!” Giovanna agreed.
Almost as if he’d been summoned by Giovanna, Sergio returned to the room. “It’s time. You guys ready?”
Everyone nodded, and Sergio threw open the doors.
The six of them walked out into the sunlight, and were immediately hit by the roaring cheers of fans and a bombardment of questions from the paparazzi. None of the six of them were as well known as Zoe had been, of course, but they’d all gained enough fame from living with her and occasionally appearing in her book series, A Day in the Life of Granny, that they were all minor celebrities. Well, excluding Sergio. He was just the architect.
Summer, seeming to be completely in her element, waved elegantly at the crowd.
Liberty cleared her throat and stepped up the mic that had been placed at the front of the school. The minute she did, the crowd quieted down.
“Hello, everyone. It is wonderful to be here today, celebrating what should be the joyous occasion of the grand opening of the Presley School of Excellency.”
Travis stepped up next. “As I’m sure you all know, Zoe passed a few days ago. I’m positive that if she was here, she would be more than excited to be standing up here, welcoming you all to a dream she’d had for the longest time.”
Next, was Summer. “But I know Zoe. And she wouldn’t want us to be mourning! Instead, we should be celebrating what she managed to accomplish!”
Then, José walked up to the mic. “It’s my pleasure to welcome you all to the Presley School of Excellency. Sergio, the architect who worked with Zoe to build this school, has a few words to say, then you are all welcome to tour the school, and Giovanna will hang around to do some signings.”
As the crowd erupted into cheers, Giovanna waved enthusiastically, a smile crossing her face for the first time since Zoe’s death.
Sergio stepped up to the mic. “Before you all step inside, allow me to talk to you about the state of the art facilities located within this school, and the types of classes students will be taking here…”
After Sergio spoke, people flooded the school. Giovanna was stuck signing things until noon, when Liberty and Travis had to drag her out of the school so they could all make it to Zoe’s funeral on time.
The funeral took place in a gated cemetery, the building in the center built out of an ominous looking black stone. Surprisingly enough, Giovanna had been the one to arrange everything. Two days after Zoe’s death, she’d come home from a walk, and tried her best to explain that she’d managed to obtain exclusive access to a local cemetery for the family. No one was really sure how she’d done so- or what had happened to the people who’d been buried there before- but they chose not to ask any questions.
The land outside the gate swarmed with press and a large assortment of Zoe’s fans.
Taking a long look at them from across the street, Liberty let out a long sigh. “I hate this, you know? Someone just died. Why can’t they let us grieve in peace?”
“Go run back to space so you can enjoy solitude with Beatrice again,” Summer said casually. “Personally? I’m enjoying this.”
“Summer, how could you say that?”
“They’re here for Zoe. Not for any of us,” José said, cutting in. “As long as we ignore them, we’ll be fine.”
“Exactly,” Travis said, nodding somberly. “Once this all blows over, and we’re the only ones left missing Zoe, we’ll be left alone finally.”
“Ugh, whatever. Let’s go and get this thing done then,” Summer said, leading the way over to the cemetery.
Two policemen who’d shown up to moderate the event recognized the five of them as they approached, and carefully opened the gate to let them all in. They hurried through, chased by the excited screams of the fans outside, many of them cheering for Giovanna.
“This place isn’t creepy at all,” José muttered, looking at the space around them.
“My husband and I slept in a coffin here once!” Giovanna said cheerfully.
“Well, that explains how she found this place…” Summer said.
Giovanna skipped ahead, and gestured for the four of them to follow her inside the building. As they walked inside, and the doors shut behind them, the noise of the crowd seemed to cut off instantly. That made the inside, somehow, even more somber.
There were a fair number of people inside when they entered, but they only recognized three of them.
Jo was standing off to the side of the room, entertaining Clara and Jacob.
“I. Want. Candy!” Clara was screaming.
Jo, somehow managing to keep her cool, gave Clara a very serious look. “Now isn’t the time, Clara. Your Aunt Zoe passed away, and we need to pay our respects.”
Jacob tugged on Jo’s arm. “Clara gets mean when she doesn’t get what she wants…” he said quietly. "Maybe you should give her some anyway?”
Clara smiled her thanks to Jacob.
“Even if I thought it was acceptable to give the two of you candy at this moment, I don’t carry any on me. You’re more than welcome to have some of my vitamins, though.”
Jo produced her clutch from one of the pockets in her suit, and pulled out a bottle of white pills. She smiled, and shook them slightly. “Want any?”
Clara looked outraged. “Those look disgusting! Summer would give me candy! Why do you always have to be so mean?”
“I tried to tell you…” Jacob muttered.
“You know what? You’re as worthless as Granny, I should just call you Granny 2!”
Hearing that, Liberty rushed over, and knelt down next to Clara. “Clara. That is not acceptable language! Apologize to Jo.” She then looked up at Jo. “Sorry about that, Jo.”
Jo shook her head and smiled. “It’s no big deal. She’s just a kid, I’m sure she’ll learn better. More importantly how are you all holding up?”
Travis, Summer, and José, at that point, had all started to head in Jo’s direction. Giovanna had wandered off on her own, probably to explore the crypt. As Summer got near Clara and Jacob, she discreetly slipped the two of them pieces of candy.
Liberty got back up on her feet, and gave Jo a sad look. “Well, of course, we’re all missing Zoe. But we just got to open her school, and see so many faces of children who were so excited to go there… today would be a lot worse if it hadn’t been for that.”
Jo nodded. “I might not have ever been fond of the woman, but… at least in the end, she turned her life around.”
“Um, excuse me…” a female voice said, interrupting the conversation. “Forgive me for interrupting…”
Everyone turned to face that general direction, and were met with two people anyone would recognize. Kayla Brooks, an author whose series of lifestyle books faced virtually no competition until the release of A Day in the Life of Granny, and Malcolm Landgraab, heir to the Landgraab Industries fortune.
“I’m Kayla Brooks, and I’m so sorry for showing up uninvited, but I wanted to pay my respects to Zoe… you’re her family, correct?”
Everyone except for Jo, and Clara and Jacob, who’d run off elsewhere, nodded.
“I see,” Kayla said, with a small smile. “Family doesn’t always have to be by blood, does it? Anyway, I can’t say I knew Zoe… I don’t think we ever met, but she did used to write. Back before A Day in the Life of Granny took off, Zoe would write me, asking for advice. I was too busy to ever write back, but It was a great pleasure watching her career take off. Despite everything, she succeeded. So, author to author, I knew that I had to be here to celebrate her life.”
“Thank you, Kayla,” Travis nodded. “It’s an honor to have you here.”
“An honor? I’m nothing more than a retired author, come on.”
“A retired, successful author,” Malcolm muttered. “Don’t sell yourself short.”
“And Kayla?” José said, speaking up.
“Hm?”
“Don’t worry about showing up uninvited. I think I speak for all of us here when I say that I don’t even know half the people in this room.”
Everyone next to José nodded, confirming what he’d just said.
“I should have guessed…” Kayla sighed. “They’re all just other celebrities, successful business folk, and so forth. When something big happens, they like to be there. I had to keep both my wedding, and my brother’s wedding real quiet… Well, I guess I’m one of them today, but regardless, once you’re famous, I guess you’re supposed to stick with other celebrities. Even though none of them ever associated with Zoe, I’m sure they’re all going to pay their respects. Just like me, I guess. But, regardless, be ready for that.”
Sure enough, the other people who’d gotten past the police at the gate using the power of their celebrity all made sure to pay their respects.
Summer and José were cornered by a rather serious looking couple who seemed to wear permeant frowns.
“I’m Victor Feng,” a dark haired man said, speaking with a thick accent. “And this is my wife, Lily.”
“We’re in charge of Feng Incorporated,” Lily said with the tiniest smile imaginable. “We’re very sorry for your loss, and we-“
“I’m sorry, but what do you do? I can’t say either of us are particularly well acquainted with your company…” José said.
Lily cleared her throat, clearly bothered by the fact that she’d been interrupted. “We help businesses get off the ground or become more successful. We’re known primarily in San Myshuno, where we’ve helped a great many local businesses reach their full potential.”
“And you’re here because…?” Summer asked. “I don’t remember Zoe ever telling us about traveling to San Myshuno.”
“We both truly admired her work, and wanted to come pay our respects,” Lily said.
“If you two need help furthering her estate, come to us,” Victor nodded. “Any… unfinished books, mayhap?”
“Not that we know of, sorry,” José said, pulling himself and Summer away from the pair. “We’ll definitely reach out if we find anything though!”
As they turned around, they caught one last glimpse of the Fengs leaning close together and whispering as they watched Summer and José walk away.
“Why were you so polite? I wanted to give them a piece of my mind, it’s Zoe’s funeral for goodness sake!” Summer exclaimed.
“I think pissing off people who are as powerful as those two seem to be seems like a real bad idea, Summer. It’s insane that Zoe was so famous that we’re interacting with these people now, though…”
On the other side of the room. Liberty and Travis were being affronted by another couple.
They’d introduced themselves as Timothy and Halcyon Winstrate, a couple from Oasis Springs who specialized in purchasing and reselling real estate. Somehow, that’d made the pair of them millionaires.
“You see, my darling, Halcyon, is a huge fan of Zoe’s books,” Timothy was saying.
“The biggest!” Halcyon exclaimed. “Since discovering the series, I’ve bought each and every book the day it came out! I originally bought them for my son, but when I was reading them to him, I realized wow! These books are actually good!”
“Well, if you want to talk to ‘Granny’, she’s over there,” Travis said, gesturing across the room, where Giovanna stood, talking to herself. “I think she’s more relevant to the books than either of us?”
“Before we do that,” Timothy cut in, speaking firmly. “I have a question for you both. You both entered Sylvan Glade, correct?”
“We did. And you’re asking us because…?” Liberty asked.
“Did either of you see anything… unusual?”
Both Liberty and Travis shook their heads.
“I… see. Well, that’s disappointing.”
“That can’t be the truth, if the found their way in, dear, then-“ Halcyon said quietly.
Timothy loudly cleared his throat, cutting her off. “Well, thank you both for your time, and once again, we’re sorry for your loss."
As the two walked away, Liberty turned to Travis. “Maybe it’s a good thing Summer messed with Zoe’s brain… early Zoe would have definitely had people like that hanging around the house all the time.”
“I just think we’d all have moved out, and taken Giovanna with us. Clearly, the celebrity lifestyle isn’t for us.”
Everyone milled around the oddly shaped room for a few more minutes, and it was decided that immediate family would watch the podium live, while anyone else could sit in front of the tv set up in the other half of the room.
As everyone was sitting down, someone Summer just barely recognized quickly sat next to her.
“I know I shouldn’t be sitting here, but I just need to exchange a few words. I’ll be out of your hair before this starts,” she whispered.
Summer turned to face the woman, and was met with Bella Goth. She’d only ever seen her for a few brief minutes after chasing Zoe into Sylvan Glade, and from what she’d heard from the others, she’d only been there because Zoe had met with her to try and figure out a way to save Summer.
So, her presence at the funeral was certainly odd.
“It’s… Bella, right?”
Bella nodded. “Correct, dear. But I need to make this quick. Zoe… she was able to give up her life in exchange for yours. I just- I need to understand why.”
“And how would I know that, Bella? I was stuck in some magical coma throughout the whole thing.”
“You have to have felt something! Whatever forces exist within Sylvan Glade speaking to you, telling you why Zoe was an acceptable trade! Mortimer’s great grandparents tried to do the same, but the glade refused to accept a sacrifice. I just need to understand!”
“I’m sorry, Bella, but I haven’t got any answers for you. Whatever Zoe figured out that made it work for her probably died with her,” Summer shrugged.
Bella frowned. “Alright. While, it is a let down, I believe you. I wish you the best of luck in life, Summer.”
Bella then ended the conversation by standing up and walking over to the other side of the room.
Once he saw that Bella was gone, José walked over. “What was that about?”
“Just more celebrity bullshit,” Summer sighed. “You all were right when we first got here; their lifestyle totally sucks.”
The rest of the funeral was incredibly quiet. Nobody really had much to say about Zoe, as during the time she was alive, she’d committed enough atrocities during her youth that no one really spent much time getting to know her as an adult.
The only one who did was Giovanna. And, even before Zoe had ruined her mind, she’d never been the greatest at stringing words together.
“Zoe. Sometimes, she was mean. But she got nicer! She wrote down all of my stories. Because of her… my husband and me will live on forever. And… I’ll miss her. No more stories for me to paint… I’m sure Zoe misses you all too.”
Everyone, even the celebrities who didn’t know Giovanna or Zoe personally, clapped for her. For some reason, Giovanna’s words just really seemed to ring true.