I should’ve known when she didn’t acknowledge my happy birthday text. Still, I didn’t think much of it. Then The Brother called me the next day. I figured he was going to ask me something that wouldn’t be appropriately captured through text.

The Brother: [Sister In Law] passed away yesterday.

My mind whirled as I sputtered out the verbal nonsense of a mind grappling with sudden, unexpected, horrific news. Sister In Law, wife of Rocket Engineer Brother, mother of The Niece and The Nephew, was gone. This didn’t make any sense. I hadn’t heard that she was sick or anything. How was she gone? This was a woman who had been in my life to one degree or another for more than two of my five decades. How could she be gone without warning and so suddenly?

The Brother went across the state to help out. The Wife asked if I needed to go as well, but I didn’t want to be underfoot while they were dealing with all the necessary details of a death. Then it was getting stuff in line and waiting for information.

Last week, they had a viewing. The Wife, unfortunately, was still recuperating from her surgery. She couldn’t handle the long car ride to go across the state. With much regret, she was forced to stay home while I headed out. It was one of those odd moments when I realized I always put SIL’s name into my GPS to navigate to their house. Damn.

It was small, intimate group that went to the viewing. Just a handful of family and friends. We were just there to support each other through this time.

There was a surreal moment when The Brother, Rocket Engineer Brother, Close Family Friend, and I sat up and looked at each other in disbelief to the background music. The soft piano music had been playing the moment we entered the chapel. What one would expect and quickly relegate to background noise. Until you are just sitting there and realize you know this song, and they couldn’t be playing this song, especially a soft piano version. The four of us just looked at each other. Why in the world was Gangsta’s Paradise included in this playlist? Which then led to a quick exchange of “Do you hear the lyrics for Gangsta Paradise or Amish Paradise?”

There are plans for a larger memorial service later. Too many folks were unable to come this fast. I’ll probably do another post when that happens. Right now, I think I’m just going to leave it here.