The thick black velvet caresses my body as it falls to the floor, covering every inch of my body yet exposing everything.

“You look beautiful.” My sister, Claire, says from behind me.

“I don’t think beautiful is the goal here. This is a funeral, after all.” I look back at the full length mirror. The black clashes with my light skin and makes my lifeless blonde hair look even more colorless than normal.

“It’s what Mom would’ve wanted. You know that.” Claire opens the jewelry box on the dresser and pulls out a string of our mother’s favorite pearls. The paint that once made them almost pass as real is chipping, but they are lovely nonetheless. She places them around my neck. Despite the cold of the little beads, they’re a surprising comfort against my skin.

“I can’t believe it’s just us now.” I play with the small beads between my fingers in attempt to stop the welling tears from cascading over my haphazardly applied makeup.

You’d think that the years she fought cancer would prepare us for this day, but there was nothing that could have prevented the devastation I’ve felt over the past few days. Stopped the tears from flowing freely. Or unknotted the anguish that gathered in the pit of my stomach.

Claire hugs me from behind, her tight, dark curls rubbing against my face. The smell of her coconut shampoo fills my nose, something familiar in this new life I have to figure out how to live. Her embraces are all that’s getting me through.

“I promise I’ll never leave you if I can help it.” She says as she pulls away. “We’re in this together. Forever.”

I nod. “We’ll always have each other. No matter what.”