Chapter Thirty-seven

Summary

• Maddie arrives at her father's funeral and is greeted by numerous family members and people from her mother's church.
• She finds comfort in her mother's support, despite feeling overwhelmed and running upstairs to gather herself.
• In her mother's room, Maddie reflects on past family photos and her decision to wear a traditional mourning dress for the first time.
• Mourning traditions are mentioned, such as not wearing jewelry during the burial.
• Maddie deals with the pressure of facing her father's coffin and contemplates escaping to Brighton to avoid her grief.
• She reluctantly participates in the grieving process but faces criticism from Aunt Abena for not speaking the local language, Twi, indicating cultural expectations and traditions.
• Aunt Abena emphasizes the importance of connecting to cultural roots and insists Maddie speak Twi, despite her initial reluctance.
• Maddie begins to accept her cultural language and identity as she gets involved in conversations with her family in Twi.
• There's confusion as the family organizes the procession, highlighting a contrast between the punctuality of death and the disorganization of the living.
• During the funeral procession, people on the street react to the sight of the hearse, making Maddie feel exposed.
• Maddie confronts her feelings about cemeteries and the permanence of her father's resting place.
• At the gravesite, traditional prayers, hymns, and tributes are performed, with Maddie delivering an emotional eulogy for her father.
• James, Maddie's brother, apologizes for not being there for her and their father, expressing regret and a desire to be better for Maddie going forward.
• After the funeral, Maddie struggles with the absence of her father and contemplates her family's dynamics and her own future.
• Maddie and her mother have a candid conversation about their family, with the mother expressing regret for not being a more present parent.
• The chapter concludes with Maddie alone in her flat, speaking to her deceased father, expressing her unresolved feelings, and accepting his death.