NB Huon - Afterlife - 2. NB Houn Chapter 2

I drifted aimlessly for a few years as Kyle completed his high school education and started studying Medicine at University, thanks to a scholarship, which had been set up by Sebastian. I was sitting in my usual spot in the rectory, when Kyle went to answer the phone, and when I heard Kyle say the name Sebastian, I was on full alert.

The call had been put on the loudspeaker, so I was able to hear both sides of the conversation, as I listened to my cousin asked Kyle and Annette if they wished to make a trip to the Falkland Islands to visit my grave.

I travelled with Kyle and Annette as they flew all the way to the Falkland Islands, and they were greeted by Sebastian and the twins at the airport, and it had been three years since I had seen my cousins, and the twins had grown quite a lot in that time.

On the minibus ride back to Stanley, Sebastian announced that I had an unexpected ten-year-old son, from a brief relationship on my first year on the Falklands, which would have bowled me over if I was still alive.

I was both shocked and also pleased that I had a son, and I was looking forward to seeing him. After they, settled into their accommodation rooms, Margaret handed over a bouquet of flowers to Sebastian and suggested they go and visit my grave, and I watched them closely, as they accepted the flowers, and along with the twins, Annette and Kyle, they headed to the cemetery to visit the grave.

After nearly six years, this was the first time that I would see my grave since my body was buried there, and when we arrived, there was a beautiful marble headstone.

‘Huon Alexander Devonport. Loving son of Mathew and Julia Devonport (Deceased) and loving first cousin of Sebastian, Louis and Joachim Wagner, and best mate of Kyle. Gone too soon, aged 24 years. Rest in Peace, you are in pain no more.’

Everyone gathered was in tears now, including myself, as I was still angry that I had died so young, leaving behind my best mate Kyle and my three cousins. After so long, I still had no answers to why I had died. As they walked away from the grave, I spotted the small plaque that had been added at a later date, and I stepped closer to read it.

‘Loving father of Alexander Hugh Devonport, I am sorry that I didn’t get to know you dad, Rest in Peace.’ I burst into tears when I read this, as I turned and saw two other people had joined us.

“Hello, you must be Mrs O’Malley and Alexander, I am Reverend Annette Davies, and this is my son Kyle” I heard Rev say to them, and I immediately looked at the boy standing nervously next to his grandmother. I had seen many photos of me when I was young, and this boy was almost exactly the same.

My son! Wow!

I watched as Sebastian and the twins introduced themselves to the lady and the boy, explaining that they are my first cousins, and the boy raced into the arms of Sebastian and began crying.

I watched as the group headed into town, where Mrs O’Malley and Alexander would join them for lunch, and I watched the interaction between them during the meal, as they talked about my life here on the Falkland Islands, and how Sebastian would be happy to take over guardianship of Alexander, to take the pressure off Mrs O’Malley, and she happily agreed to this, as she was finding it difficult to bring up a growing boy on her own.

Alexander had grown quite attached to Sebastian in such a short time, and a phone call soon after returning from lunch resulted in Sebastian dashing back into town, as Alexander was all upset and afraid that he would be left all alone. I decided to remain with Kyle and when I heard a very distinctive sound of a ship's horn, I smiled, knowing that it was the Southern Explorer, announcing its arrival back in Stanley.

I headed to the ship and saw Sebastian carrying Alexander, as they and Mrs O’Malley approached the ship, and I followed them, as the visitors were given a grand tour of the ship, and I was so pleased to be able to be back onboard again. When I heard Sebastian tell Alexander, that he acted so much like me, I smiled broadly, and proudly.

Later when Sebastian asked Kyle if he was contributing to the church service in the morning, and Kyle shook his head no, I was a little disappointed, as I had always loved hearing my mate singing.

The next morning inside the beautiful cathedral, that Kyle and I had sung in together, and I was pleased when it was Reverend Annette who was leading the service, and she introduced herself, and explained that one of my hidden talents was singing, and that along with her son, we had sung at many churches around the state of Western Australia, as part of a television Sunday morning service programme.

As soon as Annette had finished speaking, the cathedral filled with the beautiful voice of my best mate, Kyle, but wait there is a second voice, a much younger one. Could it possibly be?...

The singing was heavenly, and I could feel myself floating upwards, and I could now see Kyle and my son Alexander, standing in the loft, singing beautifully together. I continued to float upwards, and the cathedral began to fade, as I realised that I was now heading to a better place, now that I had seen my son and heard him and my best mate sing together.

The End