Tuesday November twenty second 2005 was the morning of Sharon Sharp's funeral. A lot of people still made it to the memorial service. Sharon came from a large and close family, she has three sisters and two brothers all who shown up. Her father also made it.
After a prayer service from the pasture who gives a final prayer to Sharon, Valmont walks up to the pew of the church to give the Eulogy. It had came down between Valmont, Sharon’s older sister Elena or her father, and at the end Valmont was given the honors. Ric was asking if that meant the Memorial Service was going to be televised and Chris slapped his friend in the head because that was a stupid notion. Still Valmont must have over heard as he winks to his son and his friends.
“When I first found out I was going to be the one to say the final words to the one love in my life I had to ask myself 'would it be televised?' However I quickly realized that was worst thing I could do.” There are some laughs and more groans, Chris is fearing his father's personality is going to try to make himself the center of attention in what should be his mother's final day.
“I apologize for that thought as not everything is about me. No today is about Sharon Sarah Sharp who was born Sharon Sarah Martin. She was a beloved daughter and sister and a loving wife and mother. She volunteered her time at Church outings, donated books, clothing, and food to the poor. She was a friend to almost everyone she met. People who don't know but knew of her liked her by reputation. She was the type of person I could never be.”
Valmont sheds some tears, legitimate tears, “Putting my work ahead of Sharon was the worst thing I ever did. I separated myself from the two most important people in my life, it makes me look greedy and shameful especially compared to Sharon. She worked yes but she was not selfish, she was well off but was compassionate to people who had less then she did.” Valmont does not let his light crying effect his words, he is also trying not to focus too much attention onto himself.
“People like Sharon Sharp are rare these days. People who are willing to help out others without some sort of incentive. She would help people for the sake of helping them, because it was the right thing. I could learn a lot from her. We all could.” Valmont then bows his head in prayer and walks down from the pew in silence. He sits back down next to Chris and closes his eyes and prays again.
The priest gives a final prayer for Sharon and then the time came for everyone who wanted to come up to the coffin and take one final look at Sharon. Chris and Valmont stand to join the line just Behind Sharon’s oldest Brother Blake who shakes Valmont's hand, “For a minute there I thought that ego of yours was going to make you the center of attention. You saved yourself there Val.” Blake Martin who is a amateur competing weightlifter is probably about twice Valmont's size, he has also never been Valmont's biggest fans.
“You guys only let me do the eulogy after I made sure I would not screw it up or make it about myself.” The Martin Family have never been too fond of Valmont who in their opinion is shady, egocentric and a large ham. Leaving his family despite claiming he loves them for his work and more money does not make it easier. There were lots of arguing over if Valmont should do the eulogy or not and many of them thought they would regret it.
“Well you did a good job Val.” Blake is actually the member of the Martin family who tolerates Valmont the most and would even be his friend if Valmont was not so flaky.
The line continues to move and Valmont walks up to his wife's open casket. “I wish that things did not change three years ago. I wish Luminare never came to ask me for help. I wish I had the strength to turn him down. If I did you should still be alive today.” He said that almost in a whisper as he looked down at his wife's face which has been restored to make her look like she did in life. He did not want anyone to hear what he just said and does not realize Chris overheard a little bit.
Chris heard the last line and the name Luminare clearly, the name sounds familiar to Chris but he just can't place his finger on it, he's thinking Ric might know who that is. He looks down at his mother's body for the final time, “Good bye mom.” Is all he says as he moves on. Chris looks for his friends Ric and Jason who both came to support him and sees they are talking to Cole, the three of them have became close friends. He walks over to them and passes by his father talking to Roland Martin, Sharon’s father.
“You didn't blow it Sharp. I really thought you were going to make this whole day about you. You always do.” Retired navel Captain Roland Martin did not like Valmont Sharp from the first time they met. He thought the TV soup star would make a bad husband for his Sharon. When he found out Sharp's dream to start his own show and the type of show it was Roland told his daughter to bail and that Valmont Sharp was a lost cause. His monster hunting show was a dumb idea to Roland who was sure it was going to fail. Roland Martin was wrong about that and admits in retrospect Valmont knew what he was doing with that crazy idea.
Still he always knew Valmont was bad for his daughter and he always let her know. He kept telling her to divorce him after they separated but Sharon insisted that the two of them were still in love and it was only Valmont's job that was keeping them apart. Roland always thought there was more to it, that maybe he was cheating on her or something but his words never get though to her. Still at a time like this Roland and Valmont almost seem like old friends, ones that just have very different opinions about life. “I would have had a heart attack if you made that Eulogy about yourself, after I strangled you to death that is.” Roland laughs and coughs.
Chris walks quietly past them when his Grandfather's attention turns toward him, “Hey big boy.” Roland offers his grandson his hand, “Lets see if your grip strength has improved?” He then shakes Chris's hands with a powerful strength, “You're getting better but you're still weak. So how are you handling the situation?”
Chris shakes his hand behind his back so his grandfather does not see, “I'm dealing. I'm not going to let it bother me gramps.” Chris likes his grandfather but the man can be very demanding, “eEcuse me I have to talk to my friends.” Chris then leaves his grandfather and heads over to Ric, Jason and Cole. “Hey Ric can you come over here.”
Ric walks over to Chris leaving Cole and Jason for a second, “What is it man?”
“Have you heard of the name Luminare?” Chris says to his friend very quietly. Chris knows the name is related to his father's shows in some way but can't remember how. Ric is an expert of all things Sharp Monster Hunter related and a encyclopedia of knowledge for even minor Sharp details.
“Luminare? As in Francois Luminare? Up to two years ago he has your father's biggest critic, hated your father and then he vanished completely. Luminare monster hunter in his own right only he was legitimate or so he lets people to believe. He really hates your father's flamboyant and showboating antics. Believed it gave 'legitimate' monster hunters a bad name and made their profession look fake. Ha the man just hates that Sharp got rich off the idea and he didn't.” Ric started off whispering like Chris but with each word he started speaking a little bit louder. “Why do you ask?”
As he listened to Ric's long explanation he starts to remember where he heard of that name before. “My father said the name Luminare when he was looking at my mother for the final time, something about helping him.”
“Helping Luminare? That makes no sense, none at all. Maybe you misheard what he said.” Ric responds.
“No.” It was Cole behind Ric, “I don't know what it has to do with your mother Chris. Hell I'm sure it has nothing to do with her but before Luminare vanished he met with your father asking for help. I'm not sure why or for what reason. Sadly some things are kept secret from me. Please don't try to find any answers for this as there are none as far as I can tell.”
Cole is generally an honest person who never gave Chris any reason to doubt him so he trusts his oldest friend's words. The funeral ended and while some people left closer family and friends as well as the pasture and some others moved on to the cemetery. Chris rode with his father, Alfred,
and Cole. Ric and Jason offered to go with to the burial service but Chris said they did not have to so they left to go home on their own.
A man dressed in a black suit is standing in front of Sharon’s body, he waited until everyone else had walked away before it moved forward. “I am sorry. I tried to help I really did but I am helpless. I don't know what is coming over me.” Anton Rast bows his head then starts to leave. He stops by Chris Sharp's assigned seat and slips a note into his backpack.
At around noon Sharon Sharp was buried at the Woodridge cemetery. Some of the family and friends went to their hotels others left and some went out for lunch before doing one of those things. The Martin family consisting of Sharon's three sisters her father and her older brother invited the Sharps along. Valmont declined their offer because he kind of feared that their feelings toward him might make the dinner turn sour at an inopportune time. Valmont also had this feeling that while they wanted Chris to come to dinner he was the last person Roland wanted to see. To Valmont the feeling is mutual, he was not a fan of Roland Martin.
So instead he took Chris bowling is was something they loved doing together and Valmont felt it would be something they do to get their mind off of problems. Besides their flight is not until Wednesday Morning at ten AM. A half day of fun and relaxation before Valmont has to start thinking of how he can keep his secret life from his son. Francois probably has the answer Val probably thinks to himself but Val was left at the manor with the rest of his team trying to find the next supernatural disturbance to deal with.
Book Two: Albern New Mexico
Chapter Eleven
Valmont Sharp: Monster Hunter Page 11