by Lauren Burd
Funeral
I woke up to an empty bed. It would have been nice if Samuel was there, but with my Dad in the room next door and the addition of Duncan to our party, it was impossible. All three of them acted as if we were living in the nineteenth century, which I could almost understand from Samuel and Duncan’s point of view.
“I can’t stay in the room with you,” Samuel said during a brief moment when we were away from my dad shortly after our arrival.
“Why not?” I pouted. I wasn’t asking to have sex. I just wanted his company.
“I promised your father. I’ll sleep on the sofa, and the two of you can have the bedrooms.”
“Why don’t we just get him a hotel room?” I grumbled.
“Would you really want me to do that?”
After a moment’s thought, I had shaken my head.
It didn’t get better when Duncan and my Dad were introduced.
“So, you’re the boy who convinced my daughter to run off to Europe and get married?”
Duncan grimaced. “Yes, sir.”
“I’m glad the two of you came to your senses and decided to call the whole thing off. I’m just curious why you’re here.”
“I heard from Tabby that Ms. Taylor was in the hospital, so I decided to come back and see if I could do anything for Alina.”
“I’m afraid you’re a little late to offer help.”
“Dad, you’re being unfair,” I chastised.
“I have every right to be. He convinces you to run off and forget about school. I’ve barely heard from you in over a month, and now he shows up uninvited at the worst possible time.” The anger in his voice made me cringe. Samuel was doing everything he could not to laugh.
I walked over to my dad and took his hand in mine and waited for him to calm down. “I know you’re upset about Mom, but it’s not fair of you to take it out on Duncan. I’m a grown woman. At least by legal standards,” I clarified, stopping his protest before he could voice it. “I made the choice to go with him, whether for good or bad. So please don’t blame him. Blame me.”
Tears stood in my dad’s eyes. “It’s just hard to believe you’re all grown up and with all of these terrible things happening… I just want to make sure you’re safe.” He put his arms around me and held me close. I cried until his shirt was wet with tears and snot. When I looked up at him, I saw tears streaming down his face as well. Everything settled down in the condo after that.
I spent the next two days after my mom’s death going through paperwork, contacting her lawyer to set up a meeting time, and handling all of the funeral arrangements. The men tried to take care of some of the preparations, but they were pretty much useless when it came to planning everything. Dad had never arranged a funeral and though he knew his way around an operating room, he could barely remember to pay his bills. Samuel and Duncan hadn’t attended a funeral or planned one in nearly two hundred years. I didn’t really mind the work. It helped to take my mind off of everything.
On the day of the funeral, I got out of the shower and tried to focus so I could finish getting ready. I didn’t bother with makeup. Even though I despised crying so much for a woman who had chosen not to speak to me in nearly six months, I also knew I would be in tears at the memorial. By the time I finished, the men were dressed and ready to go.
The sky outside was dark and heavy when we squeezed into Samuel’s car. The threatening rain and sub-zero wind only added to the depressing mood as we drove to the memorial service. The cold didn’t bother Samuel, Duncan, or me, but I caught my dad shivering a couple of times.
Just as we pulled into the parking lot, lightning split the sky, immediately followed by a loud clap of thunder. The rain broke free from its prison and came down in a mad rush. A car pulled in beside us that looked like Tabby’s Honda. We waited for a few minutes to see if the rain would let up, but it maintained its steady rhythm. Giving up, our little party climbed out of the vehicle. Tabby and Scott must have come to the same conclusion because they exited her car at the same time. We waved hello but didn’t stop to chat as we made a dash for the chapel. We were all soaked by the time we made it inside.
The funeral director came over to greet me as soon as the doors closed behind us. “Hello again, Miss Taylor.”
“Hello, Mr. Humphrey.”
“Will there be any other family joining us?”
I shook my head. “It’s just me and my dad.”
“Okay. If you would just follow me, we’ve set up an area for the family.”
He led the way to a small standing area near the memorial. I recognized the faces of a couple of the men and a few of the women as I scanned the small crowd. I did my best to hide my contempt. Not one of them had come during the week my mom fought for her life in the hospital. I didn’t feel they had the right to be at the funeral, but I knew my mom would have wanted them.
“Were you planning on saying anything today?” Mr. Humphrey asked.
What was I supposed to say? The truth? My mom could be a cold heartless woman who cared more about herself than me, but I still loved her. Or maybe her friends would prefer a lie. She was a wonderful person who would give you her last dime if you needed it. I shook my head in response to Mr. Humphrey’s question. I really doubted anyone here would care what I had to say one way or the other.
“When did you get here?” I heard Tabby ask Duncan as I went to make sure they were all okay.
“A couple of days ago.”
“You couldn’t pick up a phone and call me?” A hint of pain was evident in her question.
Duncan shifted uncomfortably. “Sorry.” He didn’t get the chance to elaborate further as Scott rejoined the group, ending the conversation.
I returned to the front of the room to study at the collage Tabby had helped me create for the service. There were pictures of my mom as a child competing in several pageants, another had her in a sparkly blue dress for her prom, and a few were from her time with my dad. My favorites were of us as a family, and even though she appeared bored or had a fake smile plastered on her face in most of them, it was a reminder of a time when something other than herself came first in her life.
“How are you holding up?” Mrs. Bishop asked shortly after she and her husband arrived.
“I’m not sure, to be honest. It’s a lot to take in.” I was glad Tabby’s parents were here. It was nice to see familiar faces of people who actually cared about me.
“I’m sorry we haven’t been more helpful. I could give some excuse but really we just didn’t know what to do.” Mrs. Bishop seemed ashamed.
“Don’t worry about it. Tabby has helped a lot and Josh told me there have been some issues up in New York.”
“Is Dr. Taylor around?” Mr. Bishop asked.
I nodded, pointing to the back of the room. “He needed a break. The glares he was getting from some of the guests have been hard to deal with.”
The Bishops went back to see him but left a few minutes later. I was sad to see them go, even though Tabby had informed me they had a plane to catch.
I managed to hold it together pretty well, accepting fake condolences and concerns from my mom’s fake friends, until her absentee boyfriend showed up with some other woman on his arm.
“Hey, Alina.”
“Hello, Jeff.” I icily returned his greeting. I glanced around the room for my dad, but he must have gone to the restroom. I knew he’d had about enough and needed to get away from my mom’s fake friends for a little while. Samuel, Duncan, Tabby, and Scott were still nearby, but they were clearly discussing something, and I didn’t want bother them.
“How are you doing?” he asked.
“Fine.”
“I wanted to apologize for not coming by when your Mom was in the hospital. I’m just not real big on the whole sick people thing.”
I balled my hands into tight fists. “She wasn’t sick. She’d been attacked by some jerk.”
“I know. It was just too hard for me to see her like that, you know?
At least she had you there. She was a really great woman and really beautiful. That must be where you got your looks from.” He leaned closer to me, making the already uncomfortable situation worse.
“I was wondering if we might exchange numbers. I know the two of you weren’t on speaking terms, but if you needed someone to talk to or help you through this. Maybe you just need a place to stay…”
My eyes widened in shock but quickly narrowed with disgust. I felt my stomach roll as it threatened to empty all over the Armani suit my mother had bought for him. Was he really trying to pick me up? I hoped I was wrong, but the look on his face told me I wasn’t.
“Get out,” I said through clenched teeth. Confusion pulled down his brow. “Get out,” I said louder, causing a few heads to turn.
Jeff laughed. “I have every right to be here. I was closer to your mother than you ever were. She told me how much you hated her, how ungrateful you were. That every time she reached out to you, you threw it back in her face.”
I couldn’t stop shaking as his words hit me. “You don’t know anything about my mom or me. Now. Get. Out.”
The room fell quiet as everyone turned to stare at the unfolding drama. Samuel and Duncan were by my side in less than a second.
“You heard her,” Samuel growled through clenched teeth.
“Get out before we make you,” Duncan challenged.
Jeff showed no signs of backing down. He obviously didn’t realize the danger.
“Is there a problem?” Detective Johnson asked, joining our little party. I hadn’t even seen her arrive.
Jeff looked at the woman with disdain until he saw her badge. “Everything’s fine. I was just leaving.”
The entire room watched as he collected his ‘date’ and made his way to the exit. I held it together long enough to make sure he wasn’t coming back before I collapsed into a chair. Samuel put his arm around me and held me while I sobbed. Why did my Mom have to choose the biggest jerks on the planet to be with? It made the fact that she’d managed to get my dad all the more amazing.
“Here you go,” Detective Johnson said, handing me another tissue.
“Thanks,” I said, sniffling.
“I’ll go see if I can find your father,” Duncan said once he saw I was regaining control.
I nodded a thank you.
“Who was that guy?” Detective Johnson asked.
“That was Jeff. I’d hoped she’d gotten rid of him, but apparently she didn’t. If you don’t mind me asking, what are you doing here?”
“I guess your father forgot to tell you. I asked if it would be okay for me to come to the funeral. I was trying to stay out of the way and observe but…” She gave me a knowing look.
“Yeah, my mom sure knew how to pick them.”
Detective Johnson chuckled.
No Change
The memorial started to break up shortly after Jeff made his escape. I shook a few more hands and accepted sympathies from people I didn’t know. I waited around for a few extra minutes for my mom’s ashes.
“Scott has to head back to the apartment to finish up a paper, but we’ll meet you back at Samuel’s place for dinner,” Tabby informed me. I gave her a hug before she walked over to where Scott waited by her car.
“Where are you headed now?” Detective Johnson asked.
“We’re going to my mom’s lawyer’s office. Would you like to join us?” I knew she would probably want to hear what was in the will.
“Thanks. I’ll follow you there.”
Samuel, Duncan, my dad and I piled into Samuel’s car again and made the uncomfortable drive over to Mr. Turner’s office. As far as I knew, he was the only man in my mom’s life with whom she had only maintained a business relationship. The fact that he was a good hundred pounds overweight had probably helped to deter her interest.
“My name is Alina Taylor. I’m here to see Mr. Turner.”
“Yes ma’am. Just go right on in. He’s expecting you.”
Samuel and Duncan stayed out in the small waiting area while my dad, Detective Johnson, and I went into Mr. Turner’s office.
“Hello, Miss Taylor and Dr. Taylor. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the two of you.” Mr. Turner pried himself out of his chair to shake our hands. “If you don’t mind taking a seat, I’m waiting for one more party to join us.” He motioned to a pair of chairs.
“This is Detective Johnson. She’s the detective investigating my mom’s case,” I said as we sat down to wait.
He eyed the detective suspiciously. “I wasn’t expecting to see you today.”
“Forgive me,” Detective Johnson said. “I know our appointment is set for tomorrow, but Ms. Taylor invited me. Is there a problem with me observing?”
“Not at all.” From the tone of his voice, he had a very big problem with Detective Johnson’s presence, but he wasn’t about to kick the cop investigating my mom’s murder out of his office. Especially since I had invited her.
“Do you suspect someone with an interest in the will?”
“Seeing as I don’t know the interested parties, it would be hard for me to speculate. At this point, I’m just here to make sure we cover all our bases.”
Mr. Turner’s eyes narrowed. “Are you following any other leads, or do you have any other suspects?”
“There have been several other home invasions in the surrounding counties. We’re checking to see if there is any link between the cases.”
Mr. Turner appeared satisfied but still didn’t appear comfortable about Detective Johnson staying in the room.
The door flew open, making me jump slightly. My surprise lasted long enough to keep me from jumping up and assaulting Jeff as he sauntered into the room.
“Hey, Mr. Turner. Sorry I’m late. I had to drop off my girl─ What are you doing here?” Jeff asked, staring at my dad and me as if we were bugs to be stepped on.
“We’re here for the reading of the will,” my dad answered. He put his hand on my arm to prevent me from doing anything stupid.
“Do they have to be here?” Jeff asked Mr. Turner.
“Ms. Taylor asked that they be here during the reading of the will.”
That appeared to shut up Jeff. He took a seat on the opposite side of the room and glared across us. “Does that cop have to be here, then?”
“I’m investigating the attack on Ms. Taylor. Miss Taylor and Dr. Taylor invited me to the reading. Is that a problem?”
Jeff seemed angry, but said, “No.”
“I guess we should begin,” Mr. Turner announced as the room settled. “Ms. Kathleen Taylor made a new will about six months ago. At that time, she removed her daughter, Miss Alina Taylor, from the will. Dr. John Taylor had also been removed from the will upon the dissolution of their marriage. Ms. Kathleen Taylor desired that all assets in her name be sold in the manner that I felt was best. All debts in her name are to be closed out and any remaining assets are to be settled on Mr. Jeff Curtis.”
A ludicrous grin spread across Jeff’s face at the announcement.
I sat in silence as Mr. Turner’s words sank in. Nothing. I would get nothing. Not a picture or a memento. Not even the bills she’d surely left unpaid.
“How much do I get?” Jeff asked, rubbing his hands together like a villain in an old movie.
I rolled my eyes. He couldn’t even wait for us to leave the room. Detective Johnson appeared very interested in the answer, though.
“Once I’ve settled all of Ms. Taylor’s obligations, it should be somewhere around one hundred to a hundred and fifty thousand.”
Jeff clapped his hands in excitement. I wanted to lunge across the room and punch him. I really hoped my mom knew what a jerk he was before signing everything over to him. Detective Johnson appeared intrigued by the large sum of money. I was pretty sure if she hadn’t gotten around to talking to Jeff already, she would certainly be making a point of it soon.
Dad glanced over at me then, and at the same time, we burst out laughing. Jeff glared at
us, but Mr. Turner and Detective Johnson stared at us as though we’d gone off the deep end.
“Thank you, Mr. Turner,” my dad said, standing to shake the man’s hand.
“Would you like me to send you a copy?” Mr. Turner asked, still seeming off-balance.
“You have my lawyer’s information. Please send two certified copies, one for me and one for my daughter. If you need anything else from us, you can contact my lawyer.”
I stood and joined my dad in thanking Mr. Turner. Then, we turned to leave the room with Detective Johnson right behind us.
“Did I miss something in there? Why were the two of you laughing?” Detective Johnson asked once we were out in the waiting room.
“Forgive me,” Dad said, clearing his throat. “You have to understand. My ex-wife’s parents left her a great deal of money. I was never privy to the exact amount, but to know she’d burned through essentially all of it was a bit of a shock.”
“I didn’t know that,” I said. “I was just happy I didn’t get stuck paying all of her bills. I wouldn’t have put it past her to saddle me with them.”
“The two of you aren’t upset about not getting anything?” Detective Johnson asked in disbelief.
I shook my head. “Not really. I never really expected to get anything. I’m just sorry she never woke up so I could say goodbye.” I felt tears welling in my eyes. I knew it was silly to want to say goodbye, considering the relationship we had. I guessed it only proved how strong a daughter’s bond is with her mother, even if the mother didn’t deserve that bond.
“Thank you for letting me sit in during the reading,” Detective Johnson said as we said our farewells in the parking lot.
“It’s not a problem,” my dad said. “I’m glad we could help. If you could please keep us in the loop should anything come up, or let us know if you need any help.”
“I’ll be sure to let you know should any new leads arise. Goodbye.” Detective Johnson walked to her car, got in, and pulled away. I knew she would never find my mom’s killer, but she seemed like the type of person who would never stop looking.