Until Next Time (The Shooting Stars Series)

by Michelle Maness

  “I didn’t want her alone.”

  “Let’s go,” he grabbed her bags.

  Katherine grabbed Cleo and followed. She had already called her boss, but decided to call Kristen so that someone would know where they were. By the time they joined the westward flow of traffic on I-40, it was pouring rain and fog had started rolling in. It was, as her grandmother would have said, ‘not fit weather to be out in’. Katherine’s new cell phone rang and she fumbled to answer it.

  “Hello.”

  “Hi, I wanted to check on you, I checked the weather and it looks rough there. Maybe you should wait until tomorrow,” Derrick said without preamble.

  “We’re fine.”

  “Who’s we?” Derrick demanded.

  “Adam’s driving me; he didn’t want me to make the trip alone and wanted to be there for Grandma’s funeral anyway.”

  “How does he know her?”

  “He used to visit her with me.”

  “He visited your grandma?”

  “Yes, she adopted Adam; she looked forward to his visits.”

  “Be careful,” he didn’t sound happy.

  “We will be,” she promised and then settled back for the ride.

  It was slow going in the messy weather and Katherine found herself observing the odd glow and patterns the lights made through the fog as they passed through Dickson. The rain cloaked fog hovered around the lights creating a halo that shifted like a restless ghost in the wind and created an eerie atmosphere that made Katherine shudder.

  “You cold?” Adam asked her and reached into the back seat for his jacket. Katherine settled it over her and fell asleep watching the distorted out lines of trees slide by.

  Adam slowed as he approached the end of the off ramp and navigated the familiar roads carefully. He pulled into the Mayfield’s driveway and killed the engine. Julia stepped into the garage and waited for them.

  “Kaitlyn’s asleep,” Adam called.

  Julia smiled at him as he hurried around the SUV with an umbrella. “Kaitlyn, wake up,” he shook her gently. She sat up and looked around.

  “When did I fall asleep?” she asked.

  “Back before the Tennessee River, around Bucksnort I think,” he replied.

  “I’m sorry,” she frowned.

  “No, problem,” he assured her as he escorted her to the garage. She offered her help with the luggage but he refused and told her to stay out of the rain.

  “Are you okay?” her mom asked.

  “No. I will be but right now I’m not,” she admitted. Her mom hugged her and the two shared a few tears.

  “How are you holding up?” she asked her mom.

  “I’ll be alright, don’t you worry about me.”

  They turned to find Adam watching them.

  “I’ll see you guys in the morning. Where will they have her and what time?” he asked the women.

  “Where are you going?” Julia asked.

  “A hotel.”

  “No, you’re not. I’ve already made up the spare room for you,” Julia informed him and sent him after his luggage.

  “You brought Cleo?” Julia turned to her daughter and smiled.

  “I didn’t want her to get lonely,” Katherine explained.

  “Come on, let’s get out of the rain,” her mom pulled the door open.

  “Hey, Adam thanks for bringing Kattie down,” Walter shook Adam’s hand.

  “No problem, I’d like to pay my respects to Gracie myself. She was a special lady.”

  “She always thought a lot of you, Adam,” Julia wiped at fresh tears but there was a smile on her face.

  Adam felt right at home with this family he had spent so much time with. Kaitlyn had sat down beside her father and he had wrapped an arm around her. Adam had always wanted a family like this one.

  “It’s late and I have to be at the funeral home early,” Julia stood and stretched.

  “Yeah, we should all go to bed,” Katherine said and took Cleo to the utility room.

  They all went to their own rooms, each knowing that the next couple of days were going to be hard and busy.

  Seventeen

  Katherine rode to the funeral home with Adam the next morning where her mom and dad were meeting her aunt and uncle. Her grandma had lived in the small, neighboring town of Lexington, and the funeral would be held there.

  “I haven’t been here in a long time,” Adam commented as they rolled to a stop at the first of the five stoplights in town.

  “Me either, honestly. Not since Grandma moved in with Mom and Dad.”

  “If we have time I would like to drive around Jackson some before we leave for Nashville. It looks like it’s grown a lot.”

  “It has, we’ll make time. Turn at the light,” she instructed. They joined the others on the sidewalk and climbed the front steps. They were led to a large room where caskets were set up for viewing and her mom and aunt finally settled on a mahogany and made the necessary arrangements. The arrangements made, they returned home to change, and Katherine packed a small bag with her clothes for the funeral. She would be sitting up at the funeral home all night with her mom and aunt. It was a southern tradition that the deceased not be left alone, one that her family kept. Adam said he would do the same.

  “You don’t have to, Adam; you’re welcome to come back here and rest.”

  “I know, but unless you would rather I didn’t, I would like to.”

  “Why would I mind your staying? But you really don’t have to.”

  “Kaitlyn, I’m staying.”

  The funeral home opened that afternoon for visitation and viewing and as the evening wore on, the building was filled to capacity.

  “Now is this your fiancé?” one of her great aunt’s asked.

  “No, Aunt Francie, this is Adam, a friend of mine. He came to a few family gatherings back during college,” her voice was raised so her aunt could hear.

  Her aunt nodded and smiled. “I remember you now; it’s good to see you again.”

  “Likewise,” Adam returned her handshake and received her pat on the shoulder.

  “Kattie!” her cousin smiled and embraced her.

  “Hey, Angie, it’s been too long. How are you?”

  “Considering all I’m doing well,” her cousin answered before turning to Adam. “How are you, Adam?”

  “I’m doing well, thank you.”

  “Where’s your fiancé?” Angie turned back to Katherine.

  “He’s out of town on business.”

  “Dustin was until this morning. He called his boss and insisted he had to be home, fortunately, his boss was completely okay with it and he hopped the first flight he could catch.”

  Katherine hoped that no one could see how much her words had hurt, though judging by the way Adam was watching her, he already knew.

  “I’m glad he could be here,” Katherine managed.

  “Me too. How is Derrick? He never makes it in with you, does he?”

  “No, no, he stays very busy,” Katherine admitted. “Where’s your daughter?”

  “In the kitchen with her dad. She’s growing so fast that I look away and when I look back she’s taller!”

  “I haven’t seen her since she was born.”

  “I’ll bring her around to see you,” Angela promised and then a family friend had stepped forward and was hugging Katherine.

  “Hey, Katherine, how are you holding up dear?” Abigail asked in her weathered voice that sounded as though it was ready to give out.

  “Fairly well, Abby, how are you?”

  “I ache in these old bones, but other than that I’m fine. I sure was sorry to hear about your grandma, honey, she was a fine Christian woman and she’ll be missed.”

  “Thank you, Abby.”

  “I’m gonna go say hi to your mama. You take care of yourself,” Abby patted her on the shoulder and moved on. Katherine pushed a tendril of hair back from her damp face. The room was quickly becoming overheated from the number of people who filled the
building.

  “You look like you could use some air,” Adam took her by the elbow and led her out the door. It wasn’t any better on the sidewalk where the men had gathered to talk and smoke.

  “How about a ride?” Adam suggested. She nodded and Adam held her door while she climbed in.

  “Thanks, Adam, I was starting to suffocate.”

  “Where to?”

  “I’d like a milk shake from Sonic and, if you don’t mind, could we drive out to Grandma’s old place?” she asked.

  Adam smiled. “Consider me your chauffeur,” he said as he backed from the parking space.

  Katherine stood in the gathering dusk in front of her grandmother’s old place, a lamppost the only light in the yard. The house was an unassuming white frame house with many additions that had been put on over the years but Katherine loved it. She had spent many happy days and nights inside the confines of the little house. A distant cousin lived there now but Katherine knew she wouldn’t mind her being there. It was likely that she was at the funeral home herself.

  Katherine inhaled deeply of the flowerbeds her grandparents had planted: roses, hyacinths, gardenias, lilacs, and more. They were planted along the porch, hanging from flowerpots, and in beds throughout the yard. To the left of the house was the woodpile, beyond that, shrouded in the darkness, the vegetable garden and now empty pigpen.

  She closed her eyes for a moment and was again a child visiting her grandpa in his damp smoke house-turned tool shed where the smell of rusted metal, damp earth, and oil always prevailed. She was visiting her grandma in the garden and squeezing her bare toes in the moist earth. She was sneaking into the pigpen with her cousins and hoping that the old sow wouldn’t charge them this time.

  She opened her eyes and the laughter from her childhood faded to be replaced by the song of the cricket, cicada, and whippoorwill. She walked up onto the porch, sat down in the old swing, and Adam joined her. How many times had she done the same with her grandparents?

  “There are so many memories here. I am going to miss her so much,” she sobbed.

  Adam slipped an arm around her and pulled her close.

  “I know you will,” he told her.

  Katherine made no move to pull away, this time accepting the comfort he offered.

  The funeral home had started clearing out by the time they returned and continued to do so until only those who were staying remained. Katherine walked into the kitchen, fixed herself some coffee, and grabbed a doughnut. She had barely eaten since lunch.

  “You look tired. Are you sure you want to stay?” her mom came in behind her.

  “I’m fine.”

  “Where did you disappear to earlier?”

  “We went to grandma’s old place.”

  “I’d like to do that myself.”

  “I’m going to miss her.”

  “Me too,” her mom sighed.

  “Hi,” Adam greeted them as he fixed himself some coffee.

  “Hey, Adam; have you made any plans yet?” Julia asked.

  “I am kicking around some ideas and have made a few inquiries but it is too soon to say. I’ll share when I have better feel for things.”

  “Good luck. We’d be more than happy to have you stay in the area,” Julie smiled at him.

  “That is a real possibility,” he admitted.

  Adam settled back with his coffee and sipped it while he watched Kaitlyn talk, laugh, and even share tears with her aunt. She moved off with her aunt and short time later he found her asleep on one of the settees; he retrieved one of his jackets from his car and spread it over her, then claimed a nearby seat to make certain that no one bothered her.

  The next day, Adam sat beside Katherine, his gaze following several women as they came and went with bowls and platters of food.

  “How many people are they planning on feeding?”

  There was roast, fried chicken, casseroles, vegetables, rolls, cornbread, pies, and cakes and it looked to him as if there was enough to feed a small army.

  “As many as needed. Grandma’s church volunteered to cover today’s lunch. They have a committee especially for funerals or invalids from the church, they’re really well organized.”

  “So it would seem,” he commented. “I’ve never been to a southern funeral.”

  “I’ve never been to anything but a southern funeral so I can’t compare them to anything else,” Katherine shrugged.

  Julia joined them and looked over the table.

  “I see that Mom’s church has been here,” she commented and grabbed a plate.

  “They just left,” Kaitlyn fell into line behind her. “Are we going to Aunt Clara’s to change?”

  “Yes, and then we’ll come right back. We probably ought to do that after we eat. I want to be here when everyone starts to arrive.”

  After they had eaten, they went to her aunt’s to dress for the funeral and then returned to the funeral home. By the time they started lining the cars up for the procession to the church, the building was filled to overflowing. Katherine’s parents were right behind the hearse and her aunt and uncle were right behind them. Her mom’s brother had finally made it in and would be riding with Clara and her family.

  “We need to load up,” her dad told them and they moved to follow him.

  Adam watched as an officer stopped traffic to let the procession through the light, his hat in hand over his heart. He noted curiously that traffic came to a dead stand still in the oncoming lane and continued to do so as they moved on. When they passed a golf course and the golfers stopped, removed their caps, and placed them over their hearts, he felt tears prick is eyes.

  “Why is traffic stopping?” he asked Kaitlyn. She glanced at him and then out the window at the unmoving cars.

  “Have you ever lost a friend or loved one and wondered how the world could go on around you and thought that everything should just stand still, just for a moment? It does here, Adam. They’re showing their respect for the deceased and their family,” she explained.

  Adam looked at the cars again in amazement and wished that all people everywhere could have that kind of respect for life all the time.

  Derrick glanced again at the map in the seat beside him and traced the route he had mapped out. He had been delayed coming out of Chicago that morning due to weather and was afraid that he wasn’t going to make it. He had flown into Nashville, from there taken a smaller plane into McKeller Sipes Regional Airport outside of Jackson, and rented a car. When he arrived in the small town of Lexington, he first stopped at the wrong funeral home and was directed to the other, where he was told they had already left. From there, he followed directions to a small country church that Gracie had attended since she was a child. He arrived to find the group of mourners already on the hillside at the cemetery across from the church.

  Derrick hurried up the hill and stood behind the ring of mourners behind the tent. The funeral was already underway. Katherine was seated on the second row at the end; Adam stood behind her with a hand on her shoulder. He felt a little guilty. He probably should have made a point of being there earlier but the client he had just left was one of the firm’s top customers. He had been uncertain of leaving them in the hands of a rookie employee. He’d finally ironed out all of the foreseeable problems and let the young man have a chance to prove himself; it was a big risk to take.

  Derrick watched Katherine and Adam and frowned. Best he could tell Katherine’s family had more or less adopted Adam into the family several years back. He knew Katherine was certainly fond of him, sometimes so much so that it bothered him. He wondered if Katherine and her family were really aware of Adam’s past. Surely that had seen some tabloids and heard some rumors. Women, alcohol and drugs had been a steady part of his life. How could they simply ignore that and treat him like the kid he’d once been? He wasn’t a kid any longer and unless Derrick was mistaken the man had some feelings beyond friendship and adopted family toward Katherine. She was either completely unaware or chose to ignore it
.

  Katherine watched them lower her grandma into the ground through blurry eyes. She knew that her grandma had been ready to go, but she wasn’t ready to let go. She and her grandma had been close. She’d gone to visit her every chance she got until recently. She’d been so busy, but that was no excuse, she should have made time.

  “Katherine,” she heard Derrick call.

  She turned to him in surprise. “When did you get here?”

  “Just after it started; I tried making it earlier but I got delayed.”

  “Thanks for trying,” she said with a half-hearted smile.

  “Hey, Derrick,” Julia greeted.

  “Hello, Mrs. Mayfield. I’m sorry that I didn’t make it in sooner.”

  “You tried, I’m sure. When did you get here?”

  “Just after it started,” he answered.

  “Hey, Derrick,” Adam greeted.

  “Hello, Adam,” he returned Adam’s nod.

  “Are we ready to go home?” Julia asked.

  “Yes, I can’t wait to change into something more comfortable,” Katherine followed her mom to the car.

  “Oh wait! I have to go back to the funeral home,” Julia remembered.

  “We better hurry. It’s a week day, in case you’ve forgotten, and the plumber is scheduled to arrive in forty-five minutes,” Walter reminded his wife.

  “I had forgotten the plumber. I have the register and flowers and food...”

  “I’ll drop you off and then come back for you,” Walter teased.

  “Oh, no you won’t!” Julia retorted.

  “My Durango’s still there,” Adam reminded them. “You drop us off, Walter, and I’ll give Julia a ride home. There’s plenty of room in the back,” Adam offered.

  “If you’re sure you don’t mind...” Julia hesitated.

  “Not at all,” Adam assured her.

  “That works. Let’s go,” Walter said.

  “I’ll follow, I wasn’t sure I was going to find my way,” Derrick told them. “You want to ride with me, Katherine?” Derrick asked her.

  “Thanks, Derrick, but I need to talk with Mom,” she declined and climbed into the back of her parent’s car. Derrick had no choice but to follow. At the funeral home he parked beside Walter and watched Katherine, Julia, and Adam start into the funeral home. Walter jogged around the car and Derrick rolled down his window.