“I think she’s gone.”
To Jill, the next five days were a blur. She felt numb as they went through the motions and did the things one did at a time like this. They met with the funeral director, a cheery woman named Charlotte who had clearly adored Grams. “She was so full of life, that one. She came in twice over the past year to update the music. Said she wanted to make sure there was no ‘cry music’ at her service. Nothing but upbeat and happy.”
That made Jill smile. It was so like Grams. She had told all three of them often that she didn’t want her funeral to be a morbid thing with music that made people sad. She wanted them to dance and to have a party to celebrate her life. Grams was so determined. She had already planned it all down to the very last detail. She’d booked the funeral service, made all the arrangements, right down to picking out the coffin and music.
“I don’t want you girls to have to worry about all that. Just remember that it’s at Cleary and Arlidge. Call and ask for Charlotte.” Grams was certainly right about that. It did make things easier. So much easier than when Grampy died ten years ago, and they went along with Grams to get everything sorted out. She was so sad and detached back then that it was difficult for her to focus on anything, especially the details for her husband’s funeral.
Grams had also left instructions for her mercy meal to be at Mimi’s Place, of course. She wanted everyone to enjoy themselves and to remember all the good times. She always did love a party.
“Eat, drink and be merry,” Jill said as she forced a smile and lifted her glass to clink it against Mandy’s and Emma’s. They were sitting at a big round table at Mimi’s Place. Just being there was a comfort. It was Gram’s favorite restaurant by far and it always reminded them of her. The room was cozy and plush with dark cherry wood and soft burgundy velvet seat cushions. What saved the room from being too dark were plenty of windows that allowed soft natural light to brighten the room.
Jill felt her muscles finally relax as she leaned back in her chair. Everything was done now—well, almost. They still had to clear out Grams’ house, but there was no rush on that and none of them had the energy to tackle it just yet. Plus, they’d talked about it a bit and decided that at least for the next year or so they’d keep it, rather than selling it. That way they’d always have a place to call home on Nantucket.
“It would be perfect for either of you if you wanted to stay for longer than a day or two,” Mandy said. “Of course you know you’re both always welcome to stay with me as long as you like, but this would give you your own space and peace and quiet.”
At that moment Ray Bartlesby who was in his late seventies and had been managing Mimi’s Place for longer than Jill had been alive, stopped by their table. Emma pulled out a chair, and he sat down.
“Your grandmother would be so pleased to see you girls laughing. She was such a special lady.”
“Ray, thank you so much for everything. As usual, the food was amazing,” Mandy said.
“Rose was like family.” Ray’s voice cracked and his demeanor, so polished and professional at all times, slipped for just an instant, revealing a glimpse of genuine sadness. Jill and her sisters had been a little overwhelmed and so grateful for the outpouring of sympathy and support they’d received. So many people who had known Grams in some way over the years had come to pay their respects.
“How is your family, Ray?” Jill asked. She’d talked to his wife Cindy earlier, and she had mentioned that they’d just become great-grandparents for the first time and were absolutely thrilled.
“Everyone’s great, just great, thanks.” He glanced around the bustling room, full of people mingling, drinking and eating, filling their plates at the buffet table, while servers in elegant black and white uniforms stocked whatever was running low and efficiently cleared empty dishes and glasses away. “I suppose it finally is time to retire. I’ll really miss this place though.”
Emma patted his arm. “I can’t imagine how they’ll run it without you,” she said.
Ray chuckled. “Oh, they’ll be fine. It’s just time. Long overdue if you ask my wife. She’s ready to retire to Florida yesterday.” He stood up as one of the servers caught his eye. “Please excuse me, duty calls.” Some kind of crisis in the kitchen, from the looks of it. Jill suspected that he would miss this job quite a bit. Retirement wouldn’t be nearly as exciting.
“This place without Ray will just seem so odd,” Mandy said.
“I used to think that, too,” Emma agreed. “After all he’s been here as long as any of us can remember.”
They were silent for a moment, and then Jill reached for the half-full bottle of chianti in the middle of the table and refilled each of their glasses.
“Okay, so let’s talk about you now.” She focused her attention on Emma. “What are you going to do about Peter? Can you work things out, do you think?”
Emma still hadn’t shared the dirty details with them yet. The timing hadn’t felt right. It didn’t seem appropriate to whine about her marriage woes when they were writing Grams obituary and making arrangements to bury her. But now—well, she supposed Grams would have quite a lively opinion about the matter.
“Grams was never a big fan of Peter. I wonder if she somehow sensed something?” she mused.
“Was he unfaithful?” Mandy asked, and Emma just nodded. It was still too hard to say the words.
“No kidding? Who was she?” Jill exclaimed, clearly surprised by this revelation. Emma smiled wryly.
“He,” she corrected. After allowing a moment for that to register, she added, “It was his friend Tom. His very good friend Tom.”
“The one who recently moved to Phoenix?” Mandy asked.
“The very same. They evidently ‘experimented’ in college. Whatever that means. I don’t really want to know. Peter said it freaked them both out, and it didn’t happen again, until just recently, when Tom was transferred to Phoenix and looked him up.”
“That’s really scary. How do you deal with that kind of news?” Jill asked.
“Not very well,” Emma admitted with a nervous laugh. “If you’re me, you run away and hide and you question it from every possible angle. But there are no good answers.”
“Well, you need to take a vacation and figure out what you’re going to do next.” Mandy reached over and grabbed her hand. “Stay with me, as long as you like. We have plenty of room.”
“Or come to Manhattan. We can have a blast, go shopping and out to eat, whatever you feel like doing,” Jill offered.
“Thanks, both of you. I’ve been thinking a lot about this though, and what I’ve decided is what I really need to do is focus on work, and keep busy. I’m flying home tomorrow night and moving out. I have a room already booked at a spa in Scottsdale and am going to go apartment hunting. I can’t stay in our house anymore, not with Peter or even without him. There are too many memories there.”
She saw the sympathy in their eyes and anger at Peter on her behalf, which was understandable and she loved them for it.
“I don’t hate Peter. He is who he is and I know he never meant for this to happen, but I just can’t be around him anymore. It’s too hard.”