“Thank you, Mr. Daniels.” I stood, needing to get out of the building. The reality of all that had transpired so far today came crashing down on me, and my emotions were close to breaking.
“Terry, please, and if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call me. I will make sure to impress upon Gertrude that any call from you is important.”
I shook his hand, thanked him again, and left the building, clutching the large envelope to my chest. I took my time walking home, stopping about halfway to take off my shoes. It took me about fifteen minutes to get back to Gran’s house. I entered through the front door and sauntered straight to my room. The cadence of Brian’s voice as he spoke on the phone in the kitchen comforted me, but I didn’t want to talk to or face anyone at the moment. I sat on the bed, staring at the envelope in my lap, unable to bring myself to open it.
Instead, I lay down as the stress of the day descended upon me. Exhaustion permeated every fiber of my body, and sleep dragged me under quickly.
The scent of coffee roused me from my nap. One of Gran’s quilts was draped over me, and sitting on the nightstand was a steaming cup of coffee as well as a folded piece of paper. I sat up and leaned against the headboard, grabbing the note.
I didn’t want to wake you. I hoped the coffee would do it for me. I took the liberty of choosing a dress for you to change into. Take your time waking up, enjoy your coffee, and when you are ready, join us in the living room. A buffet of food has already been delivered by friends of your gran. Many have stayed to celebrate her life and would love to see you.
Brian
I glanced up at my favorite sundress hanging on the closet door. It was a royal blue wrap style dress that came just below my knees, had a modest neckline, and fluttery short sleeves. I smiled, believing Gran would have loved it too. The envelope lay beside me, beckoning me to open it, but I ignored it, choosing to fuel myself with the coffee Brian had left.
I soon joined everyone in the kitchen, carrying my now empty cup with me.
“Genni, you look lovely.” Luella smiled at me. Gran and Luella had been friends for years. Luella used to own the only hair salon in town, and after she closed it, she would come over and do Gran’s hair once a week. Even over the age of seventy, every hair on Luella’s head was in place, curled and coifed to perfection. Once a hairdresser, always a hairdresser, I supposed.
“Thank you, Luella.” I welcomed her with open arms and took comfort in her strong hug. Her aroma of vanilla and talcum powder with a whiff of hairspray mixed in brought back memories of the beauty shop.
“That young man of yours is handling the crowd expertly. Your gran would have loved him.” She winked at me.
“He’s just a friend, Luella, not my man.” I felt the heat of a blush at the back of my neck.
“Well, don’t tell him that.” She waved at someone behind me. “Oh, there’s Carol. I’ll head her off before she can bamboozle your young man into a conversation.” She hugged me again and stepped into the living room. “Carol, it’s so good to see you.” Her cheerful voice echoed away as she hurried over to her friend.
“How are you holding up?” Jason’s voice startled me. I turned to find him standing a bit too close for my comfort.
“I’m fine, Jason, thank you.” I stepped back, putting space between us. He stepped forward, following me. The glint in his eyes sent a shiver up my spine. I stepped back again only to have him follow; we played this game until I felt the counter hit my lower back. He placed his hands on the counter on either side of me and leaned in.
“Yes, you are, Genni. Fine, that is.” He nuzzled his nose in my hair, inhaling slowly. “And once everyone is gone, we can continue what we started yesterday. I still think you need to learn some discipline.”
Fear spiked, and I pushed hard against his chest, catching him off guard. I slipped out from between him and the counter. “I don’t know what you are talking about. We didn’t start anything, and no one has had the right to ‘discipline’ me since I was a kid.”
His eyes narrowed at my words. Another well-wisher entered the kitchen with a casserole in hand before he could reply. His face morphed from intense anger into a welcoming smile. He brushed past me, leaning in to whisper, “We will finish this conversation later.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. The young gentleman at the door told me to bring this in here.” I finally recognized her face.
“You didn’t interrupt anything, Kristi. Come on in.” I smiled and took the dish from her. “Please tell me this is your famous lasagna.”
Kristi laughed. “It sure is. Fresh from the oven, but if you don’t need it, you can freeze it once it’s cooled and reheat it later. Instructions are taped to the top.” She clasped her hands in front of her. “I am so sorry for your loss. Your gran will be greatly missed by the whole town.”
“Thank you. Yes, she will be.” Awkward silence followed. I didn’t know what else to say. Kristi and I had been somewhat friends in school, but that was years ago.
“Well, I’ll get out of your hair. If you need anything, just give me a call. My number is on the instruction card.”
“Thank you. I’ll be sure to call if I need to.”
That was how the rest of the night went. People stopping by, bringing food, sharing stories, and all of them offering help or a shoulder to cry on if I needed it. Jason hung around, giving me creepy looks and always finding some reason to touch me when he passed close by. Brian was the effortless host, expertly maneuvering people through the house in a timely manner. I felt his eyes on me throughout the night, and it was like he could read my mind. Whenever I tired of one guest, he escorted someone newly arrived to see me. He always made sure I had either a full mug of coffee or a cool glass of water near and brought me small plates of food occasionally. Never a full meal, only bites to nibble on. Each item was given with an encouraging and supportive touch or glance.
The last well-wisher finally left shortly after 10:00 P.M., and I plopped down on the couch, exhausted. If I saw another person in the next week, it would be too soon. The manila envelope Mr. Daniels had given me earlier in the day started calling to me again. I wanted to know what was inside, but I was too tired to move my body to the bedroom and open it.
“Hey, Genevieve, how ya doin’?” Jason’s voice urged my heavy eyelids to open. He stood next to the couch, gazing down at me with hungry eyes. His stare sent a shiver of unease down my spine.
“Tired.” I sat up, feeling particularly vulnerable with him hovering over me.
“Come then, let me help you to bed.” His hands clenched at his sides, and I knew at that moment I didn’t want to be alone with him anywhere, especially in a bedroom.
“Thank you, but I think I will relax here for a bit. I appreciate all your help today, Jason. Everyone’s gone, and I’ll leave clean up till tomorrow.” I pasted a tired smile onto my face.
“Clean-up’s already done.” Brian joined us in the living room, wiping his hands on a kitchen towel. “I know work is probably callin’. I’ll make sure Genevieve gets settled before I leave.” His gaze met Jason’s, and I saw a slight challenge in their depths. Great, all I needed now was a testosterone pissing match.