Chapter Eight

Karmen Jones

The funeral parlor is exactly the way I

remember it from all those years ago. It’s dark, dreary, and

depressing. All the chairs are covered in dirty pink velvet

material and the wall has an ugly embossed beige wallpaper.

Mr. Anderson is still the director of the

funeral home and greets us with a frown at the front door.

“The Blake brothers,” he says as we all step

inside. “I’m sorry for your loss. Your mother will be missed.”

Wesley’s grasp on my hand tightens. He

hasn’t grieved. I know because I’ve been with him the whole time.

He won’t let me out of his sight for longer than five minutes. My

hand is clasped in his as they discuss the finer details of their

mother’s memorial service.

Every now and then I catch one of his

brothers staring at our entwined hands with a frown and I can’t

help but smile. Things have happened fast, and I am sure they both

have questions but that can wait until later.

They are discussing the music that will play

during the ceremony when Adam walks away. Giving Wesley’s hand a

squeeze I pull away and follow him out. Sitting on the steps,

Adam’s entire body shakes as the grief and pain overwhelm him.

Silently, I sit beside him, pulling him into my side and offering

what little comfort I can give.

I don’t offer him empty words or useless

platitudes. I just sit there holding him. I love the Blake

brothers, each in a different way. Adam is the closest to my age

and we have always gotten along like a house on fire.

“I can’t believe she is actually gone,” he

says, pulling away once the crying subsides. “It feels unreal.”

“I know.”

“How long does this feeling last?”

“It gets easier,” I say, looking at the

clear blue sky. “Some days are good but there will be bad days.

Days when you want to tell her something and then it hits you all

over again.”

“Is that how you feel?”

“So many times,” I reply with a sigh. “I

want to call Tommy up and tell him to get his ass down here right

now.”

“But you’re here.”

“I can deal with you,” I say with a chuckle.

“I can even deal with Wesley. But Shane? I don’t know what to do

with him.”

Adam nods. “I know what you mean.”

Silence descends on us as we watch the cars

drive by. Neither of us makes a move to go back inside. I know

Wesley is fine, and Adam just needs a minute.

“Let’s get some lunch,” Shane says as he

walks out of the funeral home with Wesley on his heels. “I have

some questions.”

Adam chuckles and I roll my eyes. I knew

this was coming and Adam, not asking any questions, surprised me.

Now I know why he didn’t say anything — they

are going to do it together.

“Fine,” Wesley says, helping me up. “But

let’s do this at the bar. I don’t want every curious old lady

listening to our conversation.”

He leads me to his black pickup truck before

boosting me up into the passenger seat. It only takes him a moment

to join me before we drive back through town.

“I really love this truck,” I muse, running

my hand along the leather seat. “I still can’t believe you taught

me to drive in this thing.”

Wesley laughs. “It was the first thing I

bought myself. Tommy almost had a stroke when he saw you driving

it.”

Laughter bubbles up in me as the memory

flashes through my mind. “He was so pissed. I thought he was going

to hit you.”

“He was terrified you were going to wreck my

truck.”

I snort. “I had a decent teacher. I haven’t

had a wreck in my life, and I was thirteen when you taught me.”

Grabbing my hand, Welsey lifts it to his

mouth and kisses my knuckles. “I’m glad to hear it.”

****

Wesley Blake

The bar has more patrons inside than it does

on a weekday, but most are seated at booths eating something. In a

few hours more people will pour in and start drinking. Tonight, we

have a band from three towns away so we should draw a decent

crowd.

Drew, the bartender, nods as we walk in, and

I lead Karmen and my brothers to one of the open booths. A moment

later one of the waitresses approaches with a smile and a handful

of menus.

“We won’t need those, Kallie,” Karmen says

with a smile. “We’ll take three bacon- cheeseburgers, and Shane

will have a salad.”

“Woman,” Shane grumbles.

“Don’t start,” she bites back. “You know

you’re not going to eat the damn burger even if you order it. You

always have the salad.”

“Fine.” He huffs, knowing she is right. My

brother lives a clean, healthy life, and everyone knows it. “But

bring us a bottle of bourbon and four glasses.”

Kallie’s eyes almost pop out of her head in

shock before she scurries off to place our order. She is fast and

in minutes she places the bourbon and glasses in front of us before

disappearing once more.

Adam takes the liberty of pouring each of us

a generous shot before passing the glasses around.

“Spill,” Shane says before anyone else has

the chance to speak.

“There is nothing to spill,” Karmen says

with a flick of her hair. “Didn’t I tell you to stay out of my

business?”

I can tell she is fucking with him. My

brother is the most uptight motherfucker I know, and he hates not

knowing what is going on.

He leans his elbows on the table with a

calculating smile. “If you’re running around with Wesley, and I

assume you are, you’re his business. And he is my brother and my

business. Which by the transit of property now makes your business,

my business.”

Adam whistles lowly and I can’t help but

laugh.

“Fine,” she says with a smile of her own.

“What do you want to know?”

“I want to know what this is,” Shane says

gesturing between the two of us.

“You need to be more specific,” I cut

in.

“Yes.” Karmen nods, grinning at me. “Or do

you want to know what we were doing before Adam called…”

“La-la-la-la,” Adam says loudly, sticking

his fingers in his ears and I can’t help from bursting out

laughing.

“Don’t be a brat, Karmen,” Shane cuts

in.

“We’re together,” I say, knowing the two of

them can go at it for hours. “That’s all you need to know.”

Shane raises a brow. “And how are you going

to be ‘together’,” — he uses his fingers to

make the little sign before continuing — “if

Karmen is living in Boston?”

“Karmen lives in Severn,” I say without

missing a beat.

“She sold her house. She doesn’t have

anywhere to stay.”

“Actually,” she says, and we turn our

attention to focus on her. “I know of a great furnished house I can

rent. And the landlord has a thing for me,” she adds with a

wink.

“You two are going to be insufferable,

aren’t you?” Adam asks, making us laugh as Kallie brings our food

to the table.

“Probably,” I say, kissing the side of

Karmen’s head.

We all dig into our food and the

conversation turns to other topics. We can feel the weight of our

mother’s death and the looming funeral pressing down on us, but I

think we just need this time to be normal for a bit. The sadness is

still there but for now we are just being.