24
1987—James Gregory—electrocution—age 24
I supposed my name would be next. My birthday was tomorrow.
If what Joan had written here was correct, I could go any day
after that.
I handed the sheet to Chris without saying a word.
It took seconds before I heard him say, “Holy
shit.”
My hands were trembling, and Chris put his arms around me. “We’ll figure this
out,” he said.
I waited for him to say that this had to be a mistake. I waited
for him to abandon me like Geoffrey had.
And like someone else had when I was sixteen.
I wondered what had caused that last thought to resurface. I
shook my head.
“Do you know how to reach your Aunt Marigold?” Chris
asked. “You said she seemed connected to this. Maybe she
knows something.”
Although they weren’t quite the reassuring words I might have
hoped for, it sounded like he was still with me on this.
I pulled back and looked into his eyes. They were determined and
true. “I don’t think I have her number,” I said, “only
her address. I’ll call Geoffrey.”
Geoff answered on the first ring. “Hey.” His voice
was pretty cold.
“Hey,” I said. I was going to have to lie to him.
“Um, any chance you found Aunt Marigold’s number?
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. You could be right. This
couldn’t have been from Mother. There has to be a mistake
here. I’m hoping Aunt Marigold can help me.”
He exhaled on the other end of the phone. “I was starting
to think maybe you actually believed what was written there.
Someone must have faked a bunch of documents and mailed them as a
cruel joke.”
It was too elaborate for a joke.
I heard a woman’s voice in the background, one of his
numerous fag hags. “It’s preposterous!”
Preposterous? Who uses that word?
“But who would do such a thing?” I asked.
Again, the pause. “I don’t know, Katherine. Someone
who wants to besmirch Mom’s name, maybe?”
Besmirch? What was going on over there?
Then I thought about what he might be inferring. That’s
when my blood started to boil.
“What are you implying, Geoff? That I did this? That I would go
through all this trouble? For what?”
He cleared his throat. “No one else has anything to gain
from it. No one except you, Katherine. I think it’s a ploy to
get her money.”
Those last words stung.
I hung up on him.
Bastard.
Chris was next to me in a heartbeat. “He still
doesn’t believe you, does he?”
I shook my head. There were tears sliding down my face. He wiped them away and kissed my cheek.
“I do,” he whispered.
“Thank you.” I was really glad for
his support right now. I kissed him once more and rose.
“So if Geoff doesn’t have it,” Chris said,
“grab her address and let’s check the web.”
I pulled her address up on the computer. For every tool I could
think of to search for her, Chris knew five more.
We turned up nothing.
I put my head in my hands. I needed to think. I needed answers.
I was starting to feel a little overwhelmed at the moment. If this
was all true, I could die any day after tomorrow, doing
anything.
I was scared shitless.
“Call in sick,” Chris said. “Don’t go to
work tomorrow. I’ll do the same.”
I pulled my head up. “Huh?”
“We’re going to England.” He grabbed the
phone.
“What? Wait a minute. I can’t just go flying off to
England. I’ll probably drop into the ocean if this is all
true.” I paused. “And what do you mean
‘we’?”
“I’m coming with you.”
I stood up. I couldn’t afford a ticket to England. My
credit card was maxed out.
“Chris—”
He looked stern and I could swear his shoulders got bigger.
“Go pack. I’m calling to get us tickets now.”
I was a little taken aback at the authority in his voice.
“Wait just a second,” I said. My hands were on my
hips. “You can’t come in here and start telling me what
to do!”
He softened his stance. “I’ve waited a long time to
get you, Katherine. I’m not going
1987—James Gregory—electrocution—age 24
I supposed my name would be next. My birthday was tomorrow.
If what Joan had written here was correct, I could go any day
after that.
I handed the sheet to Chris without saying a word.
It took seconds before I heard him say, “Holy
shit.”
My hands were trembling, and Chris put his arms around me. “We’ll figure this
out,” he said.
I waited for him to say that this had to be a mistake. I waited
for him to abandon me like Geoffrey had.
And like someone else had when I was sixteen.
I wondered what had caused that last thought to resurface. I
shook my head.
“Do you know how to reach your Aunt Marigold?” Chris
asked. “You said she seemed connected to this. Maybe she
knows something.”
Although they weren’t quite the reassuring words I might have
hoped for, it sounded like he was still with me on this.
I pulled back and looked into his eyes. They were determined and
true. “I don’t think I have her number,” I said, “only
her address. I’ll call Geoffrey.”
Geoff answered on the first ring. “Hey.” His voice
was pretty cold.
“Hey,” I said. I was going to have to lie to him.
“Um, any chance you found Aunt Marigold’s number?
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. You could be right. This
couldn’t have been from Mother. There has to be a mistake
here. I’m hoping Aunt Marigold can help me.”
He exhaled on the other end of the phone. “I was starting
to think maybe you actually believed what was written there.
Someone must have faked a bunch of documents and mailed them as a
cruel joke.”
It was too elaborate for a joke.
I heard a woman’s voice in the background, one of his
numerous fag hags. “It’s preposterous!”
Preposterous? Who uses that word?
“But who would do such a thing?” I asked.
Again, the pause. “I don’t know, Katherine. Someone
who wants to besmirch Mom’s name, maybe?”
Besmirch? What was going on over there?
Then I thought about what he might be inferring. That’s
when my blood started to boil.
“What are you implying, Geoff? That I did this? That I would go
through all this trouble? For what?”
He cleared his throat. “No one else has anything to gain
from it. No one except you, Katherine. I think it’s a ploy to
get her money.”
Those last words stung.
I hung up on him.
Bastard.
Chris was next to me in a heartbeat. “He still
doesn’t believe you, does he?”
I shook my head. There were tears sliding down my face. He wiped them away and kissed my cheek.
“I do,” he whispered.
“Thank you.” I was really glad for
his support right now. I kissed him once more and rose.
“So if Geoff doesn’t have it,” Chris said,
“grab her address and let’s check the web.”
I pulled her address up on the computer. For every tool I could
think of to search for her, Chris knew five more.
We turned up nothing.
I put my head in my hands. I needed to think. I needed answers.
I was starting to feel a little overwhelmed at the moment. If this
was all true, I could die any day after tomorrow, doing
anything.
I was scared shitless.
“Call in sick,” Chris said. “Don’t go to
work tomorrow. I’ll do the same.”
I pulled my head up. “Huh?”
“We’re going to England.” He grabbed the
phone.
“What? Wait a minute. I can’t just go flying off to
England. I’ll probably drop into the ocean if this is all
true.” I paused. “And what do you mean
‘we’?”
“I’m coming with you.”
I stood up. I couldn’t afford a ticket to England. My
credit card was maxed out.
“Chris—”
He looked stern and I could swear his shoulders got bigger.
“Go pack. I’m calling to get us tickets now.”
I was a little taken aback at the authority in his voice.
“Wait just a second,” I said. My hands were on my
hips. “You can’t come in here and start telling me what
to do!”
He softened his stance. “I’ve waited a long time to
get you, Katherine. I’m not going
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