drove to the funeral home. He stood at the coffin and stared at his cousin. The carefully groomed hair, the touched up features blurred. Simon drew a deep breath. “Goodbye, Randy. May you rot in hell.” He turned away and saw his relatives had arrived.
Simon left. His trip here had been both a waste and an eye-opener. He had one more day in Fern Lake and then back to the city. Matt’s offer tempted him but he wasn’t sure he could handle being in the town if Dana was indifferent to him. Her talk of taking a cab home from the hospital had bothered him.
At the motel, he surfed the channels, rose and exercised. His thoughts bounced from one scenario to another. Some seemed possible, others not. He drifted to sleep with the television playing.
The morning sun woke him. After showering and dressing he ate in the coffee shop and checked out. After the service he would take Dana and the baby home, meet Matt and return to the city.
People gathered on the steps of the Episcopal church. The hearse arrived. Simon watched six men carry the coffin inside. He entered the church, clasped his aunt’s hand and hugged her. No one had asked him to be a pall bearer so he didn’t have to refuse. When the service ended he lingered on the steps and watched the procession of cars leave the parking lot. When the last one vanished around the corner, he went to his rental and drove to the hospital.
Dana sat in the rocker. Jenny was fastened into her infant seat. Simon lifted the carrier and the suitcase. A nurse arrived with a wheelchair for Dana. At the car, the nurse made sure the infant seat was secure. Simon helped Dana onto the passenger seat.
When they reached the house, he carried the baby inside. Dana held his arm. He returned to the car for her suitcase. He halted in the doorway of the large room with a desk near the window, a couch facing the television on the far wall. Dana held the baby.
Beautiful, he thought and wished they were his. Was there a way to make the fantasy a reality?
Dana placed Jenny in a beautiful wooden cradle. She walked to the couch.
Simon searched for a reason to stay. He had hours before his meeting with Matt. “Are you hungry?”
“Famished and I’m not sure what I have in the house. I planned a grocery trip but Jenny arrived.”
Simon grinned. “Tell you what. I have hours before my meeting with Matt. Make a list and I’ll shop. I’ll grab lunch for us at Burger Bounty. What would you like?”
“One of their new pepper jack ones and huge fries with cheese sauce.”
“Sounds interesting. Have they changed their menu? I was hoping for one of the famous double cheese.”
“They still have the old selection. Just changed the number of cheeses you can choose.”
“Go make your list.”
The moment she left the room he walked to the cradle and examined the stand to make sure it was stable. Wouldn’t want any mishaps. He stroked the baby’s hand. “I wish you were mine. I’m working on a plan to make it so.” The infant curled her hand around his finger and his heart.
Dana returned with a list and handed him some bills. “This should cover what I’ve listed. If not, let me know and I’ll repay you.”
He shoved the bills in his wallet. “Will do but lunch is my treat.” And anything not on her list. He listened to her directions and left.
At the grocery store he parked and found a cart. Used to shopping at a deli or a small store, he entered and stared like a man entering Ali Baba’s cave.
Where to begin? He pulled out the list. Fortunately the aisles had signs indicating in a general way what he wanted. He wandered the aisles and checked off the items. Occasionally he added things not on the list, ice cream, a bear dressed in a pink tutu, flowers and a six pack of what had been Dana’s favorite candy bar. When he left the grocery store he’d spent her money and some of his own.
At Burger Bounty he placed the order, waited and paid for an insulated bag. He drove to Dana’s
Simon left. His trip here had been both a waste and an eye-opener. He had one more day in Fern Lake and then back to the city. Matt’s offer tempted him but he wasn’t sure he could handle being in the town if Dana was indifferent to him. Her talk of taking a cab home from the hospital had bothered him.
At the motel, he surfed the channels, rose and exercised. His thoughts bounced from one scenario to another. Some seemed possible, others not. He drifted to sleep with the television playing.
The morning sun woke him. After showering and dressing he ate in the coffee shop and checked out. After the service he would take Dana and the baby home, meet Matt and return to the city.
People gathered on the steps of the Episcopal church. The hearse arrived. Simon watched six men carry the coffin inside. He entered the church, clasped his aunt’s hand and hugged her. No one had asked him to be a pall bearer so he didn’t have to refuse. When the service ended he lingered on the steps and watched the procession of cars leave the parking lot. When the last one vanished around the corner, he went to his rental and drove to the hospital.
Dana sat in the rocker. Jenny was fastened into her infant seat. Simon lifted the carrier and the suitcase. A nurse arrived with a wheelchair for Dana. At the car, the nurse made sure the infant seat was secure. Simon helped Dana onto the passenger seat.
When they reached the house, he carried the baby inside. Dana held his arm. He returned to the car for her suitcase. He halted in the doorway of the large room with a desk near the window, a couch facing the television on the far wall. Dana held the baby.
Beautiful, he thought and wished they were his. Was there a way to make the fantasy a reality?
Dana placed Jenny in a beautiful wooden cradle. She walked to the couch.
Simon searched for a reason to stay. He had hours before his meeting with Matt. “Are you hungry?”
“Famished and I’m not sure what I have in the house. I planned a grocery trip but Jenny arrived.”
Simon grinned. “Tell you what. I have hours before my meeting with Matt. Make a list and I’ll shop. I’ll grab lunch for us at Burger Bounty. What would you like?”
“One of their new pepper jack ones and huge fries with cheese sauce.”
“Sounds interesting. Have they changed their menu? I was hoping for one of the famous double cheese.”
“They still have the old selection. Just changed the number of cheeses you can choose.”
“Go make your list.”
The moment she left the room he walked to the cradle and examined the stand to make sure it was stable. Wouldn’t want any mishaps. He stroked the baby’s hand. “I wish you were mine. I’m working on a plan to make it so.” The infant curled her hand around his finger and his heart.
Dana returned with a list and handed him some bills. “This should cover what I’ve listed. If not, let me know and I’ll repay you.”
He shoved the bills in his wallet. “Will do but lunch is my treat.” And anything not on her list. He listened to her directions and left.
At the grocery store he parked and found a cart. Used to shopping at a deli or a small store, he entered and stared like a man entering Ali Baba’s cave.
Where to begin? He pulled out the list. Fortunately the aisles had signs indicating in a general way what he wanted. He wandered the aisles and checked off the items. Occasionally he added things not on the list, ice cream, a bear dressed in a pink tutu, flowers and a six pack of what had been Dana’s favorite candy bar. When he left the grocery store he’d spent her money and some of his own.
At Burger Bounty he placed the order, waited and paid for an insulated bag. He drove to Dana’s
Similar Books
