They All Died Smiling by Ronda Jean Del Boccio

Author:Ronda Jean Del Boccio [Boccio, Ronda Jean Del]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fiction, paranormal, urban fantasy
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2018-05-17T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

I put on lipstick and mascara while waiting for the train. Certainly not as good as I had wanted, but under the time crunch, manageable. Makeup on the run. A sinking feeling grabbed me. This is Sunday dinner. Back with Ma and Pa, that meant be at your Godly best, all dressed up. What about here? Was it the same? I should have thought to ask. What if they expected me to dress fancy? I jammed my hand into my purse, whipped the cell out and called Russ. Hello had no place in this conversation.

“Was I supposed to dress up for dinner?” Please say no. Please say no.

“Dress up? No.” I could hear him smile. “Just be your beautiful self.”

“Good, because I spent all day doing research, and if it hadn’t been for my cell alarm, I’d still be at it.”

“You’re tenacious as ever. Hey, do you have the cobbler?”

“I knew I forgot something.” I couldn’t resist.

“Oh no. How close are you to home?”

He sounded so disappointed I felt bad for pulling his leg. “I was bein’ a tease. I remembered to grab it. I’m at the train now. Should be there in forty-five.”

“Good. See you soon. Call me when you’re three stops away and I’ll get you at the station.”

Wait…he said my beautiful self? I totally missed his compliment until a few minutes later when it sank into my harried brain. Beautiful self. Warmth washed through me. I let it soak in and nourish me for a while.

I guess people-watching would never be the same, because of the critter attachments and the colors around some folks. No death hazes, thankfully. Some passengers sported muddy green, blood red or piddle yellow highlighters outlining them a few inches away from their bodies. I thought they must be upset or mad, based on their expressions. Enough with the auras. I do not need this.

How do I turn this off? Maybe if I asked whatever higher power might be listening a few times, an answer would pop into my mind and give me some guidance. I need an off switch, please.

Instead of looking at people, I stared at my hands resting in my lap and thought about Russ. It would be great to catch up on his life and get to know him again. He had maintained his good manners. Living in the city had not turned him into an inconsiderate man. He teased me something fierce, but never anything mean. No matter what else happened, I sincerely hoped to rekindle our friendship.

But how churchy had he become? He obviously wanted a church and didn’t think much of me for not belonging. That might be a small fault or a fatal one, depending. Had he turned into the kind of Christian who, if he can’t “save me,” he won’t talk to me? Images of various people rolled through my mind: Pa, town folk, a neighbor from the farm down the road, school friends. If you weren’t churched, you couldn’t possibly be a decent human being in their eyes.

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