Alice's Summertime Adventure by Suzanne Jenkins

Author:Suzanne Jenkins [Jenkins, Suzanne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-01-09T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

April and Todd Cabrini left the hospital together and drove to Ryhurst Funeral Home. A chubby young man was waiting for them as they pulled up to the front door. April was desperate for a cocktail, but she knew it would be out of the question until after all this mess was cleared up. The ER doctor who examined her offered her a valium, but the police officer shook his head no. She needed to be questioned before any sedatives were administered.

The chubby man opened the door of Todd’s truck for April, and she slid down the seat onto the pavement. She was suddenly embarrassed that they had driven in Todd’s tow truck. It just emphasized everything that was wrong with her life. It was big and shiny and cost a fortune. She realized that his truck cost as much as their house did. The man offered her his hand as she stepped over the curb, but Todd came up and said, “That’s okay. I’ll help her,” threatened by the baby-faced funeral director.

They followed him into the chapel, and at the sight of all the little caskets lined up, April began to cry again.

“Dougie,” she said. “My poor baby, I’m so sorry,” she repeated over and over. Todd held her around her shoulders, but he wanted her to pull it together just until they got these arrangements made, then they could both fall apart. He went right to a small, blue-enameled model.

“This looks good,” Todd said. “How much is this one?”

“About two thousand,” chubby said.

April approached the casket. “It reminds me of a blue tuxedo. You wore one to our senior prom, Todd. I don’t want our son laid out in what will remind people of their outdated blue tuxes.”

Todd frowned. He just wanted to get out of there. “Pick one out, then. It doesn’t have to be blue,” he said, trying to keep some kindness in his voice even though she was testing his patience. Could they be any more stressed out?

April walked among the caskets, some with open tops, and stood alongside a very plain light wood model. It had a dull cotton interior. Todd couldn’t figure out why she’d be drawn to something so unattractive. She lingered at this particular model, walking around it, looking at the back of it. She pulled a tissue out of her purse and blew her nose.

“I like this one. It reminds me of the bunk beds you made the boys.” She turned to the funeral director. “Todd made our boys matching bunk beds out of pine. He sanded the boards and polished them until they looked like they were coated with glass. This casket looks like Dougie’s bed, even with the plain white sheets I put on the mattress.” She looked over at Todd, smiling. “Let’s get this one.”

“Whatever you want,” Todd said. His mind was back in their basement where the boys slept, thinking of the bunk beds. After spending weeks sanding them until they were smooth as ice,

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