| General Fiction posted June 12, 2017 | Chapters: |
2 3 -4- 5... 
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...the Memorial Service
A chapter in the book The Letter
The Letter - Part Three
by Mustang Patty
In Parts One and Two, we were introduced to Kathy and her dilemma. Her estranged mother-in-law left a strange letter for her when she died. With the enclosed cashiers' check for $100K, Kathy was expected to organize the memorial service and make sure all the family were there. Within the page of the strange letter, her mother-in-law spoke about her love for Kathy; never expressed in life, but apparently the reason she entrusted her to take care of this last wish.
Kathy called her husband, Doug, home from work. Once he absorbed the fact of his estranged mother's death and the enormous task set before Kathy, he offered to help. Doug made the calls to his siblings about their mother's death, and accepted the abuse from his sisters, while Kathy made the arrangements for the memorial service.
From the last chapter:
"Uh huh. Okay, I need food for forty adults and eight children. We will need some high chairs and booster chairs for the kids. Can we have round tables set up? I will need some appropriate centerpieces and nice linens. I would like an open bar and enough room for people to mingle and mill around.
"I think that will do it. Can I call you back if I think of anything else?
"Okay, great. I have your number and we have this set for next Saturday afternoon. Thank you so much for your help. Oh…one more thing, can I have a few security people? It might get rough if everyone is drinking…"
----------@>
The sign in the church vestibule read:
Memorial Service
W. Jane Hamlin
1932 – 2017
Private
Organ music flowed and the parking lot was full. She watched all of them make their way in and she smiled. They were all there.
----------@>
Kathy smoothed down the fabric of her new dress and looked over to admire Doug in his new suit. She'd used every penny of the clothing allowance and more. Smiling back at their daughter and son with their families, they walked into the Memorial Service.
Suddenly there was a collective hush. Every eye turned to Kathy's face. She could see the looks of disdain on the faces of her sisters-in-law. While Jerry's kids smiled their encouragement, the other nieces and nephews looked confused. They hadn't seen this part of the family for over fifteen years; they hardly even knew them.
In the front of the room, sat a large frame full of the pictures Jane had selected. There was her college graduation picture, her wedding picture with Frank, and family photos spaced every few years. In one there were only three siblings, then four, and finally five. As the years went by, the pictures reflected they all grew, changed, and then left for college or to begin their lives. In the very center, a group family photo from twenty years ago sat. A few of the grandchildren were just babies, but the smiles of the adults were all strained, and the familial cracks could be sensed.
The church looked like a battle field with strict lines drawn. Jerry and his family were sitting in one part, while Sylvia and her wife sat with their daughter in another. Caressa sat with her husband, Bill, and their children right behind Sylvia, and next to them was Agnes and her sons.
Doug squeezed Kathy's hand as they began to walk down the aisle. This was the church where they were married and each of their kids had been baptized. It was also the place where many bad memories lived.
----------@>
Sylvia rolled her eyes at her wife. How on earth could Kathy look so good? They were all in their late fifties and she still looked wonderful. Sure, she wore glasses now, but she was so pulled together. She looked down at their own clothes and wondered if it hadn't been such a good idea to only spend half the clothing allowance and pocket the rest.
Doug held onto her hand the way he did whenever they were all together. It seemed that he was still Kathy's knight in shining armor. In disgust, Sylvia reminded herself that they'd all said the marriage would never last. And just look at them, still together, with two beautiful kids and two cute grandchildren.
She glanced over at her sisters, Caressa and Agnes and could just imagine what they were thinking…
----------@>
Caressa's eyes felt like they were bulging out of their sockets. The bitch had actually had the nerve to show up. She reached into her purse and handed a twenty-dollar bill to her husband, Bill. Losing the bet was nothing compared to her pangs of envy as she looked at the beauty of Doug's family. Just watching them, one could see that they were still that close family unit they always were. With Kathy as the loving matriarch at the center of the picture-perfect group, Caressa just wanted to puke.
----------@>
While Sylvia and Caressa were full of envy, Agnes was simply full of sadness. She and Kathy were almost friends once. Kathy was there for Agnes whenever she needed her. She helped her after the divorce and she listened to her woes while she dated. She and Doug helped financially during the lean years while the boys were young, but… Agnes had let her sisters' and mother's feelings poison hers. She had helped to make Kathy feel ostracized at every family event. When Doug and Kathy left the family, it was the most painful for Agnes and she knew she had a big part of the blame.
----------@>
The priest began the service Jane had put together and everyone sat with their own thoughts.
'…I wonder if there will be booze at this reception?'
'Hopefully, I won't be standing too close to her when we have this stupid picture taken…'
'I hope Kathy arranged for some good food. Maybe she cooked some of her lasagna? I've really missed that.'
----------@>
Kathy had a bad headache by the time the memorial service was over. It was uncomfortable with so many mental daggers being thrown her way. Every fiber of her being was aching. On top of everything else, she felt like she was being watched. Oh, yes, she knew they were watching her. This felt different. This felt ominous.
It was a wise decision to purposely not plan a receiving line after the church service was over. As they drove to the hotel, she mentally started to count the hours until the reception would be over. She only hoped she would be able to make it through.
----------@>
Gleaming silverware accented by the brilliance of the stemware highlighted the place settings on each round table. Crisp linens shouted opulence and the tasteful centerpieces topped it all off. The reception hall waited for all that was to come.
She smiled at all the arrangements that had been made. Yes, this was just perfect. They had all come. The job was well done.
to be continued…
In Parts One and Two, we were introduced to Kathy and her dilemma. Her estranged mother-in-law left a strange letter for her when she died. With the enclosed cashiers' check for $100K, Kathy was expected to organize the memorial service and make sure all the family were there. Within the page of the strange letter, her mother-in-law spoke about her love for Kathy; never expressed in life, but apparently the reason she entrusted her to take care of this last wish.
Kathy called her husband, Doug, home from work. Once he absorbed the fact of his estranged mother's death and the enormous task set before Kathy, he offered to help. Doug made the calls to his siblings about their mother's death, and accepted the abuse from his sisters, while Kathy made the arrangements for the memorial service.
From the last chapter:
"Uh huh. Okay, I need food for forty adults and eight children. We will need some high chairs and booster chairs for the kids. Can we have round tables set up? I will need some appropriate centerpieces and nice linens. I would like an open bar and enough room for people to mingle and mill around.
"I think that will do it. Can I call you back if I think of anything else?
"Okay, great. I have your number and we have this set for next Saturday afternoon. Thank you so much for your help. Oh…one more thing, can I have a few security people? It might get rough if everyone is drinking…"
The sign in the church vestibule read:
Memorial Service
W. Jane Hamlin
1932 – 2017
Private
Organ music flowed and the parking lot was full. She watched all of them make their way in and she smiled. They were all there.
Suddenly there was a collective hush. Every eye turned to Kathy's face. She could see the looks of disdain on the faces of her sisters-in-law. While Jerry's kids smiled their encouragement, the other nieces and nephews looked confused. They hadn't seen this part of the family for over fifteen years; they hardly even knew them.
In the front of the room, sat a large frame full of the pictures Jane had selected. There was her college graduation picture, her wedding picture with Frank, and family photos spaced every few years. In one there were only three siblings, then four, and finally five. As the years went by, the pictures reflected they all grew, changed, and then left for college or to begin their lives. In the very center, a group family photo from twenty years ago sat. A few of the grandchildren were just babies, but the smiles of the adults were all strained, and the familial cracks could be sensed.
The church looked like a battle field with strict lines drawn. Jerry and his family were sitting in one part, while Sylvia and her wife sat with their daughter in another. Caressa sat with her husband, Bill, and their children right behind Sylvia, and next to them was Agnes and her sons.
Doug squeezed Kathy's hand as they began to walk down the aisle. This was the church where they were married and each of their kids had been baptized. It was also the place where many bad memories lived.
Sylvia rolled her eyes at her wife. How on earth could Kathy look so good? They were all in their late fifties and she still looked wonderful. Sure, she wore glasses now, but she was so pulled together. She looked down at their own clothes and wondered if it hadn't been such a good idea to only spend half the clothing allowance and pocket the rest.
Doug held onto her hand the way he did whenever they were all together. It seemed that he was still Kathy's knight in shining armor. In disgust, Sylvia reminded herself that they'd all said the marriage would never last. And just look at them, still together, with two beautiful kids and two cute grandchildren.
She glanced over at her sisters, Caressa and Agnes and could just imagine what they were thinking…
Caressa's eyes felt like they were bulging out of their sockets. The bitch had actually had the nerve to show up. She reached into her purse and handed a twenty-dollar bill to her husband, Bill. Losing the bet was nothing compared to her pangs of envy as she looked at the beauty of Doug's family. Just watching them, one could see that they were still that close family unit they always were. With Kathy as the loving matriarch at the center of the picture-perfect group, Caressa just wanted to puke.
While Sylvia and Caressa were full of envy, Agnes was simply full of sadness. She and Kathy were almost friends once. Kathy was there for Agnes whenever she needed her. She helped her after the divorce and she listened to her woes while she dated. She and Doug helped financially during the lean years while the boys were young, but… Agnes had let her sisters' and mother's feelings poison hers. She had helped to make Kathy feel ostracized at every family event. When Doug and Kathy left the family, it was the most painful for Agnes and she knew she had a big part of the blame.
The priest began the service Jane had put together and everyone sat with their own thoughts.
'…I wonder if there will be booze at this reception?'
'Hopefully, I won't be standing too close to her when we have this stupid picture taken…'
'I hope Kathy arranged for some good food. Maybe she cooked some of her lasagna? I've really missed that.'
Kathy had a bad headache by the time the memorial service was over. It was uncomfortable with so many mental daggers being thrown her way. Every fiber of her being was aching. On top of everything else, she felt like she was being watched. Oh, yes, she knew they were watching her. This felt different. This felt ominous.
It was a wise decision to purposely not plan a receiving line after the church service was over. As they drove to the hotel, she mentally started to count the hours until the reception would be over. She only hoped she would be able to make it through.
Gleaming silverware accented by the brilliance of the stemware highlighted the place settings on each round table. Crisp linens shouted opulence and the tasteful centerpieces topped it all off. The reception hall waited for all that was to come.
She smiled at all the arrangements that had been made. Yes, this was just perfect. They had all come. The job was well done.
to be continued…
Kathy called her husband, Doug, home from work. Once he absorbed the fact of his estranged mother's death and the enormous task set before Kathy, he offered to help. Doug made the calls to his siblings about their mother's death, and accepted the abuse from his sisters, while Kathy made the arrangements for the memorial service.
From the last chapter:
"Uh huh. Okay, I need food for forty adults and eight children. We will need some high chairs and booster chairs for the kids. Can we have round tables set up? I will need some appropriate centerpieces and nice linens. I would like an open bar and enough room for people to mingle and mill around.
"I think that will do it. Can I call you back if I think of anything else?
"Okay, great. I have your number and we have this set for next Saturday afternoon. Thank you so much for your help. Oh…one more thing, can I have a few security people? It might get rough if everyone is drinking…"
----------@>
The sign in the church vestibule read:
Memorial Service
W. Jane Hamlin
1932 – 2017
Private
Organ music flowed and the parking lot was full. She watched all of them make their way in and she smiled. They were all there.
----------@>
Kathy smoothed down the fabric of her new dress and looked over to admire Doug in his new suit. She'd used every penny of the clothing allowance and more. Smiling back at their daughter and son with their families, they walked into the Memorial Service.Suddenly there was a collective hush. Every eye turned to Kathy's face. She could see the looks of disdain on the faces of her sisters-in-law. While Jerry's kids smiled their encouragement, the other nieces and nephews looked confused. They hadn't seen this part of the family for over fifteen years; they hardly even knew them.
In the front of the room, sat a large frame full of the pictures Jane had selected. There was her college graduation picture, her wedding picture with Frank, and family photos spaced every few years. In one there were only three siblings, then four, and finally five. As the years went by, the pictures reflected they all grew, changed, and then left for college or to begin their lives. In the very center, a group family photo from twenty years ago sat. A few of the grandchildren were just babies, but the smiles of the adults were all strained, and the familial cracks could be sensed.
The church looked like a battle field with strict lines drawn. Jerry and his family were sitting in one part, while Sylvia and her wife sat with their daughter in another. Caressa sat with her husband, Bill, and their children right behind Sylvia, and next to them was Agnes and her sons.
Doug squeezed Kathy's hand as they began to walk down the aisle. This was the church where they were married and each of their kids had been baptized. It was also the place where many bad memories lived.
----------@>
Sylvia rolled her eyes at her wife. How on earth could Kathy look so good? They were all in their late fifties and she still looked wonderful. Sure, she wore glasses now, but she was so pulled together. She looked down at their own clothes and wondered if it hadn't been such a good idea to only spend half the clothing allowance and pocket the rest.
Doug held onto her hand the way he did whenever they were all together. It seemed that he was still Kathy's knight in shining armor. In disgust, Sylvia reminded herself that they'd all said the marriage would never last. And just look at them, still together, with two beautiful kids and two cute grandchildren.
She glanced over at her sisters, Caressa and Agnes and could just imagine what they were thinking…
----------@>
Caressa's eyes felt like they were bulging out of their sockets. The bitch had actually had the nerve to show up. She reached into her purse and handed a twenty-dollar bill to her husband, Bill. Losing the bet was nothing compared to her pangs of envy as she looked at the beauty of Doug's family. Just watching them, one could see that they were still that close family unit they always were. With Kathy as the loving matriarch at the center of the picture-perfect group, Caressa just wanted to puke.
----------@>
While Sylvia and Caressa were full of envy, Agnes was simply full of sadness. She and Kathy were almost friends once. Kathy was there for Agnes whenever she needed her. She helped her after the divorce and she listened to her woes while she dated. She and Doug helped financially during the lean years while the boys were young, but… Agnes had let her sisters' and mother's feelings poison hers. She had helped to make Kathy feel ostracized at every family event. When Doug and Kathy left the family, it was the most painful for Agnes and she knew she had a big part of the blame.
----------@>
The priest began the service Jane had put together and everyone sat with their own thoughts.
'…I wonder if there will be booze at this reception?'
'Hopefully, I won't be standing too close to her when we have this stupid picture taken…'
'I hope Kathy arranged for some good food. Maybe she cooked some of her lasagna? I've really missed that.'
----------@>
Kathy had a bad headache by the time the memorial service was over. It was uncomfortable with so many mental daggers being thrown her way. Every fiber of her being was aching. On top of everything else, she felt like she was being watched. Oh, yes, she knew they were watching her. This felt different. This felt ominous.
It was a wise decision to purposely not plan a receiving line after the church service was over. As they drove to the hotel, she mentally started to count the hours until the reception would be over. She only hoped she would be able to make it through.
----------@>
Gleaming silverware accented by the brilliance of the stemware highlighted the place settings on each round table. Crisp linens shouted opulence and the tasteful centerpieces topped it all off. The reception hall waited for all that was to come.
She smiled at all the arrangements that had been made. Yes, this was just perfect. They had all come. The job was well done.
to be continued…
 Recognized |
|
antique postage stamp courtesy of googlepictures
This chapter has set us up for the action to come at the reception. I hope you will follow along as the story continues in Part Four. ~patty~
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. This chapter has set us up for the action to come at the reception. I hope you will follow along as the story continues in Part Four. ~patty~
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