Page 9 of Save Me

“Yes, and I have a question. I need to know if my baby was a girl or a boy.”

Reasor put a hand on her shoulder. “It was a boy. I’m so sorry.”

All the breath left her body. It took her a few moments to remember to inhale, and when she did, there were tears on her cheeks. “What happened to his remains?”

“They were cremated at your parents’ request. I don’t know beyond that,” he said.

“I have to know which funeral home they were sent to.”

He sat down, pulled up her records on his laptop, scanned the text and then looked up. “Schoen and Son Funeral Home picked them up.”

“Thank you,” she said, and remained silent as he finished his examination, and then left.

Millie had been visiting her every day, and when she came that afternoon, as soon as they’d greeted each other, Lainie blurted out what she’d learned.

“My parents made the decision to have my baby’s remains cremated at Schoen Funeral Home. The doctor told me this morning it was a little boy. I always thought it was,” she said, and drew a slow, shaky breath. “I need to know if his ashes are still at the funeral home, or if my parents took them. I’m going to call Schoen’s and ask if they’re there. If they are, would you please pick them up and keep them for me until I get out of here?”

Now Millie was weeping. “Yes, of course. Just let me know if they are, and I’ll get them today.”

“Thank you. I don’t want my parents touching him. I’d ask Hunt to come get them, but he doesn’t answer his phone.”

Millie felt like she was delivering another death notice, but Lainie had to know. “Oh, honey, Hunt’s gone. He’s disappeared, and no one knows why. All anyone knows is that he never showed up at Tulane.”

Lainie was in shock. All this time she’d pictured him already at school. She didn’t understand it. He’d been so thrilled to get that full-ride scholarship to play football at Tulane. Another piece of her life had gone missing.

As soon as Millie left, she called the funeral home, identified herself, and asked to speak to the director, and was put on hold. She was staring out the window when he finally answered.

“Good morning, Miss Mayes. On behalf of everyone at Schoen and Son, I extend our deepest condolences. How may I be of service?” he asked.

“I was told you picked up my son’s remains for cremation. I need to know where his ashes are.”

“Yes, of course. Your mother said to keep them on hold and—”

“What are they in?” she asked.

“A small black box. However, if you want to keep, rather than scatter or inter, we have small, ornamental urns for infant cremains.”

“Like what?” Lainie asked.

“Ceramic teddy bears in pink or blue. Little brass heart-shaped boxes in pink or blue, or if you’d rather—”

“A blue brass heart,” Lainie said. “I’m still in the hospital, so I’ll be sending our housekeeper, Millie Swayze, to pick up my baby’s ashes.”

“Of course. I’ll let my people know. All she’ll have to do is sign the release form, stating that she’s taking them from our premises with your permission.”

“And you have it,” Lainie said. “Thank you for your help. Millie will be there later today.”

She called Millie the moment the call ended, and once the message had been delivered, she put a pillow over her face and screamed into it until she was numb.

A COUPLE OF days later, there was a knock on the door, then as it opened, Brenda Gray slipped inside.

“Lainie, may we speak?”

Seeing Hunt’s mother at the door was a shock, but Lainie was hopeful she’d find out where he’d gone. “Yes, please.”

Brenda’s voice was shaking as she approached the bed. “I’m so sorry for all you’ve been through.”

“Where’s Hunt?” Lainie asked.

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