Page 42 of Over the Verdant Hills
“I don’t want to go to jail,” she said.
“You’re not going to jail.” He didn’t laugh, and she appreciated it, and he smoothed his hand over her hair at the same time, making her feel reassured.
“It kind of sounds like I’m more upset about going to jail than I am about my grandma dying, but I just don’t want to die in jail. Also, I’ve never been in a house by myself with a dead person.” She paused for a moment, then she said, “Oh my goodness. The kids! They’ve got to get to school. It’s the last day. What can we do? Should I tell them about Grandma?”
“I don’t think that you need to tell them. They have to get through the school day. Can you shut the door and get them off to school?”
That sounded reasonable to her. She would rather tell them after they came home, even if they didn’t make it to their program that night. At least they’d made it through the last day of school.
They’d had enough upheaval in their life. They didn’t need more today.
“All right. I’m not sure it’s the right decision, but I’m going to shut the door, and I’m not going to tell them about her until tonight when they get home. Then I’ll make a decision about whether or not we go to the program.”
She closed her eyes, not wanting to let go of his solid strength. Then her eyes flew open, and she drew back. “I texted Grace last night and told her that I would meet her at two today. I can’t. I can’t do that. And I have to cancel hospice and figure everything else out.”
He put a hand on top of her head, running down her hair, and put his thumb over her lips.
“Shhh. One thing at a time. We’ll get the kids off to school. Then we’ll start making phone calls. If you need help, I’ll make phone calls too. We’ll figure it out. Let’s get the kids to school first.”
“All right. Kids to school. Do you think I should call the authorities? Who do I call?”
“Actually, I’m not exactly sure who to call. Maybe a funeral home. You don’t need an ambulance, and there’s no point in bringing one out here. I can get on the phone with the funeral home and stand outside and talk while you take care of the kids if you want. I can ask if I need to call an ambulance or if they’re going to send the coroner to pronounce her dead or what. I’ll try to make sure that we don’t have anyone in the house until the kids leave. What time would that be?”
She appreciated his calmness again. His willingness to take on some undesirable task, because she sure as shooting didn’t want to have to call the coroner. Or the funeral home.
“Do you know if your grandma had a certain funeral home?”
“I don’t. But there’s only one in Blueberry Beach, and there’s none in Strawberry Sands or Raspberry Ridge. I think that’s the closest.”
“Then I’ll get a hold of them. Okay?”
“Yeah. I’ll go in, shut the door, get the kids up.” She looked at her watch and then told him what time they needed to be on the bus. Then she realized that was only twenty-five minutes away and jerked away from him. “I need to run. I didn’t realize it was only twenty-five minutes. Lana is going to die.”
“Maybe she’s already up getting herself ready.”
That was so absurd, Claire actually laughed.
“How do you have me laughing? My grandma died, I’m a mess, and I’m out here laughing with you.” She put her hands down, and she turned to him fully and went back and gave him a hug. “Thank you. Thank you so much. I really, really can’t tell you how much I appreciate you just being here.”
“I’m here. I’m staying as long as you need. Okay?”
She leaned back, looked up at his eyes, and nodded. “Thanks.”
Chapter Eighteen
“Yes, the funeral will be on Saturday, with the viewing in the morning from nine to twelve, and the funeral will be at twelve. There will be a meal provided by the church in Raspberry Ridge.”
“Yes. I can text you directions if you want me to.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
Claire hung up. That was the last phone call she had to make.
“How many said they’re going to try to make it?” Josiah said, sounding as steady as ever but looking a little tired. It was 1:30 in the afternoon, and it had already been quite a day. Josiah had taken care of the arrangements for the body, and to Claire’s everlasting relief, no one had questioned anything. It was just accepted that a woman with cancer who was expected to die had died.
Grandma had died.
She’d been so scared that she was going to get in trouble. She hadn’t done anything wrong. Still, Josiah had taken care of all of it, and her grandma was at the funeral home now, where they would prepare her for burial.
