Page 48 of The Unforgiven
Phoebe regained her self-control when she came out of the mortuary, but the ride from the hospital was a sad one, the silence broken only by Phoebe’s sighs. Gabe wanted to comfort her, but there wasn’t much he could offer besides the usual platitudes, and he knew his mother wouldn’t welcome those. Halfway home, Phoebe asked Gabe to turn around. He pulled over and looked at her. Her helplessness and frustration had been replaced by a look of determination.
“Take me to a funeral home. You know, the one that did your uncle’s funeral. Charles Mace and Son.”
“Are you sure you want to do this now?” Gabe asked.
“Yes. I want to have the funeral this week. Tomorrow, if possible.”
“Why, Mum? What’s the rush?”
Phoebe turned to face him, the glint of resolve in her eyes positively frightening. “Your father didn’t want any fuss. We talked about this, and that was what we decided. He asked to be cremated.”
“Did you know he’d had previous heart attacks?”
“No, but no one lives forever, and once you get to a certain age, you must look reality in the face,” she said bravely. “I’ll ring everyone tonight. Whoever wants to pay their respects will be there, and whoever doesn’t will make an excuse whether we hold the funeral tomorrow or next week.”
“I’ll stay with you, Mum,” Gabe said. “For as long as you want me to.”
“You’ll do no such thing. You will attend your father’s funeral and then you will go to New Orleans. And you will get married next month.” Phoebe pinned Gabe with a look that dared him to argue with her at his own peril.
“Mum,” he protested.
“Don’t ‘Mum’ me. Gabe, your father was an old-fashioned man. He was born in the 1930s, lest you forget. He was thrilled that you and Quinn finally got together, but he wanted to see his grandchild born to parents who are legally wed. He recalled the stigma of being born a bastard all too well, and he didn’t want that for your baby.”
“But Dad wasn’t a bastard,” Gabe replied, confused.
“No, but his older brother was. Your grandfather got a girl pregnant before he went off to fight the Huns in 1914. He was barely sixteen. Lied about his age to enlist. He would have married her had he known, but she didn’t find out about the baby until after he’d gone. She died of influenza shortly after the child was born. The boy was raised by her parents, but your father knew him.”
“Were they close?”
“No. Lance hated your father and blamed him for being the legal heir to the Russell estate. It was quite sizeable in those days. Your grandfather provided for Lance, but he wanted the lot. He was very resentful.”
“What happened to him? Dad never mentioned him.”
“He was killed in the Second World War. His widow moved to Canada. She had family there.” Phoebe reached out and took Gabe’s hand. “Promise me you will get married.”
“I promise,” Gabe said, hoping Quinn wouldn’t think it callous of him to want to get married a month after his father’s death.
By the time all the arrangements had been made and Phoebe rang everyone, it was dinnertime, but neither one of them was hungry. Phoebe took a sleeping tablet and went to bed, while Gabe reluctantly called Sylvia. The thought of telling Emma about her grandfather’s death made his heart feel as if it were wrapped in barbed wire. She was too young to know this much loss. The only saving grace was that she wouldn’t see the coffin glide toward the flames of the crematorium as the doors closed on Graeme Russell for the last time.
“I’m very sorry for your loss, Gabe,” Sylvia said once he told her. “I hoped you’d have better news.”
“So did I.”
“Well, don’t worry about Emma. She’s just fine. You take all the time you need.”
“May I speak to her?”
“Of course. Emma, Dad’s on the phone,” Sylvia called.
“Hello, Daddy,” Emma said. She sounded breathless, as if she’d come running.
“Hello, darling. How are you getting on?”
“I’m okay,” Emma replied. “When are you coming back?”
“Not just yet.” Gabe opened his mouth to tell her about Graeme’s passing, but the words just wouldn’t come. He couldn’t bring himself to break her little heart, so he decided to wait. What was it his mother always said?Good news will keep, and bad news won’t leave. “What did you do today?”
“I went to the zoo with Logan and Jude. Logan had the day off,” Emma explained.
