Page 24 of Landon (In Safe Hands)
“Yes,ma’am. Benefits are payable to Zoe Page in the amount of five hundred thousanddollars.”
Thephone hits the floor and Frannie jumps to her feet. “Zo! You’re white as arepublican. What did they say?” She kneels in front of me.
“Halfa million dollars. I get half a million dollars.”
Sheembraces me. “And there’s a second policy. I know you’re overwhelmed right now,but at least something good will come of this.”
“I’mokay,” I assure her, taking a deep breath and retrieving the phone. Afterapologizing to the man, I write down the fax number and information. “I guess Ineed to go to the funeral home.”
“Let’sget it taken care of before Ethan gets home,” she suggests, grabbing my handand tugging me to my feet. What would I do without her?
Thefuneral director is very nice and helps me through the unfamiliar process.Frannie helps me choose two coffins and plan the service. We pick a date forthe funeral and approve the obituary. When we leave, I still feel numb, but notas overwhelmed or lost when it comes to what to do.
Whenwe return home, Ethan is just climbing out of Colin’s car. I turn to Franbefore she can get out of the car and hug her. “Thanks for everything today,Fran, but I need to tell Ethan alone. We’ll be fine. I promise I’ll call if Ineed you.”
“Allright.” She looks hesitant, but lets me go.
Ethanhandles the news better than I expected. Like me, he was never close to ourparents, they weren’t the kind of people who’d let you get close. In theiropinion, all they needed was the church.
AfterI fill him in on everything that’s been done, we sit on the couch and talk.
“Ifeel bad that I don’t feel bad enough,” he says with a sigh, sounding far olderthan his age.
“Iknow how you feel. Most people would be inconsolable if they lost a parent, letalone two, but things are different for us.”
“Ithink because we lost them a long time ago. I’d already accepted I’d never seethem again.”
“Maybeyou’re right.”
“Whathappens to the house and all their stuff?” he asks.
“Theymade a will years ago before we were tossed out. It’s still valid and leaveseverything to us.”
Hiseyebrows shoot up. “Not their church? Boy, will they be pissed.”
Asmile cracks across my face for the first time that day. “I’m sure they will.”
“So,maybe we could sell the house?”
“That’sthe plan. I figure I’ll go see what shape it’s in tomorrow. Do you want to comeand see if there’s anything you want?”
“Ican’t imagine they kept any of my stuff, but yeah, I’d like to see.”
Iwrap him in a hug before he can protest. “We’ll be fine, Ethan. We have eachother.”
Hiseyes meet mine, wise and sad. “It’s all we’ve ever had, Zo, and it’s plenty.I’m all right, really.”
“Well,just promise you’ll talk to me if you need to.”
“Ipromise.”
“Ithink we need ice cream tonight. What do you think?”
“Hell,yeah.”
Slingingmy purse over my shoulder, I open my front door and come face to face withLandon.
“Iwas just going to knock,” he explains, taking a step back.
