lined up to sign a formal-looking white book on a small table encircled with red roses. Mothers with young children and their executive-type husbands—probably men who worked with Uncle Jack—waited to say their good-byes to Aunt Marla.
The family was supposed to gather in a small reception room behind the church sanctuary. Carrie and I followed Mom down the long hallway to the private room. Grandma and Grandpa were sitting with Uncle Jack and the cousins. We settled into the soft chairs behind them.
Relatives I hardly knew stood around. Mom introduced Carrie and me to them. They were from Daddy’s side of the family.
Behind me I heard whispering and turned to see who it was. In the doorway stood a handsome man wearing a navy blue suit. He was with a smartly dressed woman.
Four plus years of mounting curiosity hit me in the face. This man was my father.
“Holly?” he said. “What a beauty you are.” He turned to the woman. “Honey, I want you to meet my daughter Holly.”
“Hello,” I said, suddenly shy. I reached out to touch her gloved hand.
“Holly, I’d like you to meet Saundra, my wife.”
By then Carrie was tugging at me to leave. I grabbed her arm and turned her around.
“Well, hello there, Carrie,” Daddy said, bending low.
She looked up at me, confused. “That’s him?” she whispered back at me.
Daddy smiled. “It’s wonderful to see both of you.”
Saundra said, “We were happy to receive your letter, Holly.”
“Yes,” Daddy said. “I was planning to call…to set up a flight schedule. But now we can discuss the trip in person.” He stepped toward me like he wanted to hug me, so I offered a quick one.
“I’ll see you at the dinner for the family tonight,” I said, turning to look for Carrie, who had already slipped away.
She was standing across the room beside our young cousin Stephanie, who sat, eyes swollen, leaning against Mom. It was time for Aunt Marla’s funeral to begin.
The church was filled with a sweet fragrance from the many floral sprays. The organ played softly, and voices were hushed. I touched the tissues in my dress pocket. I knew I’d need them.
After the funeral, we waited to ride in one of the black limousines to the cemetery. Carrie begged Mom to let Stephie ride with us.
“Uncle Jack wants all of the children to ride together,” Mom told us as we walked down the church steps.
The limo pulled up, but there was room for only two more people.
“I’ll ride in the next one,” I said. Mom agreed.
Another limo came around, and I got in. Daddy and his new wife climbed in behind me. He looked lousy from grief; his face was pale and his eyes were red.
I felt numb. Aunt Marla’s funeral wasn’t exactly the best place to reunite with my long-lost father.
The ride to the cemetery was awkward. Here I sat across from this Saundra person trying to be polite when I really wanted to shout: Leave me alone with my dad!
What was she doing here, anyway? She’d probably never even met Aunt Marla. To top things off, she began chattering about spring break and where we could go sightseeing. Stuff like that. “We’ve planned a delightful time for you,” she said. “Next month, isn’t it?”
She opened her purse, took out lipstick and a mirror, and began to touch up her already bright red lips.
“The last week in March.” I glanced at Daddy. “Maybe you should talk to Mom about it.”
“There will be plenty of time for that tonight,” he said, adjusting his tie. He was as handsome as I’d remembered. “Tomorrow is your birthday,” he commented. “When are you flying back?”
“We’ll get home late tomorrow night.” Too late to have the ice-cream party. Too late to celebrate my milestone birthday with my friends. With Jared.
Saundra asked, “Is there something special you’d like for your big day?”
I tugged on my hair as I thought of the most special things in all the world. They couldn’t be purchased by her or anyone. But there was
The family was supposed to gather in a small reception room behind the church sanctuary. Carrie and I followed Mom down the long hallway to the private room. Grandma and Grandpa were sitting with Uncle Jack and the cousins. We settled into the soft chairs behind them.
Relatives I hardly knew stood around. Mom introduced Carrie and me to them. They were from Daddy’s side of the family.
Behind me I heard whispering and turned to see who it was. In the doorway stood a handsome man wearing a navy blue suit. He was with a smartly dressed woman.
Four plus years of mounting curiosity hit me in the face. This man was my father.
“Holly?” he said. “What a beauty you are.” He turned to the woman. “Honey, I want you to meet my daughter Holly.”
“Hello,” I said, suddenly shy. I reached out to touch her gloved hand.
“Holly, I’d like you to meet Saundra, my wife.”
By then Carrie was tugging at me to leave. I grabbed her arm and turned her around.
“Well, hello there, Carrie,” Daddy said, bending low.
She looked up at me, confused. “That’s him?” she whispered back at me.
Daddy smiled. “It’s wonderful to see both of you.”
Saundra said, “We were happy to receive your letter, Holly.”
“Yes,” Daddy said. “I was planning to call…to set up a flight schedule. But now we can discuss the trip in person.” He stepped toward me like he wanted to hug me, so I offered a quick one.
“I’ll see you at the dinner for the family tonight,” I said, turning to look for Carrie, who had already slipped away.
She was standing across the room beside our young cousin Stephanie, who sat, eyes swollen, leaning against Mom. It was time for Aunt Marla’s funeral to begin.
The church was filled with a sweet fragrance from the many floral sprays. The organ played softly, and voices were hushed. I touched the tissues in my dress pocket. I knew I’d need them.
After the funeral, we waited to ride in one of the black limousines to the cemetery. Carrie begged Mom to let Stephie ride with us.
“Uncle Jack wants all of the children to ride together,” Mom told us as we walked down the church steps.
The limo pulled up, but there was room for only two more people.
“I’ll ride in the next one,” I said. Mom agreed.
Another limo came around, and I got in. Daddy and his new wife climbed in behind me. He looked lousy from grief; his face was pale and his eyes were red.
I felt numb. Aunt Marla’s funeral wasn’t exactly the best place to reunite with my long-lost father.
The ride to the cemetery was awkward. Here I sat across from this Saundra person trying to be polite when I really wanted to shout: Leave me alone with my dad!
What was she doing here, anyway? She’d probably never even met Aunt Marla. To top things off, she began chattering about spring break and where we could go sightseeing. Stuff like that. “We’ve planned a delightful time for you,” she said. “Next month, isn’t it?”
She opened her purse, took out lipstick and a mirror, and began to touch up her already bright red lips.
“The last week in March.” I glanced at Daddy. “Maybe you should talk to Mom about it.”
“There will be plenty of time for that tonight,” he said, adjusting his tie. He was as handsome as I’d remembered. “Tomorrow is your birthday,” he commented. “When are you flying back?”
“We’ll get home late tomorrow night.” Too late to have the ice-cream party. Too late to celebrate my milestone birthday with my friends. With Jared.
Saundra asked, “Is there something special you’d like for your big day?”
I tugged on my hair as I thought of the most special things in all the world. They couldn’t be purchased by her or anyone. But there was
Similar Books
