North End Love

Seven

Mary POV January 2013

The next thing I knew, I was waking up in Derrick's bed. My head was throbbing worse than any hangover I'd ever had before. Derrick was still passed out in his bed, and I was stripped naked. I managed to find all my clothing except for my panties. I got dressed as quickly as I could. I quietly snuck out of his room and the frat house. I was able to catch a cab and take it back to my house. I paid the guy and went up to my apartment. I had to start planning this funeral.

The first call I made was to a company that works with the police department. They specialize in house cleaning after natural and unnatural deaths. They agreed to be at the house by 11am. I called the school to let them know I would be out for a few weeks due to my grandfather passing away. I went to my grandfather's house and to his office. I knew the codes to the hidden safe and filing cabinet. I pulled out a few files, the first being for contact. This mostly included his close family. His lawyers, doctors, things to know in the event of a death or getting stuff taken care of.

The next file I pulled out was for his funeral plans. He always said "Mary, my funeral is already paid for. The only thing you have to do is show up." Inside this file was the list of everything paid for and all the numbers to call. I started with the Johnson's Funeral Home on 6th. I told them where my grandfather's body was and when I would like to have the funeral. There was a handwritten obituary with a post-it that said to add in the date he passed and family service left. You know the usual obituary items. And to make sure this entire obit was in the paper. I recognized the handwriting from a diary I read as a kid. It was my grandmother. She wrote his obituary. It was all about how much of a loving father, grandfather, husband and a hilarious line about him sometimes being an a*s because he was as stubborn as a mule. I quickly typed up the information needed and typed out the obituary.

The doorbell rang promptly at 11am. I let the cleaners in and pointed them up to his room. I told them if the carpet, bedding, and mattress couldn't be saved, that was OK and to get rid of it. "Don't worry Ms. Mary, we've seen a ton of rooms and this one will be the easiest to take care of." I saw one of the workers go and open the doors to the balcony and the windows to clear of the smell. I shivered from the cold.

I turned on my heels, letting the leader know I'd be in the office on the first floor by the main door. I walked down the stairs and back into the office. Emailing the Obituary to the local paper that should be out by tomorrow morning first thing, as well as posted online. I made several phone calls trying to get everything set up for his funeral. He had everything paid for and planned, so I just had to make the calls. I called a few family members to inform them of his passing, and they expressed their condolences. I only had a few family members to call, since they liked to call everyone to spread the news. By five pm, I received hundreds of emails, texts and phone calls all expressing their condolences. My Granpa's lawyer set up an appointment for those in the will to meet at his estate the day after the funeral.

I was so mentally exhausted that I needed sleep. I went to my old room. Everything was just the way it was before I left for college. Just a little dustier. I found some comfortable clothes in my dresser and walked into my ensuite bathroom. I took a hot shower to wash away the long day. I made sure I felt good and clean before going down to the kitchen to see if there was anything I could make to eat. I found some frozen fish sticks and french fries. I started laughing, looking at the box. Fish sticks was the only thing Granpa could get me to eat when I first moved in here, and since then, he always had a box in the freezer.

As I pulled out the air fryer from the cabinet and fried some fish sticks and fries, the cleaning company walked in letting me know they were done for the day and to leave the windows open to let the chemical smell leave the room. They had to throw away the mattress and bedding. I thanked them for their time and I wrote out a check from the joint account we shared in case something happened to him, so I would still have access to the money for school and what not. They left after wishing their condolences. I ran upstairs and checked to make sure the balcony doors were locked, and the windows were only cracked. I also took a mental inventory of what was in this room. Granpa was never one to keep jewelry and items worth lying around in his room. They should be downstairs in the office safe. Nothing was missing, and that I was grateful for. I went back down the stars and made sure the doors and windows were locked, followed by setting the alarm. I don't need people knowing I'm here alone or breaking in while I'm here.

I grabbed my food and a bottle of beer out of the fridge, and took my food into the living room, turning the TV on. Flipping through the channels, I saw AMC was running a Breaking Bad marathon. I was in luck since it was at the beginning of the series. I pulled my feet up on the coffee table and ate my fish sticks and fries, dipping them into the large glop of tartar sauce on my plate.

By eleven that night, I was hardly keeping my eyes open. I had about four beers and a whole bag of chips. I wished Jesse and Walt goodnight as I turned the TV off. I went into the kitchen and cleaned everything up really quickly and put the air fryer away. I will need to clean the fridge, but that is tomorrow, me problem. I went up the stairs to my room and passed out almost instantly on my bed.

The next morning, I heard the doorbell ring. Looking at the alarm clock, it was nine am. I threw on a bathrobe and my slippers and made my way down to the front door. I unset the alarm and there on my front steps were my Granpas siblings and their children. I invited everyone in. It's a good thing this house has a few bedrooms, so everyone was able to find a room to settle down in.

"Mary, is there anything we can do for you?" My great-aunt Agnes asked me. "Well, Aunty, there are a few things that need to get done before Granpa's funeral on Saturday. I need to go shopping for both food and a dress to wear, I need to deliver his suit to the funeral home, I need to clean out the fridge. I don't know if anything is expired or how long it's been since it was first purchased. I also need to get this house cleaned up and dusted all that too. "Mary, you just go find a dress and drop his suit off. Aunt Jean and Uncle Michael will go and do the food shopping, Michael jr will take care of the fridge, and the rest of us will take care of cleaning and dusting the house. Peter, Elizabeth, Joe and Marcy split up your kids and grandkids up and have them start cleaning the room." My Aunt Agnes said "Thank you guys." She wrapped me up in a big hug. My other aunts, uncles and cousins all hugged me in turn as well.

I ran up to my bedroom and took another fast shower and changed into jeans and my college sweatshirt. I threw on a pair of old sneakers and my hair up into a ponytail. I grabbed my house keys, purse and phone. I locked my bedroom door and walked over to Granpa's room. I grabbed out his suit, a beautiful navy blue suit with pin stripes, a light blue shirt and a tie that matched the suit. I also grabbed a pair of black dress shoes. This was what Granpa wanted to wear to his final resting place. He always said he wanted to look good for Granma when he saw her again. That was the last nice outfit he wore before she died. He took her out on a night on the town, and they saw Carmen at the opera house.

I walked down the stairs and everyone was busy working. I locked up the office just so everything would stay where they were left, so I could continue going through everything when I got back. I told Aunt Agnes to leave the office and my room alone. I will deal with them when I get back. I thanked her once again for bringing help.

I stepped out the front door, and started my journey to the funeral home. I got a few blocks down when I saw the boy from my business class. The really hot one that I had a crush on. He didn't notice me and as I was about to call out to him, he turned the corner and was gone. I was about to chase after him when a giant black Mercedes-Benz GLK Class. Oh, great Derrick. The passenger window rolled down and there was Derrick in the driver's seat and some blonde bimbo in the passenger's seat. "Hey Mary, need a ride?" "No, thanks, I've only got two more blocks to go." "You sure. I told you I would help you with whatever you need to take care of for your Grandfather's funeral. Do you need any money or anything? No, it's OK, everything was paid for a long time ago. So now it's all easy stuff. Thanks though." I wonder why he thinks I can't afford to pay for the funeral. I wasn't about to correct him, that's for sure.

He rolled the windows up, but not before I heard that blonde bimbo say "She looks like she can't afford to rub, two sticks together, let alone a funeral." and the laughing that came from the back of the car as the window was fully up. I walked the remaining few blocks over to the funeral home. It was large and very fancy looking. I was met at the door by the funeral director, Sam. I shook his hand and he offered to show me around. The room where his coffin will be is large. I opted for a closed casket since he looked awful when I found him. I handed the clothes and shoes to the Mortician as well as a brand-new deck of cards and a crib board that I was going to surprise him with that weekend.

I left the funeral home close to a half hour later. I had some paperwork to sign and a few details to finalize. I walked over to the T station and took the subway into the inner city. I always love a store in Faneuil Hall Plaza that sells dresses. I walked through the racks and found a black dress that had long lace sleeves, a sweetheart neckline, and was tea length. I will need some stockings for this since it is January. I found a pair of black dress boots, and a long black Pea-coat. I paid for the clothes. I wasn't ready to go back to his house just yet, so I decided to go to my apartment. I took the T back to my neighborhood and walked the few blocks home.