North End Love

Twelve

We filed out of the house and into the awaiting SUV's. I was in the back seat of the first SUV next to Great Aunt Agnes and Great Uncle Peter. Aunt Jean was in the front passenger and Uncle Michael was driving. We didn't say a word as the car was driving to the funeral home. I held Aunt Agnes's hand to give her some comfort and she had tears rolling down her face. She was wearing an old black fur coat, her string of white pearls around her neck and matching pearl earrings that Great Uncle Peter had bought her for their 20th wedding anniversary. Her gray hair was in tight curls pinned to the top of her head. She was wearing a simple black dress, black stockings and short black pumps. She had a pair of black lace gloves on her hands, and a small black lace hair birdcage clipped over the right side of her face. I saw in her left hand she was holding a handkerchief with Granpa's initials on them. The men were all in black suits and Aunt Jean was wearing a plain black dress, nude pumps and had a black petticoat.

The SUV's all pulled up to the front parking spaces reserved for the immediate family members. We were greeted by the funeral director and given a few moments alone with Granpa. It was agreed upon that I was to stand after Granpa's siblings since I was the one who lived and took care of him.

Promptly, at one o'clock, the first of the mourners began to arrive. I have no idea who most of these people are. I got several hugs and several. I'm sorry for your loss and my condolences. Before I knew it, the hall clock chimed five, and the line was still outside the door. I had several conversations with people about how much my grandfather helped them or changed their lives or how good of a man he was. I thanked each person for their kind words. I was spaced out, my mind numb from all that was happening around me. I never noticed that the boy from my business class was standing in front of me. He gave me a hug. He smelled so good like the woods after a rainstorm. "Mary, I'm here if you need me." "Thank you." He slipped a piece of paper into my hand, kissed my cheek and continued his condolences with the rest of my family. I slipped the paper into my clutch.

"Babe, you look nice. You should let me take you out tonight." uggg why did he have to show up? "I can't. We have a lot to do before the funeral tomorrow. " I'm sure your family can spare you for an hour or two." Uncle Michael was standing next to me and looked at Derrick like they knew each other. "Mary, everything ok?" "Yes Uncle Peter, I just know we have so much to do this evening that I was telling Derrick here that I can't go out tonight." I squeezed Uncle Peters hand letting him know to follow along. "Yes that right we need you to make sure everything is ready for tomorrow for the reception and the Lawyer. She's got a lot to do. The next few days, son" Derrick looking defeated about not being able to take me out. Decided to do the next worst thing. "Well babe, I'll see you at the Funeral tomorrow then." Before I knew it, he pulled me in close and French kissed me in front of my whole family. I tried pushing him away, but he wouldn't budge. After a minute, he finally let go of me, smirking, winked and walked away ignoring my cry of outburst at what he just did.

"Mary, dear, do you have something you'd like to tell us?" "Aunt Jean, can we discuss this at home? I will tell you everything there." "Alright dear, we'll talk at home."

By seven, the funeral home was finally cleared out. A few of the cousins had left an hour or so ago. Their kids were falling asleep in the chairs. They said they would order food for us, so we could have a decent, easy meal when we got back. I walked to the SUV with MJ and decided to ride back with him. My brain had turned to mush, and now I had to discuss with my family what was going on with that jerk. I had run through in my head everything that I was going to try and say. Occasionally sighing. "Are you alright Mary?" "Yea I guess, I'm trying to figure out how to tell the family about what's going on with Derrick and how I'm trying to get rid of him."

We pulled up in front of the house and heard a commotion in the den. There was loud yelling and fighting. We ran in and said everyone was yelling at each other. What happened since we left the funeral home? "

"HEY! SHUT IT!" I yelled as loudly as I could. Everyone stopped and looked at me. "What the he*l is going on?" "Mary, do you know who that boy is who kissed you?" "Everyone sat down." Everyone found a spot to sit, some on the arms of the chairs and couches, a few on the laps of their partners. When everyone in the room was seated, I went and stood in front of the lit fireplace. "Everyone I met Derrick a few weeks ago at school. He has been pestering me to date him. He has taken me out twice and has pretty much been stalking me. He shows up everywhere I am and won't leave me alone. I have reason to believe that two of the times I've seen him he's drugged me and performed activities on my body while I wasn't fully conscious. I went to mass general last night and had a full check up done. Unfortunately, there is a new dur out there that will be out of your system most of the time before you even wake up."

I looked around at the family. Most of them had their mouths open in shock. "While I was being examined I was informed that I am still a virgin, so at least he hasn't taken advantage of me in that way. Yet. I spoke with Mr. Stevenson after the first incident and we are going to put all of my assets in and have them set up, so only I can access them. However, he thinks I am a very poor student because I won multiple scholarships to attend MIT. I will not allow him to get hold of the money Granpa set aside for me that I had been using to take care of him."

"Mary." My Uncle Joe began, "Derrick Sheppard's family, the O'Sullivans, is the second most prestigious family in all of Boston with ours being the first. If you agree, we could create an Alliance between the two families and finally have peace. However, we will create a very deep, legal, binding contract that, if he breaks it in any way, will own everything O'Sullivan's own and then some. Now, obviously we don't agree with drug use and will get our men to handle that. You will continue to have him believe you are poor, but with us as your family, we will protect you and your assets. I've heard he likes to screw up constantly, so it'll be easy for you."

Taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly, I looked at my Uncle Joe. He was serious. "I honestly wanted nothing to do with him. He has been nothing but a thorn in my side. He's not even my type. He is a jerk who thinks he's better than everyone, he doesn't listen, and he acts like he's better than everyone, so why would I do that?"

"Mary, you should be doing this to protect our family. You would be stopping a family who's been trying to take over ours for years and finally give our family a chance for peace." "Fine, I'll do it."