Dead Weight (19 page)

‘Where’s he at?’ Graham asked getting up.

‘At the Best Western,’ Keith said. Then he turned to me. ‘You’re coming, right?’

The gooseflesh was back. ‘Sure,’ I said.

‘Hey, let’s all go!’ Ken said.

Alicia shook her head. ‘Then there wouldn’t be room for your uncle,’ she said, as always practical. ‘Besides, I want to go down and help. Y’all give me your plates and I’ll take them downstairs.’

‘You’re going, right?’ Ken asked Bess. So I gave Bess the raised eyebrow and she gave me one back. Interesting.

Alicia, the party-pooper, gathered up all the dishes with Graham, of all people, helping her to carry it all downstairs.

I’m weak. Mostly from hunger. OK, so my spirit, my flesh, my very soul is weak. I went back for seconds, but I didn’t have dessert. Well, just some ambrosia and one brownie. Really, just one. I mean, I’d have to go to a funeral every day for a week or two to gain back the weight I lost just by overindulging at a funeral feast, right? I slipped two chocolate chip cookies and a napkin-wrapped baklava in my purse for later.

‘You’re going to feel guilty later,’ a voice said behind me.

I recognized the voice. I should, I’ve listened to it every day of my life for the past twenty-three years. ‘I’ll get over it,’ I said, turning around to face him.

‘How’s your friend Berta doing?’ Willis asked.

‘She’s fine,’ I said.

I almost asked how his friend Trisha was doing, then remembered she been seeing her brother, not my husband. My brain tangents were going to get me into trouble one of these days.

‘How are you faring at Vera’s?’ I asked.

‘Fine,’ he said.

We both looked off toward the living room where people were milling about, eating and drinking. So it’s come to this, I thought. We don’t have anything to say to each other. It’s definitely over.

‘I think we should talk,’ Willis said.

‘I thought that’s what we were doing,’ I said.

He sighed. Oh, I recognized that sigh. That was his ‘E.J., you’re being obtuse,’ sigh. ‘About us,’ he said.

Whoa. Right to the nitty-gritty. ‘Shall we make an appointment?’ I asked, finally turning to look at him. He looked back at me and for a moment we just stared at each other. I’m not sure who the first one was to start it, but one of us smiled, and then we both ended up laughing. Inappropriate to where we were belly laughs. Holding each other’s arms to keep from falling down laughs. Laughs so deep that even in the middle of it I knew it was going to turn to tears if I didn’t get out of there. I let go and felt my way to the kitchen because my vision was blurred by tears of laughter. Once in the kitchen, which was blessedly unoccupied, I fell against a counter and felt my face, my jaw, my insides crumble and the tears to come. And then he was there, in the kitchen with me, his arms around me, holding me close. We fit so well. We always had. My head fit neatly in the crook of his neck, his arms encircled me like they had when we were younger and I was thinner. Everything fit.

‘I’m so sorry—’ he said, just as I said, ‘I’m sorry—’

We just held each other. Maybe it wasn’t over, I thought. Maybe there was still hope.

MEGAN

So we all got crammed in Graham’s car, Graham in the driver’s seat, the shotgun seat on hold for Uncle Mark, and Bess and me half-sitting on the laps of the appropriate twin. Wouldn’t that be a hoot? I thought. Bess and me marrying twins?

‘So what’s going on with your uncle and your grandfather?’ Graham asked from the front seat.

‘Grandpa was dissing Uncle Mark all during the funeral,’ Keith said. ‘Grandma got so mad she hit him with her program. Is that what you call that thing when it’s a funeral?’

‘I dunno,’ Graham said. ‘Why’s he upset with him?’

‘Uncle Mark hasn’t lived in the States since forever,’ Ken said. ‘Mom said he went to Belize during spring break his junior year in college and never came back. Me and Keith only know him ’cause Mom took us down there two summers ago. Dad couldn’t go because he had a couple of court dates, but we went and stayed a month. It was great. Belize is really cool. You ever been there?’ he said, talking directly to Bess.

‘What does he do down there?’ Graham asked. Like twenty questions or something. Personally, I think Keith and I had other things to discuss. Graham could just shut up and drive, like a good chauffeur.

‘He owns juice stands – about six of ’em, right, Ken?’

‘Huh?’ Ken said, raising his head from where he and Bess were having a private moment. I mean talking; don’t go there.

‘Uncle Mark’s juice stands – he has about six, right?’

Ken shrugged. ‘I didn’t count.’

‘Asshole,’ Keith said.

‘Retard,’ Ken shot back.

I knew before she started that it was going to happen. I tried to get her attention, tried to stop her, but living over a decade with my mother has definitely rubbed off on Bess.

‘I find that offensive,’ she said.

‘Huh?’ Ken said. Believe me, I think I got the good twin.

‘Calling someone a retard. That’s offensive.’

‘Ah, why? Are you retarded?’ he said.

‘No! But it’s offensive to people who are and the people who care for those who are.’

‘Well, my brother’s not retarded either, so it’s, like, ya know, just a word.’

‘It’s an offensive word,’ Bess insisted.

And then we found out that the back seat of Graham’s car would hold four people easily, without anyone have to sit on anyone’s lap. Sometimes I really hate my crunchy granola family.

We were caught – by Alicia, of all people.

‘Oh!’ she said coming in with a pile of used paper plates and plastic cups.

Willis and I moved away from each other. ‘It’s OK, honey,’ Willis said. ‘We’re not even smooching.’

Alicia turned red. ‘Well, you can if you want. It’s OK with me.’ Then she abruptly turned and headed for the dining room.

‘Where are the rest of the kids? They making you do all the work?’ I asked.

‘I volunteered. They all went to pick up the twins’ uncle in Codderville. I figured if we all went, there wouldn’t be room for the uncle.’

I laughed. ‘Always the responsible one, that’s our Alicia.’

She ducked her head, took a deep breath, and then raised her eyes to ours. ‘I know your fight was about me, and E.J. explained it to me, Willis. I’ve been thinking about it and I’ll be sixteen next year, which is the age to become an emancipated minor. If I can stay until then, that’s what I’d like to do.’

Willis nodded his head. ‘I understand that. And I understand the temptation of becoming an emancipated minor. Sounds glamorous, but it would be hard. We’d both rather you stayed until you graduate high school. Then we’ll talk about whether you want to go to college, trade school, get a job, whatever it is you want to do with your life. It’ll all be better if you graduate high school first.’

Alicia nodded her head. ‘We can talk about it more later. Right now I think it’s time you two went home to an empty house.’ She grinned and rushed out of the room.

MEGAN

We found the Best Western in Codderville and, after driving around the whole thing twice, finally found the right room number.

‘We’ll be right back,’ Keith said as both twins bailed out of the car.

Graham had parked right in front of the room, so it was only a few feet away. I saw Keith knock on the door and saw the door open at his touch. Just like in the movies. But I didn’t think about that then. Keith stepped inside, immediately followed by Ken. Before Ken could even shut the door they were both outside again, Ken vomiting in the bushes. Graham hopped out of the car, followed by Bess and myself. Keith, leaning against the window of the motel room, grabbed my arm as I started past him into the room.

‘Don’t!’ he said, his voice hoarse. His lips made movements like he was trying to say more, but he just shook his head and held on to me.

But I didn’t need to go in to see what was in the room. Bess hurriedly backed out and went to Ken, helping him sit down on the curb. Graham was in the room, but I could see past him to the body on the floor. The overhead light was on, shining brightly on the blood that caked the carpet and stained Uncle Mark’s funeral attire. I turned to Keith and led him to the curb where Ken and Bess sat, and encouraged him to do the same. He did, elbows on up raised knees, head in hands. I put my arm around his shoulders and patted him. I didn’t know what else to do.

Graham was out and standing by his car. He had his cell phone to his ear. 911, I supposed. Then he hung up and hit one digit, which was probably his number for either Mom or Dad. He hung up and hit another one digit number, and hung up from that after a few seconds. ‘Shit!’ he said. Then he rummaged in the glove box of his car, found a business card and dialed again.

‘Hey, Mrs Luna! Are you at home or at work? Home? Great. Look. Something’s happened,’ he said. ‘The police are on their way.’

It wasn’t one of our rip-your-clothes-off moments. It was different. Almost like the first time. A quiet exploration of each other’s bodies, as if they were new to us. After we lay on the couch entangled in each other’s arms, my head on his bare chest, his dress shirt from the funeral tossed over my bare back and buttocks due to the air conditioning. He was running his fingers through my hair and I was studying a gray hair on his chest. I’d never seen it before, but then again, he’s blonde, so the gray ones are more easily hidden.

When the doorbell rang we both started, but when the pounding on the door ensued, we both jumped up. I pulled Willis’s dress shirt on. It was long enough to cover my bottom and I went to the door as Willis grabbed the rest of his clothes and headed for the bedroom.

I peeked through the peep hole and saw Elena Luna standing there. I opened the door. ‘Bad timing,’ I said.

‘I hope that was Willis you were rolling around with, ’cause I need to talk to both of you right now. Get dressed.’

I moved with her into the house. ‘What’s going on?’ I said, finding my clothes still on the couch. I turned my back to Luna and pulled on panties, managed to get my bra on under the dress shirt, then took it off and slipped my dress on, and rammed my feet into my heels. I took the dress shirt to the bedroom and gave it to Willis.

‘Luna’s here. She needs us both. Something’s up,’ I said and left him there.

He followed me out, buttoning his shirt and stuffing it in his pants as he came in.

‘Shoes and socks?’ he said.

‘By the back door,’ I said.

‘I’m glad you two made up. Now, listen: Graham just called me. If not already there, the police should be on the scene shortly—’

‘Oh my God! What’s happened?’ I said, feeling panic about to consume me.

‘The kids are OK. All the kids – including Mr Killian’s kids. The thing is, and I know this is your trick, but you may have passed it down: they found a dead body.’

I snuck a look at Willis, whose arms were up in the air. ‘Well, why the hell not?’ he said to his own personal deity, or maybe he was talking to the devil himself.

MEGAN

It probably only took like a few minutes for the police to show up, but it seemed like forever. Keith started crying, his head on my shoulder, and I thought it was sweet at first, then the snot came and got on my dress and I thought maybe I wasn’t cut out for this kind of stuff.

When the police got there it was regular police, in uniform, not Mrs Luna from next door. It was a Mexican man in his twenties or thirties – it’s hard to tell with adults; I mean, after twenty they all look alike – and a woman who seemed older, but who knew.

The two went into the motel room, stayed for about a minute and a half, and then came out.

The woman talked to Graham who, of course, had taken over. When he indicated the twins, the woman came to talk to Keith while the man took Ken, Jr.

‘Keith, right?’ she said. ‘I’m Officer Davis. You found the body?’

Keith sniffed and nodded his head.

‘How do you know the deceased?’ Officer Davis asked.

‘He’s my uncle,’ Keith said.

She looked at the notes she’d taken when talking with Graham. ‘Your last name is Killian?’

Keith nodded.

‘Any kin to Kerry—’

‘My mom,’ he said and began to cry in earnest, hunched over his knees, his arms encircling his head. I patted his back. At least he wasn’t snotting all over me.

Officer Davis waited for a moment for Keith to get over it. Finally she asked, ‘Did you see anyone else in the room?’

Keith shook his head.

‘Anyone loitering in the parking lot?’

Again he shook his head.

That’s when a white car with lights flashing in the grill instead of on top, pulled up. Mrs Luna got out.

I ran up to her and hugged her. ‘Boy, am I glad you’re here!’ I said.

I’d never hugged Mrs Luna before and she seemed a little taken aback. She patted my back like I was a dog.

‘Davis,’ she said, then jerked her head toward her car. To me, she said, ‘Sit back down, Megan. I’ll be with you in a minute.’

Then she and Officer Davis and the male officer conferred by Mrs Luna’s car until another car pulled in. This one I recognized immediately. My mother’s minivan. Bess and I both jumped up and even Graham left his perch by his car to rush to the minivan. Imagine our surprise at seeing Dad in the passenger seat.

Our parents grabbed on to us, everybody hugging at once. The back door of the minivan opened and Mr Killian got out. I saw the twins rush to their dad. I was glad he was there. My dress was ruined.

The male officer went to the motel office and came back with a key to one of the rooms He opened a door two down from Uncle Mark’s room, went inside, and we heard him switch on the air conditioning.

Luna came up to the minivan where we had all collected. ‘Let’s let that room cool off a bit, then everyone can move in there. It’s too hot out here for y’all to be standing around.’

‘Thanks, Luna,’ my dad said. My mom nodded but didn’t let go of either me or Bess. Actually, she was beginning to hurt my neck a little.

Mr Killian hadn’t said much to the boys, and they didn’t say much to him, but he kept kissing them on the tops of their heads, which I thought was kind of sweet, although a little geeky. I know, my standards are high.