Until Next Time (The Shooting Stars Series) (36 page)

“Hey, Angie, it’s been too long. How are you?”

“Considering all I’m doing well,” her cousin answered before turning to Adam. “How are you, Adam?”

“I’m doing well, thank you.”

“Where’s your fiancé?”  Angie turned back to Katherine.

“He’s out of town on business.”

“Dustin was until this morning. He called his boss and insisted he had to be home, fortunately, his boss was completely okay with it and he hopped the first flight he could catch.”

Katherine hoped that no one could see how much her words had hurt, though judging by the way Adam was watching her, he already knew.

“I’m glad he could be here,” Katherine managed.

“Me too. How is Derrick? He never makes it in with you, does he?”

“No, no, he stays very busy,” Katherine admitted. “Where’s your daughter?”

“In the kitchen with her dad. She’s growing so fast that I look away and when I look back she’s taller!”

“I haven’t seen her since she was born.”

“I’ll bring her around to see you,” Angela promised and then a family friend had stepped forward and was hugging Katherine.

“Hey, Katherine, how are you holding up dear?” Abigail asked in her weathered voice that sounded as though it was ready to give out.

“Fairly well, Abby, how are you?”

“I ache in these old bones, but other than that I’m fine. I sure was sorry to hear about your grandma, honey, she was a fine Christian woman and she’ll be missed.”

“Thank you, Abby.”

“I’m gonna go say hi to your mama. You take care of yourself,” Abby patted her on the shoulder and moved on. Katherine pushed a tendril of hair back from her damp face. The room was quickly becoming overheated from the number of people who filled the building.

“You look like you could use some air,” Adam took her by the elbow and led her out the door. It wasn’t any better on the sidewalk where the men had gathered to talk and smoke.

“How about a ride?” Adam suggested. She nodded and Adam held her door while she climbed in.

“Thanks, Adam, I was starting to suffocate.”

“Where to?”

“I’d like a milk shake from Sonic and, if you don’t mind, could we drive out to Grandma’s old place?” she asked.

Adam smiled. “Consider me your chauffeur,” he said as he backed from the parking space.

Katherine stood in the gathering dusk in front of her grandmother’s old place, a lamppost the only light in the yard. The house was an unassuming white frame house with many additions that had been put on over the years but Katherine loved it. She had spent many happy days and nights inside the confines of the little house. A distant cousin lived there now but Katherine knew she wouldn’t mind her being there. It was likely that she was at the funeral home herself.

Katherine inhaled deeply of the flowerbeds her grandparents had planted: roses, hyacinths, gardenias, lilacs, and more. They were planted along the porch, hanging from flowerpots, and in beds throughout the yard. To the left of the house was the woodpile, beyond that, shrouded in the darkness, the vegetable garden and now empty pigpen.

She closed her eyes for a moment and was again a child visiting her grandpa in his damp smoke house-turned tool shed where the smell of rusted metal, damp earth, and oil always prevailed. She was visiting her grandma in the garden and squeezing her bare toes in the moist earth. She was sneaking into the pigpen with her cousins and hoping that the old sow wouldn’t charge them this time.

She opened her eyes and the laughter from her childhood faded to be replaced by the song of the cricket, cicada, and whippoorwill. She walked up onto the porch, sat down in the old swing, and Adam joined her. How many times had she done the same with her grandparents?

“There are so many memories here. I am going to miss her so much,” she sobbed.

Adam slipped an arm around her and pulled her close.

“I know you will,” he told her.

Katherine made no move to pull away, this time accepting the comfort he offered.

The funeral home had started clearing out by the time they returned and continued to do so until only those who were staying remained. Katherine walked into the kitchen, fixed herself some coffee, and grabbed a doughnut. She had barely eaten since lunch.

“You look tired. Are you sure you want to stay?” her mom came in behind her.

“I’m fine.”

“Where did you disappear to earlier?”

“We went to grandma’s old place.”

“I’d like to do that myself.”

“I’m going to miss her.”

“Me too,” her mom sighed.

“Hi,” Adam greeted them as he fixed himself some coffee.

“Hey, Adam; have you made any plans yet?” Julia asked.

“I am kicking around some ideas and have made a few inquiries but it is too soon to say. I’ll share when I have better feel for things.”

“Good luck. We’d be more than happy to have you stay in the area,” Julie smiled at him.

“That is a real possibility,” he admitted.

Adam settled back with his coffee and sipped it while he watched Kaitlyn talk, laugh, and even share tears with her aunt. She moved off with her aunt and short time later he found her asleep on one of the settees; he retrieved one of his jackets from his car and spread it over her, then claimed a nearby seat to make certain that no one bothered her.

The next day, Adam sat beside Katherine, his gaze following several women as they came and went with bowls and platters of food.

“How many people are they planning on feeding?”

There was roast, fried chicken, casseroles, vegetables, rolls, cornbread, pies, and cakes and it looked to him as if there was enough to feed a small army.

“As many as needed. Grandma’s church volunteered to cover today’s lunch. They have a committee especially for funerals or invalids from the church, they’re really well organized.”

“So it would seem,” he commented. “I’ve never been to a southern funeral.”

“I’ve never been to anything but a southern funeral so I can’t compare them to anything else,” Katherine shrugged.

Julia joined them and looked over the table.

“I see that Mom’s church has been here,” she commented and grabbed a plate.

“They just left,” Kaitlyn fell into line behind her. “Are we going to Aunt Clara’s to change?”

“Yes, and then we’ll come right back. We probably ought to do that after we eat. I want to be here when everyone starts to arrive.”

After they had eaten, they went to her aunt’s to dress for the funeral and then returned to the funeral home. By the time they started lining the cars up for the procession to the church, the building was filled to overflowing. Katherine’s parents were right behind the hearse and her aunt and uncle were right behind them. Her mom’s brother had finally made it in and would be riding with Clara and her family.

“We need to load up,” her dad told them and they moved to follow him.

Adam watched as an officer stopped traffic to let the procession through the light, his hat in hand over his heart. He noted curiously that traffic came to a dead stand still in the oncoming lane and continued to do so as they moved on. When they passed a golf course and the golfers stopped, removed their caps, and placed them over their hearts, he felt tears prick is eyes.

“Why is traffic stopping?” he asked Kaitlyn. She glanced at him and then out the window at the unmoving cars.

“Have you ever lost a friend or loved one and wondered how the world could go on around you and thought that everything should just stand still, just for a moment? It does here, Adam. They’re showing their respect for the deceased and their family,” she explained.

Adam looked at the cars again in amazement and wished that all people everywhere could have that kind of respect for life all the time.

Derrick glanced again at the map in the seat beside him and traced the route he had mapped out. He had been delayed coming out of Chicago that morning due to weather and was afraid that he wasn’t going to make it. He had flown into Nashville, from there taken a smaller plane into McKeller Sipes Regional Airport outside of Jackson, and rented a car. When he arrived in the small town of Lexington, he first stopped at the wrong funeral home and was directed to the other, where he was told they had already left. From there, he followed directions to a small country church that Gracie had attended since she was a child. He arrived to find the group of mourners already on the hillside at the cemetery across from the church.

Derrick hurried up the hill and stood behind the ring of mourners behind the tent. The funeral was already underway. Katherine was seated on the second row at the end; Adam stood behind her with a hand on her shoulder. He felt a little guilty. He probably should have made a point of being there earlier but the client he had just left was one of the firm’s top customers. He had been uncertain of leaving them in the hands of a rookie employee. He’d finally ironed out all of the foreseeable problems and let the young man have a chance to prove himself; it was a big risk to take.

Derrick watched Katherine and Adam and frowned. Best he could tell Katherine’s family had more or less adopted Adam into the family several years back. He knew Katherine was certainly fond of him, sometimes so much so that it bothered him. He wondered if Katherine and her family were really aware of Adam’s past. Surely that had seen some tabloids and heard some rumors. Women, alcohol and drugs had been a steady part of his life. How could they simply ignore that and treat him like the kid he’d once been? He wasn’t a kid any longer and unless Derrick was mistaken the man had some feelings beyond friendship and adopted family toward Katherine. She was either completely unaware or chose to ignore it.

Katherine watched them lower her grandma into the ground through blurry eyes. She knew that her grandma had been ready to go, but she wasn’t ready to let go. She and her grandma had been close. She’d gone to visit her every chance she got until recently. She’d been so busy, but that was no excuse, she should have made time.

“Katherine,” she heard Derrick call.

She turned to him in surprise. “When did you get here?”

“Just after it started; I tried making it earlier but I got delayed.”

“Thanks for trying,” she said with a half-hearted smile.

“Hey, Derrick,” Julia greeted.

“Hello, Mrs. Mayfield. I’m sorry that I didn’t make it in sooner.”

“You tried, I’m sure. When did you get here?”

“Just after it started,” he answered.

“Hey, Derrick,” Adam greeted.

“Hello, Adam,” he returned Adam’s nod.

“Are we ready to go home?” Julia asked.

“Yes, I can’t wait to change into something more comfortable,” Katherine followed her mom to the car.

“Oh wait! I have to go back to the funeral home,” Julia remembered.

“We better hurry. It’s a week day, in case you’ve forgotten, and the plumber is scheduled to arrive in forty-five minutes,” Walter reminded his wife.

“I had forgotten the plumber. I have the register and flowers and food...”

“I’ll drop you off and then come back for you,” Walter teased.

“Oh, no you won’t!” Julia retorted.

“My Durango’s still there,” Adam reminded them. “You drop us off, Walter, and I’ll give Julia a ride home. There’s plenty of room in the back,” Adam offered.

“If you’re sure you don’t mind...” Julia hesitated.

“Not at all,” Adam assured her.

“That works. Let’s go,” Walter said.

“I’ll follow, I wasn’t sure I was going to find my way,” Derrick told them. “You want to ride with me, Katherine?” Derrick asked her.

“Thanks, Derrick, but I need to talk with Mom,” she declined and climbed into the back of her parent’s car. Derrick had no choice but to follow. At the funeral home he parked beside Walter and watched Katherine, Julia, and Adam start into the funeral home. Walter jogged around the car and Derrick rolled down his window.

“Follow me,” he instructed and then returned to his car. Derrick wanted to argue, but did as he was asked.

***

“Thanks again, Adam. This has been a rough week,” Julia said after they had loaded everything and were on their way to Jackson.

“No problem, what’s wrong with your pipes?”

“The pipes in the basement bathroom aren’t draining properly. It could have waited, but I made the appointment a few days ago.”

“These things tend to happen without warning,” he commented.

“When are you guys going to pick out the tombstone?” Katherine asked.

“Clara said something about this weekend so that James can be there,” she referred to her brother who lived out of state. “I’m surprised that you didn’t ride with Derrick.”

“I knew you’d need help. Besides, he could have waited if he’d wanted to,” she shrugged.

Her mother’s face showed her surprise. “Are you upset with him?” she asked. She had yet to see Katherine truly upset with Derrick. She was always shifting the blame to herself.