Chapter Twenty-Eight
Sienna
My alarm woke me bright and early Monday morning. Normally I would have hit the snooze button at least once, but I was ready to get back to work. Our time away from home was short, but also very restful for my mind and spirit. I didn’t expect any communication with Parker, but when I got home the night before I saw I had a missed call from Saturday afternoon. I wondered what he wanted. By then he would have married Rachel. Maybe he figured out she was a gold-digger too late and called to apologize after he found out she did cheat on him.
I highly doubted that’s what happened. He probably misdialed me since he didn’t leave a message or a text. Besides, I was over all of this. That’s what the weekend away was for. Moving on. And that’s what I intended to do.
When I got to the diner, Tony was sitting on the back steps, as usual, waiting for me.
“Good morning, sunshine,” he said.
“Sunshine?”
“I could see the light from your smile a mile away.”
I forced a frown.
“Aw, don’t be like that. It was a compliment.”
I laughed. “You’re right. I feel good. I’m happy. Everything is different, and I’m okay with that.”
“I should take you away more often.”
“I would like that, but we might have to hire someone to watch Sunny’s or else I’d lose my business.”
“I’m going to get a lottery ticket today and play some big numbers. I’d take a cut in my paycheck to see you happy.”
“You’re sweet.”
“Sweet as pie,” he said. “Come on, let’s get back to work.”
For some reason, every time the bell tinkled when the front door opened, my whole body tensed. Each time I expected to see Parker walk through that door. Then I’d had to remind myself that he was married to Rachel, and they were off somewhere on a honeymoon, probably getting very acquainted with each other. Of course, then I would feel nauseous, and the whole process would repeat the next time someone came into the diner.
When I saw Harriet come through the door, my mood immediately lifted. The other customers were all taken care of, so I went out there to greet her.
“Good morning, Harriet,” I said.
She took my hands and gave me a small smile.
I glanced over her shoulder. “Is Kenneth parking the car?”
“Could you get me some coffee, please?” she asked.
I tilted my head to the side, inspecting her face. Her eyes were bloodshot.
I threw a glance at Tony who was still in the kitchen. His eyebrows drew together.
I went over to the serving station, and Tony came up beside me. “What’s up?”
“Something is wrong with Harriet.”
I brought over the mug of coffee and Tony and I sat on the other side of the booth. “What happened?” I asked, my throat thick.
Harriet took a long sip of her coffee then placed it down. Her red eyes flicked up to us. “Kenneth passed away on Saturday.”
I clamped a hand over my mouth, choking back a sob. “Oh my god. Harriet, I’m so sorry.”
She sniffed and nodded.
Tony reached across the table and took her hand. “Kenneth was a good man.”
“He was,” she said.
I felt like such an ass. I wondered if she’d tried to come here and tell us the bad news this weekend. She didn’t have family in the area, and she never really talked about her friends. She’d said many times that Tony and I were her family. And we had been gallivanting on the beach when she needed us the most.
“What happened?” I asked.
Harriet sighed. “As you know, he’s been sick for some time. But he had a heart attack early Saturday morning. The doctor said it was painless for him, so I suppose that’s one positive out of the whole thing.”
A family of four came into the diner and Tony and I both turned around.
“I got them,” Tony said, slipping out of the booth. “I’ll be back soon. Do you want anything to eat, Harriet?”
“No, thank you,” she said.
It broke my heart that she couldn’t even eat. “What can I do for you?”
“Oh, nothing. I just wanted to come here. Yesterday I had to do all the arrangements and I wanted to find a place to reminisce about him without looking at another coffin. And being home is too painful. I’m stuck there enough already.”
“When is the funeral?” I asked.
“It’s at three today,” she said. “I’m actually quite afraid that no one will show up. We’re so old, we’ve already lost a lot of our friends. And all I have left is my sister, but she’s in a nursing home up north with dementia.”
“Harriet,” I said firmly. “Tony and I will be there for you.”
“I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad,” she said. “I only wanted to let you know. I’ll understand if it’s a bad time.”
I took her hand and squeezed it. “You’re a part of our family. We’re going to be right up there with you.”
Harriet’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you, Sienna.”
“I’m going to close the diner after these customers—”
“You don’t—”
“Hush, Harriet,” I said with a small smile. “You’re not going to change my mind. We’re going to close up and come with you to do whatever you need to before the funeral.”
“I did want to pick up some flowers,” she said.
“And I know a really good florist,” I said.
I slid out of the booth and headed for the kitchen. Her loss had brought mine into perspective. I hid from my best friend and the man that I loved all weekend while Harriet dealt with the loss of her best friend.
Once I was in there, I pressed my back against the wall and shed a few tears for Kenneth. I was sure to be full of waterworks for the funeral, but the shock was just catching up to me. He’d been chronically ill, but they always managed to come into the diner like clockwork.
This whole situation was like a slap in the face. Life was short. What the hell was I doing by being so pissed at Parker?
Tony handed me a napkin and I dabbed at my cheeks. I didn’t want Harriet to see me this way. I had to be strong for her.
I opened the office supplies drawer and ripped a piece of paper from the notebook inside. I scribbled down a note for any other customers that would come by today.
Family emergency. The diner is closed until tomorrow.
“We’re closing after these customers, okay?” I told Tony.
“No problem. I’ll start grabbing their plates as soon as the last bite is eaten,” he said.
I smirked and shook my head. I grabbed a piece of tape and left the kitchen.
Once we were officially closed, Tony and I went home and changed into appropriate funeral attire. Then we convened at my house and went together to pick up the flowers that Harriet requested. We also ordered a grave blanket to be delivered to the site after the burial. Harriet told us she wanted to do the part at the cemetery alone and I totally understood. But I wanted her to know that even when she was standing alone, she wasn’t. Tony and I would be there with her in spirit.
Harriet planned a small service at the funeral home. We arrived there around two-thirty. Harriet was in the main space alone with the pastor and Kenneth’s coffin.
I took Tony’s hand. “This isn’t real.”
He squeezed back. “Just take a deep breath.”
I did as he said and we walked into the room together.
We sat with Harriet in the front row. The funeral home had only set up two rows of chairs, probably with a request from Harriet since she knew not to expect a large turnout.
“How are you holding up?” I asked.
“Better now,” she said, looking from me to Tony.
We sat together reminiscing about all the good times we had with Kenneth at the diner. And Harriet even added a few other memories that we hadn’t heard before about their younger days.
I couldn’t help but feel the striking resemblance to the friendship that Parker and I had. Even though I didn’t know the couple well outside of their older years, her stories of the adventures they had together sounded remarkably similar to how Parker and I were when we were together.
The pastor started the service at three on the dot.
“I’d like to welcome you all here today to celebrate the life of Kenneth Lamonte—”
He stopped speaking, and his attention moved to the door.
We turned around and saw Parker standing at the back of the room.
My mouth fell open. How the hell did he know about the funeral? I threw a look at Tony and he shrugged and shook his head. I didn’t want to turn around again, but I didn’t have to. Parker sat in the chair next to me and leaned over.
“Harriet, so sorry I’m late.”
“It’s no problem, dear, I’m glad to see you.” She then indicated for the pastor to continue with his speech.
My shoulders were nearly at my ears and it took all of me not to look at Parker.
But as the pastor spoke about Kenneth’s life, my mind drifted away from Parker and returned to the reason we were there.
I glanced at Harriet, who was holding herself together so well. I wished I could be as strong as she was. Though I wondered how much of that was inherent and how much simply came from living through as many years as she had. She’d had a loving husband for forty years; that was bound to make someone a fucking superhero.
I took her hand and she patted the top of mine with her free hand. We sat like that for the remainder of the service.
After finishing up with the final prayer, the pastor ended the service. We all stood up, and I knew it was time to face Parker.
“Thank you so much for coming, Parker,” Harriet said, shaking his hand in both of hers.
“In the short time I knew him, Kenneth really put his mark on me. I was glad to know him,” Parker said.
Then the pastor pulled her aside. “Excuse me; I’ll be right back.”
I narrowed my eyes at him.
He noticed and said, “I saw the sign at the diner. Then I did some research.”
“I thought you’d be on your honeymoon,” I said.
His jaw clenched. “That’s what I wanted to tell you—”
“If we weren’t at a funeral, I’d kick your ass,” Tony interjected in a quiet and threatening voice.
Then Harriet came back over and Tony turned off his protective big brother routine.
“It means so much that you all came here for Kenneth. He was fond of all of you.”
“We were fond of him, as well,” I said.
Harriet looked at Parker and me. “I know I’m just an old sentimental woman, but I want to tell you something that I’ve learned over the years.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“In all the people I’ve met and couples I’ve witnessed get married, I rarely see the love that you two share. It doesn’t come around but once in a lifetime, and you should hold onto that.”
“He’s marr—” I started, but Parker interrupted me by saying, “That’s what I wanted to talk to Sienna about.”
His eyes met mine, and I found it hard to breathe.
“Well, don’t let me disturb you,” Harriet said and walked away. She stopped in front of the casket and put her hand on the top.
Tony gave me a look that said, “You got this?”
I nodded and he stepped away, going to Harriet’s side in front of the casket.
I turned to Parker, silently asking him to explain himself.