“What can we do?” she asked worriedly.
I wiped my eyes, trying to pull it together. “There isn’t really anything,” I replied hoarsely. “It’s just been a really rough day.”
“I’m sure,” she said sympathetically. “Have you heard from Janelle?”
“No,” I replied, the agitation clear in my tone. “I’m taking Mason over there tomorrow after I deal with the funeral arrangements. It’s not like she’ll be much help anyway. At this point I just want to make sure she’s okay.”
“She’s so selfish,” Sophie complained. “I don’t even know her and I want to give her a good solid shake to snap her out of it.”
I smiled despite myself. Sophie was far from a violent person but she was a good friend, the very best.
“How’s Bubs?”
“Sleeping. We had a rough flight. I think his ears were bothering him.”
“Always fun to deal with a screaming toddler on your own,” she replied knowingly.
“Yeah. Listen, I’m going to try to get some sleep. I’m pretty exhausted,” I told her. My eyes were burning with emotion and exhaustion. I knew if I was going to get through the next few days I’d need some rest.
“Are you sure you don’t need me? Should I come out?” she asked.
I had no doubt she’d come if I asked, but she had her own family to take care of. “I’m okay,” I told her again. “I’ll keep you posted.”
“Okay,” she replied, not sounding convinced in the slightest. “Love you, Jill.”
“Love you too, Soph.” I smiled for the first time all day. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“You’d better.”
After hanging up, I crawled back into bed, my eyes already drooping. The only stroke of luck was that sleep wouldn’t be an issue for once.
****
“We’re nearly done,” the funeral director assured me the following morning as he eyed Mason warily.
Mason was officially in meltdown mode after being remarkably good through the visit to Gran’s retirement home to collect her possessions and over an hour going through details at the funeral home. He’d hit his limit and I wasn’t far behind.
The tomblike environment that reeked of death wasn’t doing much for my frayed nerves.
“Okay.” I nodded readily, holding my squirming, whiny son and hoping like hell I wasn’t screwing up any of the decisions I was making. I was close to falling apart as I rocked Mason, trying to focus on the catalog of flowers in front of me.
When the funeral director’s gaze focused on something behind me, betraying a hint of fear on his otherwise stoic face, I turned, curious.
My gasp echoed through the silence.
Cal.
He was the last person I’d expected to see and if I allowed myself to ponder it, one of the few people I wanted to. His muscular thighs ate up the space between us as he crossed the room, his eyes never leaving mine.
“Wh-what are you doing here?” I asked in confusion as he drew close.
“Your gran died, darlin’. You shouldn’t be alone,” he replied in his deep voice, as though it was perfectly normal that he’d flown out here.
“But… how? How did you know?” I sputtered, feeling completely confused and overwhelmed.
“Babe,” he rumbled. “Let me take Bubs so you can wrap up.”
Before I knew it he was lifting Mason out of my arms. Mason let out a little shriek of delight. Though they hadn’t spent all that much time together, he’d always adored Cal.
