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CHAPTER 31
The morning of thefuneral, Katrina was dealing with the worst anxiety yet. She’d promised her mother she would go, as had Justin and Judith, though Katrina wasn’t going to the graveside ceremony. She figured it would be safer if she drove herself anyway. After the altercation at her former place of work, Katrina had no idea how Emily would react to her presence.
“Breathe,” she told herself as she took one last look in the mirror. She was dressed appropriately, in black slacks and a black sleeveless top. She could cover her arms, but with the temperatures soaring, she figured this would do.
She was about to go to Emmett Torrence’s funeral.
The funeral of a man who’d had at least some sort of role in what had transpired with Lorenzo.
She was about to come face to face with Emily after telling her to go to hell.
Worst of all, she was likely to see the child that should have been hers.
“I can do this,” she said. “I can do this.”
She would have her parents there, plus Justin and Judith. It wasn’t as if she was going into the lion’s den alone. Besides, it was likely to be standing room only. Emmett Torrence’s reach had been wide in the community.
After receiving a text from Justin letting her know they were on their way, Katrina grabbed her keys, phone, and purse. “If I was still a smoker, I’d be lighting up now,” she muttered.
The drive to the funeral home wasn’t more than 15 minutes, but the traffic going in was immense. Once up to the young man with a purple ribbon around his sleeve, she let him know she would not be going to the graveside service.
“To the right,” he said, and she maneuvered her car into the first open spot she could find. One last look in her rearview mirror, and she exited the car, her heels clicking on the pavement as she walked towards the crowded entrance. There was no missing Judith’s shock of red hair in the sea of mourners, and Katrina took in one last shaky breath before approaching them.
“Hey,” she said, and Justin turned at the sound of her voice.
“He’s still mad that you and Cade beat us at Cards Against Humanity,” Judith piped up, and Katrina almost smiled.
“Get over it.”
“I demand a rematch after all this is done.”
“We still have the grand opening tomorrow,” Katrina reminded him.
“Relax, everything is ready,” Judith said. “They’re installing the soundboard today.”
“Good,” Katrina commented. “Good.” That meant Lorenzo was busy, and with him being busy he was less likely to show up here.
Because that wouldn’t be good, at all.
“Mom and Dad said they’d try to save us seats,” Justin said, “but I don’t know. We should probably head in, though.”
The three of them followed the rest of the crowd into the larger room in the funeral home, where Emmett’s body lay with Emily sobbing inconsolably beside it.
“Should we go up?” Judith asked in a whisper, and Katrina shook her head.
“You can. I’m going to find Mom and Dad.”
Now was not the time for her to be anywhere near Emily.
Katrina scanned the room looking for her parents, and failing to find them, she walked into the next room where a tribute video was playing. Many people were mingling in there, some watching the video, others talking amongst themselves, the volume so loud that the music accompanying the video was drowned out.
And that’s when she saw her.
Miranda.
The little girl with Lorenzo’s features, her brown eyes focused on the television, her face in a slight scowl.
Katrina’s stomach gave a sickening lurch and she exited the room, looking for the nearest washroom, hurrying as fast as she could.
