Disclaimers : All familiar characters are Janet's mistakes are mine.
Chapter 2
Because Ranger had ordered the food, when Ella showed up I automatically assumed supper would be salad or something healthy, but in this box of heaven was a deep dish all dress, greasy Pizza. I don't think I ever loved him as much as I did right now.
My mom smiled and grabbed a piece while we stood in the kitchen, eating over the pizza box. It just didn't feel right eating at the table tonight; having my father just passing away this morning and Grandma only two years ago. Our lives seem to be have been thrown for a loop recently.
The silence seemed to be deafening with in the house. It was quiet with no TV, no useless chattering, no clanking of the dishes. Instead, there was just me and my mom standing, eating and trying not to cry.
Mary Lou came over that evening and believe it or not I smiled, I laughed and I was forced to reminisce. My mom, Mary Lou and I didn't discuss his passing, and we didn't talk about the future. We were just living in the past and trying to get back what little of the happy feelings we could get.
I made sure that Mary Lou got home safe and, after having woken up in such a rush this morning, I finally felt my energy drained from my body. My mom and I went to the motions of getting ready for bed. And I, at least, fell into a ref restless slumber. The next morning I woke up nice, bright and early, and felt just as tired as I did the night before.
I made my way downstairs to find my mom and Ranger talking over the counter. Ranger had a cup of coffee in his hand and as soon as he saw me he smiled. "Morning, Babe." He offered the mug to me.
I took the coffee from him and smiled up at him. "I know you have meetings all today, this is a Monday. There's no way that Tank going to let you out of this one."
"Actually…" He looked down at me. "Tank told me to not come into the office. He said I have more important things to do rather than sit at the office and pretend to work. I was too worried about you."
My heart swelled a little bit, Ranger just admitted to worrying about me and Tank knew us well enough to know that we need to be together right now. I slipped next to him, put my arm around his waist and continued sipping my coffee. He dropped his arm across my shoulders and hugs me softly. My mom sat on the other side of the island, smiling into her own cup, not having said a word yet.
"Ranger is going to be staying here on the couch for the next little while. He insists, also he insists that Ella brings over the food because he has special dietary requirements." My mom mentioned softly.
I snorted back a laugh. "You mean, you're forcing Ella to bring your tree bark here. Right now, I just want a massive submarine and the greasiest chicken from cluck-in-a-bucket. I don't want to eat salads."
He smiled at me and shook his head. "That stuff will kill you babe, but I'll let it slide for a week. Also, I told Ella to bring over her chocolate cake." He kissed my temple only in this head of mine.
This morning I felt a little better than yesterday but I had to force to keep tears in when I looked to my father's chair. That morning was filled with me calling the Funeral Home and getting paperwork signed for the body to be picked up. Mom and I went while Ranger worked on his laptop at home.
My father had left very strict instructions he wanted to be cremated, he did not want a viewing, and he didn't want a ceremony. He wanted just the family to be in attendance and he wanted to be buried in the plum family plot. Two years ago my mother would have said "oh but that would be a disgrace. We need to have a viewing we need to have the big ceremony" but now she's calmed down and went along with my dad wanted.
We got back to the house and my mother went to my father sick room. She just started taking everything apart. She moved things, made phone calls and made sure that everything would be out of the house. She turned to me and stated simply "Certain things just make me sick and make my heart hurt and the sick room is one of them. I'm going to get rid of everything that hurts and just keep it all of the things of his that make me smile."
I hugged her tightly. "I understand, but you're not getting rid of his chair." She hugged back and we had that rare moment. I looked up to see Ranger and smiled. I knew that I was going to be ok.
