CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
(chapter title – For Good)
Exactly ten minutes later, Adam arrived. Joanne left him instructions about caring for Ethan before heading out the door to the morgue.
"I'm scared." Lizzy confessed as she and Nicki climbed in the backseat.
"Oh, honey. It'll be okay." Joanne tried to soothe the girls, feeling exactly like how Lizzy was feeling – scared.
"Uncle Mark and Aunt Maureen are meeting us there, right?" Nicki asked.
"I don't know, Nicki." Joanne told her, driving to the morgue. Both Lizzy and Nicki fought back tears as Joanne drove to the morgue in silence.
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Ten minutes later, the three of them reached the morgue and parked next to the Cohen's navy blue Ford Explorer. Joanne could see Benny's car – a red Ferrari – parked a couple spaces away.
"There they are." Mark said as Joanne, Nicki and Lizzy walked into the morgue. After brief condolences and hugs, a woman with curly red hair and bright green eyes walked toward the group. She was wearing a black three piece suit and black high heels.
"Hello. I'm Angela. First of all, I just want to say how sorry I am that your friend was killed. Second, a few rules – one: don't touch anything. Two: no food or drink back there. Three: no loud noises. Four: stay together. Please follow me." Angela told them. The group followed her and talked quietly amongst themselves.
They reached a back room a few minutes later. There was a body bag lying in a drawer in front of them. Angela put on a pair of latex gloves and opened the body bag. Joanne felt tears well up in her eyes as more and more of Justine's body was exposed. She then handed everyone a pair of latex gloves and told them to put them on.
"I will give you twenty minutes alone with her and then she needs to back in." Angela said, turning on her heel and walked out the door.
"I can't believe this is her." Joanne whispered. Mark put an arm around her shoulders and gently squeezed them. Maureen rested her head on Joanne's shoulder and looked down at Justine's body.
Justine was covered in cuts – her face, her neck – everywhere. Joanne could see bruises from where the seatbelt had choked her.
"Why was she taken from me?" Joanne whispered, tears coming to her eyes.
"Somebody must've decided it was her time – like they did with Angel, Mimi, Collins and Roger." Mark answered, his voice quivering.
"Pookie, it'll be okay." Maureen piped up. Joanne looked over at the other woman and smiled sadly.
"If you guys don't mind, could I have a few minutes alone with Justine?" Joanne inquired. Everyone nodded and exited the room, Benny closed the door behind him.
"Well, Justine. I just came to say-" Joanne couldn't say it.
"Justine, I'm trying to be strong for the both of us, but I can't." Joanne stroked Justine's cheek and stared at her for the longest time – taking everything in.
I'm limited
Just look at me
I'm limited
And just look at you
You can do all I couldn't do
Glinda
So now it's up to you
For the both of us
Now it's up to you
"Five more minutes." Angela told Joanne. Joanne nodded and turned her gaze back to Justine. She wanted to be with her for as long as she could.
I've heard it said
That people come into our lives
For a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led to those
Who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well I don't if I believe that's true
But I know who I am today
Because I knew you
Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better
But because I knew you
I have been changed
For good
"I'm sorry Ms. Jefferson, but I need to put her back now." Angela told Joanne, making her jump.
"May I have two more minutes alone with her?" Joanne asked, tears running down her cheeks.
"I guess." Angela answered, walking out the door.
It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend
Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind of the sea
Like a seed dropped by a skybird
In a distant wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better
But because I knew you
Because I knew you
I have been changed for good
"Okay. Have all the goodbyes been said?" Angela asked exactly two minutes later. Joanne nodded and wiped the tears out of her eyes as the others came back into the room.
"Bye Justine. We love you." Everyone whispered as Angela zipped the body bag back up and slid the drawer back in place. As they exited the room, Angela collected the latex gloves and showed everyone where to wash their hands.
And just to clear the air
I ask forgiveness
For the things I've done
You blamed me for
Well I guess there's blame to share
And none of it seems to matter anymore
Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Like a ship blown from its mooring Who can say if I've been changed
By a wind of the sea
Like a seed dropped by a bird in the wood
For the better
I do believe I have been changed
For the better
"I'm gonna miss her so much." Joanne told Alison as they washed their hands.
"So am I. She was such a sweetheart." Alison said, looking down at the sink. She hadn't told anyone that she and Justine used to date, fearing of what might happen to the relationship she had with everyone.
"Do you think she's happy – wherever she is?" Joanne inquired. Alison nodded and dried her hands with a paper towel.
"I'm sure she is, Jo." Alison told her as the two of them headed to the main area where the others were waiting for them.
And because I knew you
Because I knew you
Because I knew you
I have been changed
For good