The day of Dennis' funeral cast a funny atmosphere over the entire Square. Katy had been in two minds about whether she should attend, until the morning came and she made up her mind. She took the children to school before returning to the flat and finding something suitable to wear to the ceremony. Ronnie smiled tightly at her, as she saw her entering the kitchen dressed solely in black.
Katy knew that her mother had taken Dennis' death hard. It was a combination of the boy dying so young and the realisation that she could, so easily, be in Sharon's place. Katy had reassured her many times that she was strong, that she was beating the cancer, but it was still difficult for Ronnie to believe.
"Any word from Phil yet?" Katy asked, ignoring the expression on her mother's face.
"Nothing. I've left him messages… I can't believe he's going to miss this. He won't forgive himself if he does."
"He's a big boy, Mum. It's his decision. I think he's being a coward." She broke off as her phone started ringing in her hand. Frowning at the display, she raised it to her ear. "Kathy?"
Ronnie rolled her eyes as her daughter listened, assuming it was something to do with the bar. When Katy let out a sound of disbelief, the older woman sat up straighter, trying to make sense of the one-sided conversation.
"But she can't do that?" Katy was saying, her tone heading towards angry. "I don't care, we've got a right to– When she gets out of this mood she's in, she'll regret that she ever stopped– Fine. Fine, we won't. But she can't stop us being on the Square or in the Vic." Ending the call, Katy shook her head and looked at her mother irritably. "Sharon's banned all Mitchells from the funeral. She doesn't want any of us there."
"She can't do that!"
"She has." Katy replied. "You heard what I said, though. She can't stop us being on the Square to see him off or being in the Vic for the wake."
"No. Your dad's going, though, isn't he? I suppose that's something."
"Yeah… well, the bar and the club are both closed, so we might as well head over to the Vic straight after they leave. There's nothing else to do."
Glancing at the time, Ronnie realised that they'd cut it finer than she'd realised. Hurrying her daughter out into the hallway, they knocked on the door to the downstairs flat and waited impatiently for Glenda and Roxy to join them, passing on Kathy's message. Roxy was just as aggravated by Sharon's decision as they were, but agreed that they should see the hearse off and attend the wake anyway.
The Square was eerily silent as they stepped outside. Everyone they could see was dressed in black. The horse-drawn hearse was stationary outside the Beale's and they could see the coffin inside. Katy reached for her mother's hand, giving it a tight squeeze as they descended the steps and walked slowly over to join Jack and Denise.
Katy almost laughed at the sight of Jay in his undertaker's outfit, but stopped herself, knowing that it was entirely inappropriate. The hearse made its way slowly around the Square and they stood and watched along with everyone else until it rounded a corner and disappeared from sight.
"Vic?" Glenda suggested softly.
They all nodded, following her through the gardens in the direction of the pub. Ronnie and Roxy paused in front of Ben and Callum, each of them squeezing their step-nephew's shoulders in a show of support.
"Can I have a word, Katy?" Ben requested in a broken, gravelly tone.
"Sure." She agreed, a little confused. "I'll catch you up."
As the others made their way slowly towards the Vic, Ben motioned for his boyfriend to give them a moment. Katy watched as Callum moved away to give them some privacy, before tentatively perching beside her cousin on the bench.
"Callum said you gave him some advice."
Katy chuckled. "I tried."
"He said you told him to fight, if he thought I was worth it." Ben told her. Katy looked away for a moment, before shrugging and meeting his gaze again. "Thank you."
"Like I told him, we're family."
"He also said that I should apologise for whatever I did that's pissed you off so spectacularly."
Snorting, Katy smirked. "You're not gonna, though, are ya?"
"Course not."
"It's not like you would even know where to start. Hell, I wouldn't know where you should start."
"Exactly."
"Look… like your Gran told me, Mitchells put each other before anything or anyone else. Maybe you should change that and put Callum first. He's a good one, Ben, and, despite the fact that you are a complete and utter prick, he seems to really love you."
"Yeah…"
"Are you OK?"
"Stupid question. I'm not even allowed to say goodbye to my step-brother."
"I know. I'm sorry." Standing up, Katy smiled softly and punched him lightly on the arm. "We'll be in the Vic if you fancy a drink later."
"Ow… there are better signs of affection than punching me."
"We're not really at the hugging stage, are we?" She pointed out. "But the drink offer still stands."
Leaving him alone in the gardens, passing Callum as she went, Katy made her way to join her family in the pub. They had already commandeered a booth and were making short work of a bottle of wine. Katy rolled her eyes, commenting that they could have at least got her a glass, before leaning against the bar. Tracey produced a wine glass before she could even open her mouth, laughing as Katy announced she was the only person who thought about her.
"So? Was Ben OK?"
"He was… subdued." Katy said thoughtfully. "I think he genuinely misses Dennis."
"I can't believe Sharon banned us all from the poxy funeral." Roxy muttered irritably.
"She's grieving." Ronnie murmured gently. "I can't imagine what she's going through."
"Uhh… James?" Her sister pointed out without thinking. "Danielle?"
"Rox!" Katy blinked at her, before turning nervously to her mother.
Ronnie took a steadying breath. "It's different. Danielle wasn't really my daughter and I barely knew her, anyway. James… I never had the chance to get to know him. Not that… But Sharon had Dennis for thirteen years…"
Reaching out, Katy grasped her mother's hand tightly. "It's OK."
"Sorry, I didn't mean…" Roxy winced, realising that she'd been insensitive.
"It's fine, Rox, I know you didn't." Her sister assured her with a warm smile.
They chatted, almost forgetting why they were there, until people started arriving for the wake. Sharon pointedly ignored them, settling herself at a booth on the other side of the pub, near the buffet. Most people didn't comment on their presence or the fact that they hadn't been at the funeral service, although they did get a few strange looks. Kathy popped over to check they weren't intending to make a scene about being banned earlier and Ronnie assured her that they were there to pay their respects and nothing more.
They fell silent along with everyone else as Sharon started kicking off at Linda before storming out. Katy felt even worse for the landlady, remembering the events of the other day. During the shocked silence that followed the outburst, Roxy muttered that she'd go and collect the kids before darting out of the pub.
"Great… the only day she's ever volunteered to do the school run is the one when the tension in here is uncomfortable." Ronnie muttered, shaking her head.
"Typical Rox." Katy agreed.
Seeing that their latest bottle of wine was empty, she offered to get them another. Tracey motioned that she'd be with her as soon as possible and Katy smiled and nodded in understanding. While she was waiting, she cast her eyes around the room lazily, wondering whether a lot of the regulars had chosen to stay away because of the wake.
"Deaf? Are you deaf?" Katy caught the question, turning and catching Ash's mum sitting with Ben and Callum. "My grandmother was deaf when she wanted to be." As Ben tried to move, she caught his arm. "Just tell your friend I was just saying how sorry I am."
"You can tell him yourself if you want." Callum replied. "You've just got to speak quite clearly."
"Our condolences. Your family are in our prayers."
Katy caught sight of the expression on Ben's face and spoke before she'd really thought about it, unable to suppress the sudden need to deflect unwanted attention away from him. "Yeah? Gotta say that don't really mean anything coming from someone who lied about having cancer."
"Katy…" Callum looked shocked at her words, but Ben's attention snapped to her at once.
"No? Sorry, you're right. I'm being out of order." She apologised sarcastically. The relief that had appeared in her cousin's eyes, now that he wasn't the focus of their attention, spurred her on. "Must be the attitude I acquired in all those months I spent on chemo wards trying not to die and leave my kids motherless. You know what I'm talking about, right?" She pointed at the woman on the seat beside Ben. "Except, oh no, you don't because you lied about it."
The woman made a hasty retreat, allowing Katy to drop into her recently vacated seat with a self-satisfied smirk. She caught the expression of disapproval on Callum's face and rolled her eyes, nudging Ben gently in the ribs.
"I don't think your boyfriend approves."
"It was a bit rude, Katy." Callum pointed out.
"Yeah? Well lying about having cancer is downright despicable. Shirley told me she weren't even ashamed; just pissed off everyone thought she'd done something terrible." Katy retorted angrily.
"She's got a point." Ben agreed lazily, shrugging. "At least Katy got her to go away."
"Ben, look… if people are talking a bit fast–"
"I don't need your help."
Callum shook his head. "No, no. I know. I'm just saying–"
"Am I not allowed to just be sad for Dennis?" Ben snapped.
"Alright, Ben, I'm sorry–"
"I'm not just the poor disabled bloke, you know? Big man… you gonna save me again, are you Callum? Get over yourself."
As he roughly pushed past Katy to get away from his boyfriend, Callum called after him. It was pointless because Ben simply ignored him and carried on. Standing up, Katy moved to collect the bottle of wine that Tracey had placed on the bar for her.
Before she joined her mother and grandmother, she paused. "I tried to tell you… he don't need his hand holding and he ain't gonna thank you for it. Just treat him like you did before he lost his hearing. He ain't changed. It's the way everyone else is treating him that's changed."