Chapter 18: Strangers and Obligations
As Luke walked away from Rachel's grave, he looked down at Regina walking beside him, clinging to his arm. She had latched onto him the moment he had arrived at her mother's house that morning and had hardly left his side since.
Luke was glad to be able to provide Regina some measure of comfort, but he wondered where his responsibility ended. But even if he had exceeded his obligations, he couldn't abandon Regina when she needed him. It wasn't in his nature and he thought it was the least he could do for Rachel.
As they walked towards the limo a cab drove up and parked nearby. He saw some movement inside which he assumed was the passenger paying the driver, then the door opened and a tall black woman wearing a black dress got out. The woman looked their way, waved and called out, "Regina!"
"Colleen!" Regina called back as she released Luke's arm. The two women ran towards each other as well as their heels allowed and embraced.
Luke approached the women and as he neared the women had separated and Luke could here Colleen saying, "…earlier, but I got bumped from my first flight out of LAX yesterday. I got on a later flight but it got delayed by bad weather somewhere over Nebraska on the way to O'Hare, so I missed my connection. Then this morning my 7:20 flight to Dayton didn't get off the ground till 11:50 because of mechanical problems. Of course I lost an hour between Chicago an here because of the time zones. So as soon as I landed, I changed at the airport and grabbed a cab straight here and that was only because I used my cell to call the funeral home to find out what cemetery. I am so sorry I'm late."
Regina laughed at Colleen's story, then said, "That's okay, I'm glad you came."
The women embraced again and Colleen said, "I just want you to know that I am so sorry about Rachel. I can't tell you how upset I was when I heard the news."
Now that he was close enough, Luke could see that Colleen was very attractive and about Rachel's age. He knew the name from somewhere, but couldn't place it.
As the women separated again, Regina said, "Thanks, Col." The women wiped tears from their eyes, then Regina grabbed Colleen's hand, and as they started walking towards, Luke said, "Colleen, I want you to meet Rachel's boyfriend, Luke Danes. Luke, this is Colleen Evans, she was Rachel's college roommate, and longtime friend."
The connection made, Luke held out his hand and said, "Yeah, I remember Rachel talking about you."
"Hi Luke," Colleen said. She ignored Luke's hand and wrapped her arms around him saying, "I am so sorry for your loss."
Caught off guard, Luke hesitated a moment, then returned the embrace. Not quite sure what to say, he settled on, "Thanks."
Once she stepped back, Colleen said, "Rachel used to say the nicest things about you when ever we talked."
"Thanks."
The trio stood quietly for a moment. "Colleen, I'm sorry you couldn't get here in time for the service, but would you like to go up?" Regina asked, pointing at the grave where people were still milling about, packing up chairs and flowers.
Colleen looked in the direction Regina pointed. She stood silently for a moment then nodded.
Regina smiled, looked at Luke and said, "You don't mind, Luke, do you?"
Both women looked at Luke who, could only reply, "No, not at all."
"Thanks," Regina said as she clapped onto his arm again, and turned him back towards the grave.
Colleen surprised Luke when she took his other arm. As the neared the gravesite, still covered by the awning, Regina said, "Colleen, Luke and I are getting together at his hotel tonight for dinner and drinks. Would you like to join us?"
Since this was the first that Luke had heard of this plan, he looked at Regina in surprise. Rachel's sister just smiled at him. He turned to look at Colleen when she replied, "Sure, if Luke doesn't mind."
Unable to think of anything else to say, Luke answered. "No, I don't mind. We'd love for you to join us."
"Great," Regina said, but Luke couldn't help but think it was anything but.
As Luke walked away from Rachel's grave, he looked down at Regina walking beside him, clinging to his arm. She had latched onto him the moment he had arrived at her mother's house that morning and had hardly left his side since.
Luke was glad to be able to provide Regina some measure of comfort, but he wondered where his responsibility ended. But even if he had exceeded his obligations, he couldn't abandon Regina when she needed him. It wasn't in his nature and he thought it was the least he could do for Rachel.
As they walked towards the limo a cab drove up and parked nearby. He saw some movement inside which he assumed was the passenger paying the driver, then the door opened and a tall black woman wearing a black dress got out. The woman looked their way, waved and called out, "Regina!"
"Colleen!" Regina called back as she released Luke's arm. The two women ran towards each other as well as their heels allowed and embraced.
Luke approached the women and as he neared the women had separated and Luke could here Colleen saying, "…earlier, but I got bumped from my first flight out of LAX yesterday. I got on a later flight but it got delayed by bad weather somewhere over Nebraska on the way to O'Hare, so I missed my connection. Then this morning my 7:20 flight to Dayton didn't get off the ground till 11:50 because of mechanical problems. Of course I lost an hour between Chicago an here because of the time zones. So as soon as I landed, I changed at the airport and grabbed a cab straight here and that was only because I used my cell to call the funeral home to find out what cemetery. I am so sorry I'm late."
Regina laughed at Colleen's story, then said, "That's okay, I'm glad you came."
The women embraced again and Colleen said, "I just want you to know that I am so sorry about Rachel. I can't tell you how upset I was when I heard the news."
Now that he was close enough, Luke could see that Colleen was very attractive and about Rachel's age. He knew the name from somewhere, but couldn't place it.
As the women separated again, Regina said, "Thanks, Col." The women wiped tears from their eyes, then Regina grabbed Colleen's hand, and as they started walking towards, Luke said, "Colleen, I want you to meet Rachel's boyfriend, Luke Danes. Luke, this is Colleen Evans, she was Rachel's college roommate, and longtime friend."
The connection made, Luke held out his hand and said, "Yeah, I remember Rachel talking about you."
"Hi Luke," Colleen said. She ignored Luke's hand and wrapped her arms around him saying, "I am so sorry for your loss."
Caught off guard, Luke hesitated a moment, then returned the embrace. Not quite sure what to say, he settled on, "Thanks."
Once she stepped back, Colleen said, "Rachel used to say the nicest things about you when ever we talked."
"Thanks."
The trio stood quietly for a moment. "Colleen, I'm sorry you couldn't get here in time for the service, but would you like to go up?" Regina asked, pointing at the grave where people were still milling about, packing up chairs and flowers.
Colleen looked in the direction Regina pointed. She stood silently for a moment then nodded.
Regina smiled, looked at Luke and said, "You don't mind, Luke, do you?"
Both women looked at Luke who, could only reply, "No, not at all."
"Thanks," Regina said as she clapped onto his arm again, and turned him back towards the grave.
Colleen surprised Luke when she took his other arm. As the neared the gravesite, still covered by the awning, Regina said, "Colleen, Luke and I are getting together at his hotel tonight for dinner and drinks. Would you like to join us?"
Since this was the first that Luke had heard of this plan, he looked at Regina in surprise. Rachel's sister just smiled at him. He turned to look at Colleen when she replied, "Sure, if Luke doesn't mind."
Unable to think of anything else to say, Luke answered. "No, I don't mind. We'd love for you to join us."
"Great," Regina said, but Luke couldn't help but think it was anything but.