Chapter Four

Immediately the next day, Vivian made her way to the address printed on the back of the card. The door was open, but there was no one inside. Surely this was a joke. Then again, the sign in the front said the shop wasn't in business for another half an hour.

"Hello?" she asked into the open air, walking into the front room. Upon the desk, there sat a note, which out of her own curiosity she read for herself.

Vivian,

I suspected you would find this. Naughty naughty, reading that which may not be yours. Luckily for you, this is. If you so choose, please study the manual in the lower left drawer. This shop is set to open today, and my arrival will be slightly delayed. I shall pay for your services once I return.

Lo-

Signed,

Undertaker

What the hell?! He expected her to run the shop on its opening day? She didn't even know what to say to people when they walked in! Her hands reached for the manuel and she opened it to the contents, wishing she had arrived much sooner than this, despite the fact that this was not her responsibility in the first place.

Well, if he was offering to pay her, she supposed it couldn't be too bad, right?

Her eyes were glued to the manuel as she read about the services offered in the shop as well as a list of inventory. There was also a guest check and a large pad of paper for taking out orders. However, the phone contained no references. There was no one else to call for any of the coffins to have them shipped over. This was most strange to her, but Vivian just kept her mind on learning the qualities and marking pages in the reference book. Obviously, she would have to explain she was a last minute recruit for the shop and the owner was only out briefly for the day.

Of course, Vivian did not know when exactly Undertaker would return. He only said he was "slightly delayed." Within the half an hour, Vivian had familiarized herself with the organization system Undertaker had set up (which was all right for the time being, admittedly), she knew what was in the inventory and mostly what each coffin could offer. The prices were marked in the manuel and there were a few prices marked on the special coffins near the back of the shop.

Taking a deep breath, she looked at the clock as the shop became officially open for business. Until someone showed up at the door, Vivian stared into the book, hoping to familiarize herself at the very least briefly with the content. The manuel itself was thick, and she knew it was not meant to be learned in one day.

The bell sound surprised her as a man walked in.

"Good morning, Sir," she greeted. "What I can do for you?"

"I need a coffin big enough for two," he said. Vivian recognized him as a priest, possibly from one of the churches around the block. "Their service is being held next week."

"All right," Vivian said. "We've got a few options in the store..." she showed him the ones in the store, saying they could be customized. She also mentioned the store would also prep bodies and throw in a free set of flowers meant for beside the grave.

The priest looked around for a while as Vivian read the manuel, giving him a listing of the prices in case he wanted to take a copy.

"I think this one will do," he said, choosing a large coffin made of the finest oak, and as long as he was willing to the pay the price, Vivian didn't mind at all.

"I will bring the bodies in tomorrow," the priest said, leaving his name, the names of the deceased, and the church phone number in her hands. "I trust they will be delivered within the week?"

"Of course," Vivian said, taking that note down as well. He paid for his selection, taking it with him in the carriage he'd taken, observing the shop on his way out. She thanked him for his business and sighed with relief as the shop door closed.

For the rest of the afternoon, there was hardly anyone. A few came by to look, but there were no more sales for the afternoon. Vivian felt responsible, but slightly annoyed that the responsibility just fell to her because Undertaker knew she would show up. It was already the afternoon! The shop would close in a matter of hours. Vivian was hungry, but there was nothing she could do. She couldn't just leave the shop unattended!

Where the hell was he? He better be making a trip to hell and back if she was stuck running a shop all day. Every time the bell rang, her head jerked up, hoping it was Undertaker.

"I apologize," Vivian said when someone asked for her manager. "I'm only part time, and the owner is out. I can take a name and number and have him call you..." She only handed him a card, and upon his leave, he gave her a cold stare. She paid no mind, reading her manuel once more, now out of boredom.

The shop's closing for the day meant she locked the doors with the spare key she found lying on the desk. She kept it with her in the safest place she could think of...between her average sized breasts.

She was pissed! Undertaker was not "slightly delayed," he was out the entire day. Since there hadn't been a word between them, Vivian figured to just leave and show up to the shop tomorrow, in case he was "slightly delayed" again. It was better than what she'd been doing most days anyway.