Hey, the new year is here! I wish you all a very happy, pleasurable year to be the one for the memories! 3
Chapter 6
Jenna was on her third glass of iced coffee when her exhausted best friend walked through the plaza and dropped on the empty chair across from her with a sigh. The dog had been dropped in the third chair and immediately fell asleep.
"How much did you two walk?"
"Entirely too much"
Bella groaned. When the blond teenage boy came to get her order she didn't even open her eyes as she replied.
"Anything as long as it's icy cold and comes in an IV form"
"She'll have coffee and a croissant, Matt. For that matter bring me one too?"
Jenna said to the teen's laughter
"Coffee or croissant?"
"Both"
Matt's laughter got harder. Bella poked her tongue out at her friend and stretched leaning her head at the back of her chair.
"You're out of the house. How did it go?"
Jenna sighed.
"How do you think it went?"
She rubbed her eyes
"Jeremy locked himself in his room, while Elena claimed the couch and the tissues. I love them both but I had to get out or we'd all be crying and I have a double funeral to set up unfortunately."
Opening her eyes Bella saw the tell tale redness in Jenna's. She reached past her friend's coffee and squeezed her hand
"Do you need me to do anything?"
"Come with me to the funeral parlor? Miranda and Gray left directions and I really want to get it over with and then get wasted"
Bella shuddered. She hated funeral parlors. Then she nodded with enough of a whine in her tone to tease a smile out of her friend
"Let me get caffeinated first?"
Jenna's smile was wide and honest. Their coffees and food arrived (along with a metallic bowl filled with water for Barkley) and they ate with gusto. Then Bella picked up the still dog that had woken up long enough to drink half the bowl and then went back to his favorite activity, sleep, and, gratefully, slid into the passenger seat of the Gilbert family suv.
"I wasn't sure where you keep your car keys and Grey never minded lending me their car."
"You liked him?"
"Yeah, he was a bore but exciting enough to rouse Miranda out of her everyday 'founder family bride' stuff. She loved that stuff"
She sniffled. Bella frowned
"Founder family bride?"
The sniffle turned into a snort
"Gray's ancestors come from the number of the original families that founded Mystic Falls. All of them now have some important civil business. Grey was the town doctor, Liz married into the Forbes family and was guided to be sheriff when her father in law passed, the Fells are in the media, a Lockwood is the mayor and lawyer.."
"Wait, as in 'woof woof' Mason Lockwood?"
Jenna laughed
"Only thing Mason holds a court over are the waves, but yeah, those Lockwoods. His brother Richard and sister in law hold the ruling chair in all such committees. "
Then she frowned
"I'm forgetting someone... The Salvatore's! I have no idea what they do, however"
"Sounds to me, the founders are in charge of everything important around here"
"They are"
Bella's mouth quirked when Jenna pulled in front of the funeral house. A modest two story building.
"Here goes..."
- - - Memories of a Past and a Future - - -
The next day dawned rainy and cold. It was the picture perfect funeral day, Bella mused internally. Jenna had been awake since the previous night getting wasted and covering it up with makeup. Elena had been locked in her room with two more teenage girls and a guy being their gopher. Jeremy was in his room and if the eye watering stench coming from it was any indication, he spent the night getting higher than a kite.
"This is not going to be a good day"
She whispered to herself and spiked all coffees with enough scotch to make sure none of the remaining Gilbert-Sommers would remember anything.
"Please tell me it's spiked"
Jenna groaned sitting on the breakfast table.
"Any spikier and it'd need crutches to walk"
"I love you"
Bella snorted.
"I love you too. Now drink your coffee. You need to appear strong enough for them."
She pointed at the ceiling. Jenna groaned and added some more alcohol in her mug.
"Today. is. going. to. suck."