"I wish I had no heart, it aches so…"
~ Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
The Sad Goodbye
It seemed that the whole town of Llanview had shown up for Dorian Lord's funeral. Reverend Andrew Carpenter was at the podium. He was speaking of Dorian and all she had meant to so many. Andrew's wife, Cassie was quietly crying as Blair sat on the bench nearby, comforted in Patrick's strong arms. So many tears fell. It was such a sad day.
After the last words were said and Blair sang a beautiful melody in honor of her aunt, many friends walked forward to greet the family and say their last farewells to Dorian. Marty followed the crowd toward the front, holding her beautiful baby girl in her arms. Baby Gracie was wearing a white gown adored with ribbons and lace. Her blue eyes were bright and lively as Marty neared the casket by which Andrew, Cassie, Blair and the rest of the family were standing.
"Marty, I can't believe you'd show up here!" Blair said, her eyes bright red from so much crying. "You've slept with every man here at my aunt's funeral!"
A gasp went out over the crowd at Blair's brazen words. They were very harsh, even for Blair.
"You had Todd... and Victor... as well as John and Patrick," said Blair, her voice rising. "Hell, you even tried to seduce my cousin Cassie's husband, the reverend! I wanna know, Marty, who here haven't you FUCKED?!"
"Blair, that's enough," said Andrew, his voice gruff. "Now is not the time... or the place-."
"I don't want her here... her or that- that baby." She said 'baby' as if little Gracie was nothing but a dreaded curse. She was glaring at the infant in Marty's arms as if Gracie was the child born of the devil.
"Blair..." John spoke up. He was only a few feet behind Marty. He was doing his best to calm Blair, but failing miserably.
Marty wanted to scream at Blair and defend herself, but Andrew had a point. This was Dorian's funeral. Blair had just lost her aunt. Clearly she was distraught, but there was more. So much more. Blair was shooting Marty hateful looks as if she wanted to kill her. All Marty could do was quietly excuse herself as she didn't want to make a huge scene at Dorian's funeral, especially since there were children present such as Blair's young son, Sam.
Marty didn't know it, but the murderer was at the funeral and he had seen the entire incident. He had heard the awful comments Blair made to Marty and he was furious. He knew that Blair must pay for her words. She must pay a steep price for hurting and humiliating Marty. He knew just how to get his revenge. Someone must DIE!
As Marty was walking out of the church, carrying sweet little Gracie, a tiny hand tugged at the sleeve of her dress. "Hi, Marty," said a child's voice.
Marty looked down, seeing Blair and Victor's son looking up at her with wide-eyed innocence. He was such an adorable little boy. Despite how upset she was from Blair's humiliating words, Marty couldn't help but smile at precious, little Sam.
"Hi, Sam," she said. "I am so sorry about your Aunt Dorian. I know how much you loved her."
"I did," Sam replied. "It's so sad that she's dead... and somebody killed her."
The little boy hung his head as he tried not to cry. Marty knelt down, wrapping her free arm around the child. She was trying to comfort little Sam who was struggling to contain his tears.
"I'll miss her," Sam said, but his eyes were on little Gracie. In that moment, a tear ran down the boy's face.
"I wish she was my sister," he quietly said.
As Marty stood up, she was thinking about what Sam had whispered. As she left the church yard, those words echoed in her head for a long time.
She reached her car and placed baby Gracie into her car seat. After she started her car and pulled out of the parking lot, she saw a man standing by the edge of the cemetery. She recognized him as the hooded figure, the father of her child.
He was watching her.
Stay tuned for the next chapter : Another Murder
