Once Upon a Graveyard

Daniel wiped at his eyes, trying to tell himself this wasn't real. How could Alex truly be…gone? He had told his parents he wanted to stay behind and privately say a "final goodbye" to his big brother. Losing her eldest son would unfortunately likely be the final push off the wagon for the strong matriarch. He himself planned to stop at a local bar to toast in his late brother's honor.

As he slowly made his way from the grave site back to his family town car he noticed a young woman who seemed to be having a conversation with the headstone in front of her, talking animatedly. He smiled for the first time in over a week since he first received the dreadful news that he had become an only child.

He watched the girl from a good distance for several minutes, finding himself mesmerized by her for some reason that he didn't quite understand. She was far enough away that he could tell she had some serious curves, and she appeared pretty, but she certainly wasn't glamorous.

She was wearing a plain black dress and a blue puffy coat that made him smile again at its absurdity. Not that he was any fashionista himself, but her bright red butterfly belt was hard to miss, as well as her red glasses.

But he couldn't stop staring at her flashing smile. It was as if she was so excited to be sharing something special with her deceased loved one that she could barely restrain herself from showing off her gorgeous smile.

After several minutes, he saw his family driver step out of the car and nodded to him, holding up his index finger that he would just be a minute. It was totally nuts, he knew but there was just something about this girl that made him feel as if he couldn't leave without finding out who she was. Not exactly a hot spot to meet women, but…he somehow felt as if he already knew her.

He just prayed that she didn't know him from his crappy press for the past several years, ever since he got back from Europe after graduation!

As he carefully stepped through the immense cemetery he lost sight of the young woman for a moment, then had to take a step back when she stood back up quickly after apparently adjusting the flowers she had placed on the grave then ran right into him, losing her balance and tumbling to the ground. "Oof!"

Daniel reached out his hand to help her up, "Are you alright? Sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!"

She looked up, adjusting her glasses as her eyes widened at the sight of someone else walking in the cemetery since it was late in the afternoon, but she tried not to panic. The man was well-dressed and certainly handsome, but hey, so was Ted Bundy! She felt in her purse for the whistle her father had given her.

He realized his presence was upsetting the girl and stepped back once he saw she was upright, and offered his hand again to shake hers, "I'm so sorry to intrude, Miss. I really don't mean to scare you, I promise.

I…well, I actually just came from my brother's memorial service and to be honest, I'm kind of…lonely. I saw you as I was leaving and you looked so…happy! I guess I was just wondering…how you do that?"

She smiled again, and reached into her huge purse, pulling out a small package of tissues and handed them to him, after shaking his hand firmly and then wiping hers quickly on her dress, embarrassed at how sweaty her palms were. What was wrong with her? This poor guy had just buried his brother!

She shrugged, then nodded and smiled again but led him to the front of her mother's headstone to show him the dates, "Today would have been my mami's fiftieth birthday. Plus, I wanted to show her that I just got my braces off. It's been a year since she…died. But I always try to talk to her as if she was still here. I'm so sorry about your brother, by the way. Was he younger or older than you?"

"Older. Alex…was almost five years older than me. I honestly still can't wrap my head around the fact that he's really never coming back. It's so…unreal, you know? If you don't mind…how…I mean…what happened with your mom?"

"Cancer. Your brother?"

He shook his head, knowing how crazy it sounded out loud, "He jumped out of a helicopter, skiing on Mt. Juneau. Alex found chairlifts…tedious!"

The girl was clearly trying to stifle a slight smile at that, but Daniel rolled his eyes, "If it wasn't a risk, Alex wasn't into it! I guess…at least he died how he lived!"

The girl nodded as they began walking slowly down to the gravel road, "That's true. He was doing something he loved. I'm…Betty, by the way."

Daniel was relieved that this girl obviously had no idea who the hell he was. He smiled at her, "Sorry, Betty! Where are my manners today? I'm Danny."

As they reached the car and his driver stepped out, ready to come and open the door for him, he merely shook his head at the man and looked up at the darkening sky, "Would you like a ride, Betty? Unless you're waiting for someone? Where are you headed?"

She smiled at Daniel and his driver, then laughed as it began to pour down and nodded, yelling slightly over the sound of the rain, "YES, please! Thank you so much, Danny! I lost track of time and forgot my umbrella!"

He helped her into the back seat and quickly climbed in after her, stopping to stare into her eyes as he helped her find the seat belt. Touching her hand and looking into her eyes made his heart race. He gulped, seeing her react to the touch as if it had also affected her.

"Listen, Betty…I think I need to come clean here. I'm not really…well, I am Daniel, actually. Danny is…what my brother always called me. Just to annoy me because he knew I preferred Daniel. And it's…Daniel…Meade."

She smiled and nodded, "That's okay. I understand. You just wanted to be reminded of your brother in some way today. But I can call you Daniel if that's what you prefer. I'm Betty Suarez. Wait, did you say Daniel Meade? You aren't related to someone at Meade Publications, are you?"

Crap! Of course she had heard of him! So much for anonymity! "Actually…I am. My father owns the company. And Alex was…well, his "golden child". My dad was grooming his oldest son to take over the family business. I'm just sort of the 'spare heir'."

She seemed excited about his family but still unaware of his regular exploits that made it to Page Six, "Oh really? That's so cool! I made a magazine for my mami when she was getting chemo and I'm a senior at Queen's College right now. My major is journalism. I LOVE magazines! They really take you out of your life and you can learn about so many amazing things! Like…"

"So, wait. You know…my father's company. You've heard of Meade Publications…"

She rolled her eyes, "Of course! Hasn't everybody? You're so lucky! Well, I mean…not about your brother of course!"

"But you've never…heard about…me?"

She actually seemed embarrassed NOT to know who he was, "No, I'm sorry! Should I have? I've read all about your father and Meade Publications. But are you…a model or something? You're not an actor, are you? Do you work at one of your family's magazines?"

He smiled, shaking his head, "No. Well, not yet. I did work with my brother at Hudson for a few summers as sort of an intern. I've met a lot of the people at some of the other magazines, like Mode and Player. To be honest, after I graduated from college I took a few years off to travel and I haven't really decided where I want to work yet. What about you? Are you still in school?"

She nodded, "I'm graduating early, cuma sum laude from Queens College with a major in journalism and a minor in International Studies. This is my senior year and I'm getting ready to leave for Rome in a few weeks. I got a scholarship to travel abroad my last semester. My…um…mami had some wealthy relatives in Mexico who sent my papi an insurance pollicy that we used to pay off her medical bills and for my braces, and to help my sister with…Justin…her little boy."

Daniel felt his heart drop. She was leaving New York in only a few weeks? Why did that bother him so much? After all, he just met the girl! Most of his "relationships" if you could call them that only lasted that long anyway, many only one night, in fact. But he knew he wanted to know everything about her.

"I take it your sister is older than you? And you live with her and your nephew and father?"

She giggled slightly, "Very good, Sherlock Holmes! Are you a reporter?"

"Sorry! I just…well, I guess I was thinking I wanted to show you that I was really listening to you for one thing, not just gazing into your eyes or something, thinking how pretty your smile was, especially if you're leaving New York so soon, I'd better get to know all about you before you leave!"

She rolled her eyes, shoving his arm good-naturedly, teasing him for 'hitting on her', "Oh, I see, you think you're some kind of player! Wait, didn't you say that was one of the magazines you worked at or…knew people at? I thought I knew all the magazines at your family's company but to be honest I don't remember reading about the ones you mentioned. There's really a magazine called Player?" she laughed again, "No wonder you worked there!"

"YES! I swear, that's what it's called! And I was not…very funny, lady! Well, okay, maybe I was… hitting on you a little. And I realize I did that at…a graveyard after my brother's funeral while you were visiting your mother's grave no less! But hey, it's close to Halloween, and…you've given me a pretty short deadline to be charming, telling me you're leaving the country so soon, so…what's a boy to do, huh, Miss Suarez?"

He grinned, leaning his arm casually above her, "By the way, I don't suppose you'd care to join me for a drink in Alex's honor?" Great! Now he was using his brother's death to pick up women? Well, honestly, he really did NOT want to be alone tonight!

This girl seemed to understand. She placed her hand on his, looking into his eyes deeply, "I do get it, Daniel. You just lost someone close to you. Right after my mom…I didn't want to be alone, either! I understand. Yes, I'd be honored to join you…but how about dinner? I'm really hungry!"

He laughed, thinking it was nice to actually find a reason to laugh today. "No problem-o! Dinner sounds great, Betty!"