The usher nodded and turned to continue seating people.
It would just be another couple minutes before the service began. Kevin kept looking toward the back of the church. Where was his twin? He worried about Keith, knowing how horrible it would be if his brother missed their grandfather’s funeral.
Where was he?
Finally, just before the service would start, as the organist was finishing up the last verse of the hymn, there was a flurry at the doorway. It was Keith. Finally, and at last.
Looking assured and unhurried, Keith walked in as if he owned the church. Turned out like he had stepped off the pages of GQ, he moved with the assurance that probably did quite well when dealing with corporate clients. Looking neither to the right or left, he walked up to the front of the church and leaned over to kiss his mother. Shaking hands with his father, the stockbroker straightened up and surveyed the church as if he was taking note of who was there and who was not. Finally, he sat down next to his father and murmured under his breath.
It was as if the minister had been waiting for his entrance. The organist completed the hymn, and the minister walked in. Stepping into the middle of the raised dais, the serious-looking cleric gazed out at his packed church and began the funeral service.
For the rest of his life, Kevin would be unable to remember the exact details of the funeral service. He remembered sitting there with his mother, holding her hand and with an arm around her back. He was even asked to say a few words about his grandfather, and he got up in front of the church with no notes, speaking from his heart.
Coming back to the pew, he found his mother in silent and constant tears and his father with his eyes closed. A nod of appreciation from his brother told him that he had at least been coherent. The rest of the service was a total blur.
Exiting from the church was an exercise in self-control for Kevin. His mother was sobbing, and his father was numb. His brother had disappeared, and Kevin had his hands full with trying to organize everything while comforting his parents. There was no time for grief right now, so Kevin ruthlessly squashed it down and endured. There would be time to grieve later.
Arrangements had been made to get everyone to the graveside service if they chose to go. Kevin had even gotten some special-assistance vehicles for the frailer nursing home attendees. It had been very messy to organize, but he had managed at the last minute to find enough to transport everyone.
There was an ache in his heart and a tension headache trying to slam his eyes shut, but he soldiered on.
Chapter 4
The graveside service had been difficult for the family. The day was sunny and mild, the sort of fall day that is all too rare. The beauty of the day and the warmth of the sunlight somehow seemed wrong. How could it be such a gorgeous sky and pleasant weather when his grandfather was gone. Kevin’s feelings were spinning around and around.
He had been so busy trying to make sure that everybody got to the grave and had seating that he never noticed when his brother reappeared. Keith stayed close to their parents, comforting them as best he could. When they had both broken down as the casket was lowered into the grave, Kevin had held onto his mother while Keith placed a large hand on his father’s shoulder.
When had they gotten so old, so small? Even through the miasma of grief, Kevin was numbly astonished. He had asked his brother if he noticed how much more gray there was in their parent's hair and their increasing frailty. Keith had brushed it off, saying that it wasn’t that bad and that Kevin was just letting the grief talk.
Everyone from the graveside service had been invited back to the house for the funeral meal. Those that hadn’t managed to make the ceremony in the cemetery, were stopping by to pay their respects and join in a celebration of Rupert O’Donovan’s life.
As in any small town, the neighbors brought food. And more food. Kevin had hoped that the comfort of familiar patterns would pull his mother out of her numb state, but she still sat blankly on a chair, handkerchief in her hand as tears ran down her face. Several of her friends were standing around and comforting her, so Kevin took a deep breath and went off to organize the food.
Walking into the kitchen was mind-blowing. Every surface was covered with wrapped dishes. Hot dishes, platters, cheeses, even desserts. What on earth was he supposed to do with this?
As he stood there in panicked contemplation, one of the women that had played cards with his mother for years came into the kitchen with her daughter in tow. He must’ve looked totally lost because she gave a small laugh and said, “Kevin, don’t worry about this. Susan and I can take care of it for you. That way, you can go out and deal with everybody else. We’ve seen how you’ve done everything for the funeral and you have to be feeling overwhelmed. Let us do this because it’s something we can do to help you out.”
A wave of relief washed over Kevin. Straightening up and taking a deep breath, he replied in gratitude, “Thank you, Mrs. Johnson! I have no idea what to do with all of this, and I don’t want people to think that their donation was not appreciated. My mother is having a very bad time, and frankly, I have never had to deal with this type of thing before.”
The older woman patted him on the forearm and replied, “It is not that bad if you know what to do. But isn’t that true of everything? You go out and talk to the people about your grandfather. Join in the celebration of his life. We can handle the food and other items. If it becomes too much for us to deal with, I will drag other people in here to help.”
Turning toward her daughter, the woman said, “Susan, how about if you take a couple of these cheese plates and one dessert tray and put them on the table because they were getting a little sparse out there. I am sure that Kevin can help you carry them on his way out.”
The younger woman smiled back at her mother and said, with a twinkle in her eye, “No problem, Mom. The two of us will carry some stuff out and leave you to organize the battle of the casseroles.”
As Kevin obediently carried two large trays behind the swiftly moving young woman, he said, “I really appreciate your mom and you giving us some help. I guess I was getting pretty overwhelmed.”
Laying the tray that she was carrying down on the table, Susan turned to him and said in a quiet but comforting voice, “It is the least we can do. I see how you always take responsibility for things and I find that very admirable. Just remember that there are other people around that will help. Perhaps, sometimes you should ask for that help.”
With that, Susan swept up some discarded dishes from the table and move swiftly back to join her mother. Kevin stared after her for a long moment, his face arranged in an expression of consideration.
<<<>>>
Kevin moved around the rooms making sure that everything was going smoothly. He had gotten his mother something to drink and a plate of her favorite cheeses. He hoped that she would at least eat something. Her friends seemed to have her cushioned in support and affection, and he thought it would be best if he didn’t intrude.
Checking on his father, Kevin was relieved to see Keith standing by their father’s side. They were talking with some of the out-of-town visitors. Most of them had worked with his grandfather at one point or another or were relatives from their extended family. He decided to join them for a brief time, thinking that this might be the only few minutes he had to say hello to cousins and the uncle that he had not seen for over 15 years.
He joined the group just in time to hear his father saying, “… and Keith has a great position as a stockbroker in New York City. That fancy car in the driveway was his gift to us when he first started making money. We are very proud of him, of course. It’s nice to see what his education and his ambition is bringing him.”
Keith spoke up, “Yes, things are going very well at my firm. I got the Rookie of the Year award my first year, and this year I will be in the top sellers again. It’s amazing what the connections that I have built bring, and I love the hustle and bustle of the city.”
Keith and Kevin’s
uncle, Joseph, asked Kevin, “And what is it that you do, Kevin? We’ve heard about Keith’s career, but your father hasn’t told us what you’re up to.”
Before Kevin could answer his uncle, his father interrupted. He said quickly, “Oh, Kevin decided not to continue with his education and skip college. Instead, he’s been more comfortable working with his hands, and he went to work at a gas station. He has been there since graduation from high school, and it seems to be a pretty steady job.”
The surprise of his cousins and uncle felt like a slap in the face to Kevin. He wasn’t sure what he should be saying at this point because it was obvious that anything he did try to say would sound defensive or add to the sadness of the day. His hesitation allowed someone else to interject.
“Hi, Kevin. Miranda and I just wanted to tell you how beautiful the service was and how it showed your love for your grandfather in the work that you put into organizing everything about the funeral.” It was Don Marland, the head of the local bank.
The distinguished looking businessman, whose shrewd glance around the group seemed to encompass the situation instantly, continued by saying, “I don’t want to talk business in this setting, but I did want to tell you that your expansion loan has been approved. We are looking forward to seeing that part of town built up. Also, I did reach out to the distributor that I had mentioned, and they’re very interested in working out an arrangement with you. When you can next week come on in, and we can talk.”
Once again Joseph look surprised. He asked, “Expansion, is that for your work at a gas station?”
Don answered before Kevin did, saying, “Kevin’s turning into a fairly important businessman in town. When Smitty Harrington decided he wanted to retire, Kevin bought the business. He had saved up his money and had enough for the down payment and worked out a plan. Over the last few years he’s expanded it into three locations, all of them full-service stations. He’s now expanding it to include small restaurants and a convenience store for travelers.”
Jerry, one of the cousins, said with a confused tone in his voice, “We thought that you still were living at home and were just working a job for somebody else.”
Kevin finally got a word in edgewise, and replied, “I have been living at my house for the last seven months. It is still in the middle of being refurbished, but all that is left are odds and ends of finishing, which is easy to do when you’re there. Also, I thought it was about time that I moved out of Mom and Dad’s house. I still have been coming back for a couple meals every week. Of course, I stop by to do things that Mom and Dad find it difficult to do.” He added in a somber tone, “Grandfather and I had one evening a week where I would come and pick him up. We would go have dinner at my place, and he could see what I had done on the house and help me plan what I was going to do next. I will miss him.”
There was a moment of silence as each man retreated into his own thoughts briefly before Keith stated in a cheerful tone, “It has been a relief to me that Kevin is so close. With my busy schedule, it’s very hard for me to get back this way and we wanted to make sure that everything was fine with Mom and Dad.”
Chapter 5
Kevin was so nervous he couldn’t sit for very long. One minute he would be sitting and the next he would be pacing back and forth on the floor. His nerves were tight, and they were getting tighter.
It was his wedding day. By the end of the afternoon, he would be married, and a totally different stage of his life would begin. There was no explanation for the panic in his mind, the one that made him long to run away and hide while simultaneously wishing that it was all done.
“Kevin, for goodness sakes! Chill out, dude. A wedding is all about the bride, not the groom. You just have to show up and say “I do” in the right places.” The speaker was shorter than Kevin but had dancing green eyes and smile lines that were beginning to bracket his mouth. His name was Gil, and he would be Kevin’s brother-in-law shortly.
The pacing groom sat down with a thump on the chair to the side of the rectory table. He knew that the wedding would start soon and he could hear the low sound of voices from inside the church.
“But Gil, what if I do something wrong? I know the day is really special for Susan and I don’t want to ruin it!”
“I told you, Kevin, you and Susan should’ve eloped. Then you wouldn’t have to deal with all of this fuss and the wedding cake and the flowers and the other things that have been making our household crazy for the last six months.”
Kevin relaxed enough to laugh and said, “Now we get to the bottom of the story. You just wanted us to elope so that things are better for you!”
“Of course! Why should Dad and I be put through the torture when it’s you guys that are getting married?”
Kevin relaxed a little bit further and drew in a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds and slowly exhaling. He consciously tried to release the tension, but his mind felt like a rat in a cage, running one way or another, bouncing off the walls, and acting frantic.
He knew he was lucky to have Gil as his best man. He had asked his twin to be his best man, but Keith had turned him down. Kevin still didn’t know how he felt about his twin, his brother, telling him that a stockbroker’s schedule was too frantic for him to have the time to stand up for his brother’s wedding. He knew his mother had been very upset and Kevin had chosen not to make a big deal out of it. It still felt strange though, knowing that he was going through such an important change in his life and his brother wouldn’t be there at his side.
There was a knock on the door, and the minister opened it, sticking his head through and saying, “It’s time, gentlemen.”
Gil gave Kevin an encouraging shake of the shoulder and grandly motioned him to leave first. “After you, please I insist.”
Kevin left and walked to the door.
<<<>>>
Keith missed the wedding. Kevin only notice that in passing since the sight of his bride coming down the aisle had driven all coherent thought from his head. She was beautiful, and he was transported. The stunned groom managed to get through his vows in a daze, staring with a brimming heart into the face of his bride and then his wife.
When they turned to face the congregation, Kevin saw the smiling and teary face of his mother and the satisfied look on his father’s eyes. He saw friends from school, relatives, and business associates all joining them in joy and a celebration. He didn’t think he could get any happier. It was not till they had walked down the aisle and out to the front of the church that he realized his brother was not there.
<<<>>>
The reception was in full swing when Keith managed to get there. Coming up to where Kevin and Susan were standing, the impeccably dressed twin clipped his brother on the shoulder and gave him a rough hug. “Congratulations you two!” Turning to his new sister-in-law, he continued, “I’m going to claim a kiss from the bride. You know it’s great luck and what stockbroker doesn’t need luck?”
Keith looked tired, and his features were drawn. Kevin was conscious of a thread of worry about his twin. This was not how he normally looked, and Kevin resolved to try to find some time to talk to him privately and see what the matter was.
The minister who had known the twins since they were infants, bluntly asked, “You are looking pretty worn, Keith. Is everything all right?”
Keith responded with a determinedly cheerful voice, “I have just been really busy. I’m sorry I was late, twin, but I have two really big deals that are in the middle of negotiations, and I couldn’t get away. I suppose it doesn’t help that I’m trying to see two different women and they both want to go to plays and stuff. So I have a pretty hectic social schedule to add to my workload. I know I should get more sleep but, hey, you’re only young once.”
Kevin could hear some strange notes in his brother’s voice. He could tell the Keith was tired, but the layer of cheery news felt false. It was obvious that the minister wasn’t convinced either. But both men just left Keith’s words unchallenged.
After all, it was Kevin’s wedding day and not a time for serious discussions.
Just then, the boy’s father saw Keith. Jumping up from his chair at the table, Philip moved around toward the late arrival, announcing in a booming voice, “Finally! Keith is here. I knew you that you would tear yourself away from those big deals to come see your brother married. You must’ve driven like a bandit to get here.”
Grabbing his son in an energetic hug, the boy’s father continued, “You are looking a little tired, boy. Must be all those gorgeous women that are keeping you up late at night. Sometimes you just have to tell them that you gotta get some rest.”
Keith smiled at his father and responded with a cheerful but noncommittal comment. Philip immediately drew Keith over to greet some of the business people from town.
Kevin was startled by the touch of a warm hand in his. He looked down into the face of his new bride and saw that she was smiling gently at him. Stretching up on her tiptoes, Susan placed a soft kiss on Kevin’s mouth.
“I love you, husband.”
“Love you too, wife.”
Their shared glance communicated a welter of feelings and the warmth of their acceptance of each other. Turning back to their guests, the newly-married couple noticed that Kevin’s mother was having some difficulty getting up from the table. When her husband rushed over to greet Keith, he had apparently forgotten that his wife might need assistance. Her reliance on the cane was new, and Kevin thought it had probably slipped his father’s mind.
Murmuring to Susan, he said, “I’ll be right back. I need to go help Mom.”
Susan shook her head and replied, “We will both go.”
Chapter 6
The church felt peaceful and welcoming, full of people and joy. Kevin held one of his twins, the little girl that they had named Kelly Anne. Standing beside him, so close that he could feel the warmth of her arm next to him, Susan held their son, Rupert James.
The Imp Prince Page 13
