Page 13 of Small Town Sizzle

I had asked a colleague to stand in for me, and wouldn’t you know it, she got food poisoning last night and couldn’t help out. It was for the best, though. I hadn’t stepped foot in a funeral home since Megan’s, and I didn’t handle it well. Greta would have understood, and that’s all that mattered.

I didn’t want to see that wretched son of hers again anyway.

I could have gone home. Lord knows that’s where I wanted to be, but the center needed to be open for those kids tonight. It’s what Greta would have wanted.

My thoughts go back to the day of Megan’s funeral.

“I know that you want to go back home and hide out, and I don’t blame you, but I’m going to make sure the center is open later tonight and for the next few days,” Greta had told me. “Your sister was always there, and I know a lot of the kids are struggling with a classmate losing their parent. I think it would be good to be present for them. If you feel up to it, I think it would be good for you and the kids.”

“I don’t know what’s worse: walking in the house and realizing she’ll never be sitting on my couch waiting for me again, or walking into the youth center and hearing her make a sarcastic comment to me,” I said softly. “I’m so…lost.”

“I know, baby,” she breathed as she enveloped me in a warm hug. “I’m here for you. The best way to honor those that have left us is to speak their name often and with love. Those kids will be telling some funny stories, I’m sure.”

I nodded, hugging her even tighter. When she pulled away, she looked me directly in the eye and squeezed my arms gently.

“I’m always here for you, sweet girl. I’ll see you later.”

If it hadn’t been for that moment, I probably wouldn’t have thought to open the youth center or have special things planned for the kids today. I’d already ordered pizza, and a few of thebusinesses in town had donated drinks, more board games, and a brand-new video game console.

I sat back in the chair at the front of the reception desk, waiting for the kids to start filing in. I closed my eyes and took slow, deep breaths.

The funeral was long over, school was finished, and any practices would be done, too. A steady stream of kids would be filing in, looking for a safe space to grieve, to do homework, or to just be in a space with other people who understood them.

I’ve been so busy making sure that everyone else is okay that I’ve never really dealt with the reality that Greta’s gone. She was such a light in this center, in this town, and her loss will be felt by everyone. At least in the stillness of right now, I can feel it a little bit.

Who has time for feelings?

The front door opens, and Laura and Ethan walk in first. I stand and rush over to hug them both. Kids start filing in behind them, going toward the common area of the building.

“What are you guys doing here?” I ask.

“I had a feeling you’d be here for the kiddos. We thought we’d show the place to Garrett, and the kids wanted to be here, too,” Laura explained.

Garrett walks in as if he knows his name was mentioned. Ethan grins widely.

I have to stifle a groan.Oh great, the hot guy with an attitude is here.

“I thought he was only pretending to follow us,” Ethan said quietly to his wife. He turns to his brother. “Garrett!” he calls, waving him over.

Garrett hesitates, his shoulders stiff, but Ethan doesn’t give him a choice. “Come here, man. You remember Maya, right? Maya, do you remember my brother Garrett?”

Garrett walks over slowly, like a man heading to his execution.

“No, I don’t,” we both say at the same time.

I cock my head to the side. Does Ethan know that we ran into each other in Culver City and again at the drug store? Or does he assume we’ve met before because we all grew up here?

“I don’t remember him,” I say.

Garrett shakes his head.

“Maya is Megan’s little sister. You and Megan dated on and off a lot. I thought for sure the two of you would know each other,” Ethan continues.

The comment hangs in the air, a quiet bombshell. My stomach twists, and Garrett’s jaw tightens. He knew Megan?

Why wouldn’t Greta ever mention a second son to me? We talked about a lot, and this seems like a very big thing to have left out.

“We—” Garrett starts, but whatever he’s about to say is cut off when Chantelle and Mason walk in, their faces lighting up when they see me.

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