Page 33 of Someone to Remember
“Yeah, just Will’s fuck-up younger brother saying he’s going to be there for anything I need.”
“Ah, well, that’s nice of him.”
“What’s funny is this time around, I recognize the gestures for what they are, whereas when Greg died, I thought everyone meant what they said. I know better now. I’m anexperiencedwidow.”
Iris’s lips quiver with the start of a laugh.
“It’s okay to laugh at the sheer madness of this whole situation.”
“Except it’s not funny.”
“Remember what we always say—if we don’t laugh, we’ll never stop crying.”
She hands me a mug with chicken noodle soup that smells so good, my stomach rumbles with interest.
“Thank you.”
“Here are some crackers, too.”
“You’re the best.” After I take a few delicious sips of the soup, I glance at her. “I’m sure you and Gage have stuff you need to be doing.”
“We’re where we need to be.”
“Will’s mom texted me about going to the funeral home…”
“Do you want us to go for you?”
“I can’t ask you guys to do that.”
“You didn’t. I offered.”
“It’s too much, Iris. That’s the last place you or Gage need to be.”
“It’s the last placeyouneed to be. Stay home with your kids. We’ll meet Will’s parents there.”
I don’t feel right about asking two widows to go to a funeral home when it’s not their family member who’s died. “Are you sure? You should think about that. I don’t want my tragedy to be a setback for you guys.”
“We’re okay, and we’ll take care of anything you need. Do you have any idea what he would’ve wanted?”
Resigned and relieved to accept their kind offer, I say, “He said he didn’t want to take up room by being buried, and I agreed with him, so we said we’d be cremated. His mom will want the big Catholic funeral, even though he was lapsed, so she can do what she wants as long as he’s cremated after.” I can’t believe I’m talking about turning my sweet Will into ashes when he was just here.
Fucking tears. How do I have any left after losingtwohusbands? I dab at them with the napkin Iris hands me.
“How am I talking about funeral homes?Again. It’s surreal.”
“It’s beyond surreal.” She glances at the wedding photo of Will, me and the kids, the day we officially became afamily. In many ways, that was the happiest day of my life because it was proof I’d survived losing Greg.
Hold my beer,said the universe.Not so fast.
“I must’ve really pissed someone off in a past life.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“How else to explain the unexplainable?”
“I don’t know, but it’s nothing you did or didn’t do—in any life. I refuse to believe that. Greg and Will wouldn’t want you to think that way.”
“How is this my life, Iris?How?”
