Page 95 of Someone to Remember
“God yes. I was just thinking the same thing.”
When we reach the front of the line, we stop as a group to say a prayer at the casket and to view the many floral arrangements and photos of Will and his loved ones.
This is absolutely brutal.
Christy goes first, introducing Trey to Taylor, who hasn’t met him yet, and the kids.
“Thank you so much for being here,” Taylor says. “It means the world to us.”
Joy and Bernie are next, followed by Iris and Gage.
Iris reintroduces us to Taylor, which I appreciate.
“It’s so good of you to come,” Taylor says when I hug her.
“We’ve been thinking of you all nonstop since we heard. We’re here for you.”
“That means a lot. I’ll probably need my Wild Widows again, not that I thought I’d ever say that.”
“What you all started has been a sanctuary for so many of us. We will be again for you when you’re ready.”
“Thank you.” She hugs Derek. “Thank you both for coming. Will and I enjoyed the time we spent together at Iris’s.”
“We did, too,” Derek says.
We move on to shake hands with the kids, who are so polite and composed, they take my breath away.
Then we meet Will’s heartbroken parents, siblings and their partners, expressing our condolences to each of them.
What a fucking tragedy.
I’m thankful that the others head straight for the exit after we’re through the receiving line. I take deep breaths of cool, fresh air once we’re outside, relieved to have shown up, expressed our condolences and gotten the heck out of there.
“I don’t know about anyone else,” Joy says, “but I need a big, fat drink, and I need it immediately.”
“Right there with you,” Gage says.
Iris
I’m so touchedthat Roni and Derek came to support those of us who were close to Taylor and Will. We end up at a pub that Bernie suggests that has great food and the big drinks we all need so badly.
Bernie knows the owner and tells him our group needs VIP treatment after attending the wake of someone who died far too young.
They have the promised drinks in front of us in no time at all.
I raise mine in a toast. “To Taylor, Will, Eliza, Miles, the baby and everyone who loves them.”
The others touch their glasses to mine.
“To life, love and friendship,” Joy says.
We’re happy to drink to that, too.
“What a nightmare.” Christy dabs at raw eyes with yet another tissue. “A fucking nightmare.”
We murmur our agreement.
“It’s really messed me up,” Christy says. “I keep waiting for Trey to tell me he didn’t sign on for this level of emotional despair.”
