What They Left Behind

The next day Ben invited Gennie over the house for dinner. With two cooks in the kitchen, it was delicious, of course. After the meal was over, they chatted in the living room while Kristopher played his newest video game on the Nintendo.

  Even though Gennie knew Annie wasn’t the jealous type, she didn’t feel it was right to ask Ben if he wanted to go to the funeral in front of her. Also, mentioning the name Charlene was bound to open up a whole can of worms for Kristopher. She didn’t want to put Ben in the uncomfortable position of having to explain who she was. She waited patiently for the opportunity to present itself and two hours after dinner, it did. Kristopher’s friend called and he went into his bedroom to chat with him. Then, a few minutes later, Annie excused herself to go to the bathroom.

  “There’s something I want to ask you,” Gennie said.

  “Okay,” Ben replied, “ask away.”

  “Charlene’s funeral is tomorrow. Do you want to go?”

  Ben looked at her as if she asked him if he wanted to go jump off the Golden Gate Bridge for fun.

  “Are you going?” he asked.

  “Page wants me to go.”

  “Okay.”

  “I know you don’t want me anywhere near our mother, but I feel like I should go. Page thinks you should go, too.”

  “Is Page the authority on etiquette now?” His voice sounded sad rather than sarcastic.

  “Uh, no, hardly, but I agree with her on this.”

  “You know what? I’ll go. I have to say goodbye to Charlene.”

  Gennie sighed in relief. At least that part was over, now she just had to deal with the funeral.

  Chapter 93: November 5