Gerri Hill - One Summer Night

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Chapter Twenty-Three

The funeral service was held in the small chapel in the funeral home. She couldn't remember a time Harry had ever been to church, other than Beth's funeral. As a child, Jo had gone every Sunday with her mother, but when she had moved in with her grandparents, only Beth had gone. She and Harry would sneak off for a morning of fishing or boat riding.

"We'll have our own church service out on the lake, Jo-Jo."

She smiled as she remembered him saying that on many a Sunday morning as Beth stood by and shook her head at them.

"It wouldn't hurt you a bit to go to church," she told him.

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"Why press my luck?" Harry responded. "I wouldn't want Him to think that I was eager to join Him up there.”

Various baskets and arrangements were a spot of cheeri-ness to an otherwise colorless day. She was surprised at the numerous flowers and plants that had been sent. Harry would find humor with that. He knew her luck with potted plants. Her eyes avoided the casket at the front and instead, she walked around, reading the cards from her friends. Susan and Arnie had sent a beautiful fall arrangement, and there were some from names she did not recognize. Harry's friends from the Senior Center, she supposed.

Before ten, people started arriving and she was surprised at how dressed up everyone was. Kelly walked in with Betsy and Janis, and Jo's eyes flew to hers.

Kelly smiled and walked up to her. Jo took in her dark gray suit with a colorful silk blouse underneath.

"Hi.”

"Look at you. A skirt?" Jo teased.

"Yeah.” Kelly shrugged. "I had to dig deep to find it."

"You look lovely," Jo said softly.

Kelly shrugged again and looked embarrassed, as most people do when they're not comfortable with what they're wearing. Jo doubted Kelly ever wore dresses.

"Hi, honey," Betsy said and hugged her. "You doing okay?"

Jo nodded. "The casket is beautiful," she said, although she had scarcely looked at it. She had decided on a closed casket. She didn't want her last memory of Harry to be lying in a casket. It was bad enough she pictured him so vividly in the hospital bed, so pale against the white sheets.

Betsy smiled and squeezed her shoulder, then went to sit down. Jo greeted the others as they came in, mostly her friends and a few of Harry’s from the Senior Center. Of course, when you have no relatives and you're over 80, most 167

of your old friends are already gone. She was surprised Kerry and Shea came. She didn't really know them that well. They were really Betsy and Janis's friends but she was touched that they had bothered. She told them as much. Kay was there, and she hugged Jo and kissed her cheek. Sharon and Mattie also came. Deb gave her a hug when she walked in and Jo thanked her. Susan and Arnie were there, too, and Jo wondered how many of the department’s classes had been cancelled over the last few days.

Of the folks from the Senior Center, Jo knew only three.

They were Harry's fishing buddies, whom she had seen at his house on several occasions. The others apparently had known him or had just come out of respect for one of their fallen members. She was glad when Mr. Daughtery, the youngest of the three at 75, asked her if he could speak at the service. She told him she thought Harry would have liked that.

The service was short, and when Mr. Daughtery stood up, he spoke for only a few minutes, telling them about Harry, his love of fishing and the lake, and especially his love for his "Jo-Jo.” Fresh tears fell down Johanna's cheek, and Betsy put her arm around her and patted her shoulder. Jo smiled her thanks at Mr. Daughtery when he finished.

Nearly everyone walked to the cemetery, and it was only then, as they were lowering Harry into the ground, next to his beloved Beth, that Jo broke down and cried. Susan and Arnie were beside her. Arnie held her for a moment, offering his support.

Kelly walked up to her, gentle eyes looking into Jo's. Jo reached for her and held her tightly, needing her strength.

Afterward, they walked back together, and Jo thanked everyone for coming, accepting their hugs and sympathy with a smile. She had good friends.

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She walked with Kelly to her Explorer, thanking her again for all she had done. "We've got our last softball game tonight. It's an early game. I thought you might want to get out of the house," she suggested.

"Yes. I think I might. I don't really want to spend the evening alone."

"Good. We were going to go out afterwards and get a burger or something. Maybe you'll be hungry by then."

"Okay."

"I've got to get to class," she said. "I'll pick you up about five."

Betsy and Janis were the only ones still there. Betsy insisted that Jo come home with them.

"No. I'll be fine."

"You don't need to be alone, honey," Janis said.

"Actually, I was thinking that a nap sounded pretty good.

I'm going with Kelly to the game tonight, by the way.”

"You are? Are you sure?" Betsy asked.

"Yes. I'd like to be around my friends tonight, I think."

"Okay. You sure you don't want to come home with us?"

"Thank you, but no. You two have both done so much for me this week," she said as she hugged them both.

On the way home, she was surprised at how good she felt. It was over with, this formality. She had said good-bye to Harry yesterday and last night, and now he was at rest.

She took time for lunch, heating more casserole. She threw out what was left, planning to wash the dishes and return them at the game tonight. Afterward, she sat on her deck with her plate and her iced tea. The birdseed was all gone and before she started eating, she refilled the feeder.

Soon the male cardinals were back, and she watched them while she ate.

Later, she laid down, not really sleepy, just tired. She was surprised when she woke up at four. She showered, got 169

dressed and sat down to wait for Kelly. It was so quiet. She realized she was thinking of everything except Harry. That wasn’t necessarily good, but at this point, she was just looking forward to going out and being around people, where the conversation wasn't on death.

Kelly knocked on her door at exactly five o'clock.

Standing there in her softball uniform, she smiled at Jo.

"You look better," she said, when Jo opened the door.

"Did I look bad before?"

"You looked tired.”

"I took a nap today," Jo smiled.

Kelly nodded and smiled warmly back. "Ready?"

Jo nodded and locked the door behind her.

On the way to South Austin, Kelly reached over and took her hand. "I'm glad you're going tonight.”

Jo's fingers entwined with hers. "Me, too."

The fields were not yet crowded, as it was the first game.

Kelly took a small cooler from the back. "I brought you a lawn chair. And I packed you a couple of beers. I thought you might want one."

"Thanks. I think I will," she said quietly.

"Jo? Are you okay?"

Jo nodded and smiled. "Yes," she said, a little too brightly. She was suddenly very tired.

"Maybe this wasn't a good idea. I just thought that you should get out."

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."

"I can't help but worry about you," she said and met Jo's eyes. "I. . . .”

"I'm fine, really," Jo said, cutting her off. The look in Kelly’s eyes scared her, as it always did.

Kelly nodded, and they walked to the field. Betsy and Janis were already there, and Jo put the lawn chair next to them as Kelly left to warm up.

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She took a beer from the cooler and sat down, smiling at Betsy and Janis. They both had concerned looks on their faces, and she smiled again.

"Really, I’m ok" she said. And she was. Her emotions felt a little raw, that’s all.

"I'm glad you came," Betsy said. "You don't need to sit home by yourself."