Free Masquerade (Masquerade #1) by S Williams Page B

and death.”
    This is too much, I think as I close my eyes. I open them back up and say, “They would have wanted just a service. They were not flashy people or even attention seekers, so I think doing it that way would respect them better.”
    “We can do that.” He writes it down in his files and looks back up. “Well, I guess that is it. Let me walk you two out and make copies of these papers, so I can have these on file.”
    Alan’s hand is on the small of my back as Mr. Carson steps off to the side of the secretary’s desk to make copies.
    He finishes and turns to me. “I will call you with all the information about the day of the service and time. Again, I am so sorry for your loss.”
    “Thank you again.” I waive haphazardly and turn to leave.
    The ride back home is just as quiet as the way there. I walk in and have a seat on the couch. I lie down and fall asleep only to wake up to my phone vibrating.
    “Hello.”
    “Hi, Miss Falls, this is Mr. Carson from the funeral home. I was calling to let you know we will be having the service in two days. On Wednesday at 2:00, we will be receiving friends and family to honor your parents.”
    “All right. Thanks for calling.”
    I hang up and throw myself back on the couch. In two days, they will be gone forever.
     

 
    Chapter Ten
    Gloom is the best way to describe the atmosphere in the house leading up to the funeral. It is the day of, and I don’t know how to feel. Do I feel sad, lonely, happy, or bitter? I don’t know what to feel. If anything, I feel detached from my body.
    To make matters worse, I have been treating Alan like shit and pushing Chris away. I am treating them both unfairly. Alan more than Chris. I’m being a bitch. I can’t even stand to be around Alan anymore, and all he is trying to do is comfort me.
    I feel dreadful because I am being selfish not wanting Alan, but I’m not telling him the truth about how I feel about him. He thinks my attitude is all to do with my parents, and yes, that’s part of it, but not all of it. I know I need to tell him, but I can’t seem to do it. It’s not the right time to tell him about the love I have for his friend instead of him.
    Finishing my hair, I leave my room to dress Lucy and to fix her hair. I walk in to see her laying down on her bed, staring at the ceiling with a smile on her face.
    “What’s the smile for, Luce?”
    Turning her head towards me, she says, “I was talking to mama and daddy. They told me they loved us, and we would be okay.”
    A lonely tear falls down my face. “We will be. Did you tell them we loved them too?”
    She jumps out of the bed. “I sure did.”
    I help her into her dress and braid her hair down her back. “Okay, I think we are ready. I love you more than my big toe, Lucy.”
    “I love you more than my little toe,” she tells me, hugging me.
    I grab her hand, and we walk to the living room to find the guys. They are sitting in silence, waiting on us to emerge. “We are ready.”
    The service is nice with all the people my parents knew throughout the years, and the people they worked with showing their respect. By the end I have heard most of the same stories about my parents over and over again. I have plastered a smile on my face for so long to the point I think I am going to turn into The Joker.
    My aunt has made it into town and has stayed by my side the entire day of the funeral. After our goodbyes are said and done, we leave to go wallow in our self-pity once again.
     

     
    Each day goes into the next. I am having problems even keeping up with which day of the week it is. I make Alan and Chris leave. I need to be with my sister and no one else.
    I have talked to Alan about every other day because he just will not leave me alone. I haven’t talked to Chris as much. We have texted a few times but no more than that.
    My aunt makes the decision to stay in Georgetown to be close to the only family she once left for a man who left her broken. I am