Free Twisted by Jo Gibson Page A

shoulders. “Tanya’s not in there. It’s just her body.”
    â€œI know, but . . .” Amy stopped in mid-sentence. She was very embarrassed about her irrational reaction to the closed casket.
    â€œYou wanted to lift the lid, so she could breathe?”
    Amy nodded. It seemed almost as if Danny had read her mind. “That’s exactly how I felt. But how did you know?”
    â€œI felt the same way, the first time I went to a funeral. Maybe we’d better not go to the cemetery.”
    Amy thought about it for a second, and then she shook her head. “No. We have to go. It’s expected.”
    â€œOkay.” Danny nodded. “The ushers are up in front now. We’d better watch.”
    Amy blinked back a fresh rush of tears as Tanya’s parents stood up. Mrs. Ellison was weeping softly, and Tanya’s father looked pale and strained. They started down the center aisle, and Amy was faced with another quandary. She wanted to acknowledge them somehow, but was it appropriate to smile at a funeral?
    â€œWhat can I do?” Amy poked Danny.
    â€œNod as they pass you. Just let them know that you’re here and you care. A smile wouldn’t really be wrong, but it wouldn’t be exactly right, either.”
    Amy nodded as the Ellisons passed her. And then she turned to look at Danny. He’d done it again. He’d read her mind about whether she should smile or not.
    Brett and Gail were ushered out next, and Amy frowned as they passed her. Brett’s eyes were red, and she could tell he’d been crying, but Gail looked perfectly composed. Her arm was tucked through Brett’s, and she looked stunning in a light blue wool dress with tiny diamond earrings. Amy wasn’t sure if she was imagining it or not, but Gail’s eyes appeared to sparkle, and she seemed almost happy as she walked down the aisle with Brett. It reminded Amy of the weddings she’d seen, and how radiant the bride had been as she’d walked down the aisle with her new husband. After they’d passed, Danny leaned close and whispered, “Gail looks like she’s practicing for her wedding.”
    Amy didn’t say anything. She just chalked another point up for Danny. He’d read her mind again.
    Although Amy and Danny watched every guy who was ushered down the aisle, there was no one who looked like he could have been Tanya’s mystery boyfriend. It was the same at the graveside. They knew most of the mourners, and there weren’t any likely candidates.
    Amy was shivering by the time they’d all piled into Danny’s parents’ station wagon again. The wind had begun to blow, and she’d nearly frozen, waiting for the minister to finish his prayers. “Maybe I was so cold, I didn’t notice, but I didn’t see any mystery boyfriends.”
    â€œMe, neither.” Danny reached out to pat Amy’s shoulder. “Cheer up, Amy. At least there wasn’t a fight.”
    Michele laughed from the backseat, where she was riding with Colleen and Jessica. “There wouldn’t have been one anyway. Gail was hanging on to Brett’s arm so hard, he couldn’t even move.”
    â€œYou didn’t see them in the car.” Colleen spoke up. “I don’t think Brett’s heater works.”
    â€œWhy not?” Michele sounded curious.
    â€œBecause they were huddling so close together, you couldn’t have pried them apart with a crowbar.”
    Amy winced. She really wanted to say something about how they shouldn’t gossip, but she wasn’t quite sure how to do it. She’d just opened her mouth to speak up, when Danny cleared his throat.
    â€œNow girls . . .” Danny sounded stern. “You know it’s not nice to gossip. If you gossip about somebody else, they might just gossip about you.”
    Jessica giggled. “They can go ahead and do it. My life’s an open book. It’s blank, but it’s