Better Late Than Never

“Mom, why are just sitting here?” my six year old daughter Courtney asked me as we sat outside of Grey Funeral Home in my old, beat up, 1999 black Ford Explorer.

I looked over at her as I thought about what response I could give her. We had been parked here with the engine running for a good twenty minutes as I watched people file into the funeral home. Each guest was dressed in an outfit more expensive than the last. From the Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Birkin bags the women carried to the diamond Patek Phillipe watches that adorned the wrists of the men, I wasn’t sure if I was at a funeral or a high end fashion show. Most of the people had also gotten out of Mercedes Benzes, Range Rovers, Audis and BMWs, which made me feel even more self conscious about my truck. Hell, I wasn’t even sure if it would turn back on once I cut it off. I’d had more than my fair share of problems out of it, but it was more than twenty years old and I never had the money to maintenance it, so I couldn’t really complain.

“We’re about to go in soon, sweetheart,” I told her. I reached for my oversized purse that and pulled out a little black notebook that was falling apart at the seams. I read through the pages for what to be the millionth time and still found myself in disbelief at the words that were on them.

My mother had passed away about a month ago from a massive heart attack. I had moved back in with her six months before that when Courtney’s father’s drinking and drug use got to be too much for me to handle. Ray could be out of control when he needed money for his next fix. His habits had cost me everything, including my job when Ray came to the office belligerent one too many times and caused a scene, demanding money. My car had gotten repossessed, my credit was shot, and I was a week away from being evicted when I decided that I had to stop trying to save Ray. I had packed up my daughter, left Charlotte, North Carolina where I had no family, and returned home to Pittsburgh.

My mother was happy to have us home. She doted on Courtney and was so happy to have me back that she pretty much allowed me to do whatever I wanted. Since I had returned home during a pandemic, there wasn’t too much to do and jobs were scarce, but I still appreciated being able to be worry free for a change.

My mother dying from a major heart attack was totally unexpected. Her death made me feel empty and even more alone, since she’d never told me whom my father was. It was the little black notebook I’d discovered when I went to clear out her room that revealed the truth. Thomas Collins, a big time neurosurgeon, was my father. He and my mother had an affair that had produced me. He promised to leave his wife and when he didn’t, it devastated my mother. She wrote about it in great detail in her notebook up until the day she died. It was then that I learned that she had died from a broken heart.

“Let’s go,” I told Courtney as I opened the door to my truck. I grimaced at the huge rust spot on the door. This had been my mother’s vehicle and keeping it visually appealing had not been important to her at all.

I made sure to hold my head high as I walked into the funeral home. I ignored the curious glances at my simple black slacks and button up shirt paired with my flat shoes. I was the most underdressed person there and I didn’t care. I had only come for one reason anyway.

I held Courtney’s hand and walked to the front of the room where a big, gold casket was adorned with a bunch of flowers. There was a woman standing to the left of the casket, greeting people. She looked like she had just stepped of the pages of a magazine in her tailored black suit and matching red bottom shoes. Her eyes widened when she saw me, but I ignored her as I gazed into the casket at a man who had never bothered to know me. I wanted to feel something but I couldn’t.

“Excuse me,” the mystery woman said as she tugged on my arm.

I snatched it away.

She shook her head. “I need to have a word with you. And before you ask, yes I know exactly who you are.”

I followed her out of the funeral home to the side of the parking lot where no one could see us, still holding Courtney’s hand tightly.

“I can’t have you here, ruining everything that Thomas spent his life building.”

I frowned. “So wait, you knew about me and were okay with him ignoring me?”

She didn’t respond as she reached into the black Chanel bag she carried and pulled out a checkbook. She scribbled an amount and slid it over to me. “Twenty thousand dollars is yours if you leave right now and never return.”

I didn’t think twice about it. I snatched the check and led Courtney back to the truck. Amazingly, it started right up. I drove straight to the bank to deposit it, and any doubts I had about it being legit were erased the very next day when my funds were available.