I, Gracie - Sharon Sala Page 0,6
on Friday at 10:00 A.M.—three days away.
"Will you have a family dinner at the church? I’m asking because people always want to know," Willis said.
"Yes, and I remember from Daddy's service that Mama needed copies of the death certificate, so I need to order some."
"Do you think five will be enough?" he asked.
"I will only need one, so I assume so. If anyone needs more, they can order them, right?"
"Yes, ma'am," Willis said.
"Then, are we done here?" Gracie asked.
Willis nodded. "I'll call you tomorrow when she's ready for viewing."
"Thank you," Gracie said.
After Willis escorted her out, she drove straight to the bank and walked in with her sunglasses on, her long dark hair swinging down her back. The t-shirt and shorts she wore showed off the long legs she'd inherited from her daddy and hid a body just a shade too thin.
She withdrew a little over one thousand dollars from her mama's checking account, leaving $55 dollars in the bank, which would cover the $37.27 automatic withdrawal for her mama's life insurance policy one last time.
It was a bittersweet comfort to know she wouldn't be homeless and broke, but it was all due to Delia's need to make things right that the life insurance policy even existed.
* * *
It was the day after Easter. Everyone had gone home. Gracie was cooking breakfast when Delia came into the kitchen, insistent that they go straight to Sweetwater after they ate.
"To take care of business," Delia said, and so they did.
The first place they went was to her insurance agent to change the beneficiaries of her small life insurance policy from all four of her children to Gracie as the sole beneficiary.
"For you, and what you're about to give up," Delia told Gracie.
Then they went next to Delia's lawyer. Delia knew she was going to lose her good sense, but she wanted to put her affairs in order before it happened. So, she signed over her power of attorney to Gracie.
Gracie remembered then the feeling of life spinning out of control. This was all happening too fast. She hadn't thought—she didn't know—she should have—but it was already too late.
The last place they went that day was to Decker Funeral Home.
The whole trip there was, as Gracie thought of it later, a fucking out of body experience. She was standing at her mother's side, watching her pick out her own casket, and then sitting at her mother's side as she paid for her own burial expenses. Delia already owned the plot where her husband, Tommy, was buried, and her name was already on the headstone beside his. That's when Gracie finally gave up and cried, and Delia had just patted her hand.
"Don't be sad, baby girl. It's just me takin' care of business."
* * *
And now, baby girl was takin' care of business for mama.
No one challenged Gracie's right to withdraw the money when she went into the bank, because her name was on the account, and she never blinked an eye when she pocketed the cash and walked out.
Her next stop was the florist, and her choice of flowers for mama's casket was swift and simple. Pink carnations. Always pink carnations.
When they were kids, their daddy used to dance Delia around the kitchen, singing old songs from the fifties. "A White Sport Coat and Pink Carnations" was her favorite and never failed to make her smile.
As soon as Gracie paid for the flowers, she got in her car and headed for the Sonic Drive-In. Dirty house or not, Gracie had to get something in her belly before she passed out.
As she pulled into the stall to order, it occurred to her that this was where she and Mama had come to eat the day Mama had picked out her own casket.
That day, Delia hadn't remembered tater tots, and they'd been her favorites. Gracie had ordered them for her anyway, and Delia hadn't remembered what the hell they were until they'd arrived on their tray. After that, she’d laughed at her forgetfulness and dunked every one of them in ketchup.
Gracie's eyes welled again as she lowered the window to order, but she knew in her heart what she was going to choose when she pressed the button.
"Welcome to Sonic. What can I get for you today?"
"I want a chili-cheese coney, an order of tater tots, and a large Coke," Gracie said.
"Will there be anything else?" the boy asked.
"No. That's all," Gracie said, rolled up the window, jacked up the air conditioner, then called the