When The Grave Calls (The Veil Diaries #9) - B.L. Brunnemer Page 0,19

this early however there has been a slight problem with the flowers. I’ve tried contacting Mr. Huntington but have been unable to do so,” the woman’s voice said.

My shoulders dropped as I let out a sigh. “We’ll head over right away.” I hung up the phone and looked over to Miles. "There's a problem at the funeral home."

I watched all the color drain from Miles’ face as he got to his feet. "I'll get dressed," he croaked out before quickly leaving the room. The others and I all shared a look.

After getting dressed and driving across town, we were sitting in what looked like a conference room. The funeral home I’d chosen was simple yet classic, but it was still a funeral home. A blanket of sorrow and strain seemed to fill the air here to an almost palpable degree. It was clear; you came here to mourn and bury the dead. Why didn’t cemeteries have that? I pushed my thoughts out of my mind and focused on what the director was telling us.

“Unfortunately, the lilies you had chosen are on back order. We do have some other lovely selections here for you,” she said as she slipped the catalog across the table to me.

Miles was silent beside me, his fingers tapping on his thigh feverishly.

Focusing on the now, I turned to him. “What was your father’s favorite color?”

Miles met my gaze, waving his hand dismissively. His face was paler, the bags under his eyes standing out against his skin.

“Right.” I turned back to the portfolio. There was a lovely casket spread of red and white roses. It was a classic. “What do you think of this?”

“Lexie …” He sighed.

The director’s plastered smile cracked a little before turning to me. “Red roses typically mean that person was well loved.”

“I don’t know.” Miles began to bounce his knee beside me. His hands moved into fists on his thighs, his knuckles turning white.

I turned to the director. “Can you give us a moment please?”

She gave me a practiced smile. “Of course.”

Once the door closed softly, I turned to an almost ragged Miles. “I need your help.”

He shook his head. “It’s a fake funeral, Lexie. He’s not dead.”

I sighed and prayed for patience. “Miles, he’s gone. And I can’t keep making these decisions for you.”

“It’s not a real funeral.”

“Yes, it is.” When was it going to sink in?

He shook his head and dug into his back pocket. “Here, just order whatever you want.”

“Miles, this your father, not mine,” I all but snapped as he pulled out his wallet and opened it with shaking fingers.

That trembling was the only reason I didn’t try to stop him from getting to his feet.

“I’m sorry, Lexie,” he mumbled as he dropped a credit card on the table and walked out the office door.

I sighed deeply and turned back to the catalog. Was I being too hard on him? Should I be the one handling this? Could I be making it worse? By taking care of all the arrangements, did I make it possible for him not to face it? I rubbed my eyes with one hand. I didn’t know what to do or say to Miles anymore. A restlessness began to bubble up inside of me. I was so tired of not knowing what to do.

It wasn’t long before the director came back. I eventually found a nice spread of mixed color roses. They gave a light, hopeful vibe. I hoped the jerk rested in peace. “This one.”

“That is a lovely choice, however I should warn you that the colors here may clash with the standing arrangements that you had previously selected,” she began.

“Can I be honest?” I asked.

I could see her hesitation before she finally gave a brief nod.

“This man was an abusive asshole,” I stated, feeling better that someone else knew.

She flinched at my language.

“He’s not my father, he’s my boyfriend’s dad.” I shrugged. “I don’t know what to pick for him. So, could you pick a couple of arrangements that would match? We’ll pay for whatever you pick.”

She hesitated again. “Isn’t there an adult who can take over?”

I sighed. “No, at the moment, we’re all there is.”

With empathy in her eyes she gently took the portfolio back from me. “I understand. I do have a specific arrangement in mind that will go beautifully.”

“Thank you.” I slid the card across the table for her.

After showing me what she had in mind, she left to go run Miles’ card. I needed to get through to him