Read Online Safe & Sound by T.S. Krupa - Free Book Online Page B

for coming and sharing many shots in Jay’s honor. Stella also did her fair share of mingling with the law-school buddies as she had shared classes with half of them and had probably dated the other half.

    The bartender announced that the bar was getting ready to shut down and the rowdy bunch ordered one last round of shots.

    “I really don’t think she is in any state to be doing bar shots,” Lanie said when a friend of Jay’s offered me a shot.

    “Lanie, you’re never going to win against this group,” Harry said, slurring his words.

    “Yea, Lanie, you’re not going to win,” Stella chided.

    Lanie shrugged her shoulders in a suit-yourself kind of way.

    “In Jay’s honor,” I said. Shots were being handed out to everyone left in the bar. Even Lanie finally caved and took one. I was ushered into the center of this large group and with everyone holding up their shot, someone shouted “Speech.”

    “To a man of integrity,” one person shouted from behind me.

    “To a man of honor,” added a lawyer named Nicky.

    “To the best damn lawyer south of the Mississippi,” another shouted and several chuckled.

    “To a good friend,” another added.

    “Best of friends,” Harry corrected.

    “He was a stubborn SOB,” an officer added.

    “He was a fierce competitor. He hated losing,” added another lawyer I didn’t recognize. Again, this comment drew chuckles.

    “He was the man we should all strive to be,” added a lawyer named Billie.

    “I’ll drink to that,” several shouted and we raised our drinks a little higher.

    “To Jay,” I said to several cheers and we emptied our glasses.

    Everyone started to leave. Many waved in my direction or gave my shoulder a squeeze as they passed by the table I was sitting at. Lanie made sure that one of the officers gave Harry a ride home as he was in no shape to drive. Lanie shook hands with the final guest and started to clean up the pictures, while Stella squared the tab with the bartender. When we were finally ready to leave, Stella called the car service she had ordered and we piled inside.

    “Jill?” Lanie asked when we were sitting in the car.

    “Hm …”

    “Jay was a great guy. I’m so sorry.”

    Her sudden expression of grief surprised me. I just nodded my head and squeezed her hand.

    “He always treated you right and he treated us right, which made him alright with me,” Stella said, slurring her words a little bit.

    I reached over and grabbed her hand with my free hand. “Thank you both. I wouldn’t have made it these five days without you. I love you both,” I said.

    We rode the rest of the way in silence.

 
    CHAPTER 10

----

    S aturday and Sunday went by in a daze. I moved from the bed, to the sofa and back again. The only exception was Saturday afternoon when Lanie insisted that it was unseasonably warm for October and suggested I sit outside to get some sun on my face. Harry stopped by at one point to see if there was anything we needed, but Stella and Lanie ushered him out, telling him that I needed my space. Stella and Lanie kept trying to get me to eat, but I refused and by Monday morning Lanie was looking at me as if I were a glass doll that would break at any moment. I could tell that Lanie and Stella were spending more time whispering about what was almost certainly my well-being, because they would stop abruptly when I entered the room, but I didn’t care. Nothing seemed to matter anymore.

----

    Tuesday morning was different. Stella marched into the bedroom at nine in the morning and threw the blankets back.

    “Time to get up sleepy head,” she declared.

    “Are you insane?” I said, grabbing for the blankets.

    “Nope, but if you don’t shape up, your good friend Lanie is going to ship you off to some crazy hospital,” Stella said.

    “No, she’s not, and you’re going to leave me alone,” I said.

    “Lanie, will you help me?” Stella called down the hallway.

    “Sure. What do you need?”