Read Online The Plan by Kelly Bennett Seiler - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kelly Bennett Seiler
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them. Why would she decline? After all, it was her family, was it not? Families pick out their loved onesâ headstones. They put things on them like âLoving Husbandâ and âOur Little Angel.â
But Claire hadnât even completed the kidsâ baby books yet. She couldnât write âSleep, my little ones, sleepâ on a hard slab when she hadnât yet handwritten âLukeâs first pair of shoesâ next to the photo.
âUmâ¦I canât,â Claire said. âIâm sorry. I canât.â
âWhat do you mean you canât?â Nancy said, the last word rising like a whining childâs âBut why canât I go outside?â
âIâ¦â Claire was at a loss for words. âIâ¦â She looked over at Gia in desperation. Gia picked up on Claireâs cues and came to the rescue. Jumping up from her seat, she walked into the living room.
âI think Claire might not be ready for that.â
âWe understand,â Bill said, his voice kind.
âWe do not understand,â Nancy barked. âShe must select the headstones.â
âIâm sure you can do it,â Claire said softly. âYouâll do a lovely job. I wouldnât know what to put on them.â
âAnd you think I do?â Nancy snapped.
âIâ¦â Claire knew she was stammering, but she didnât know how to reply. She couldnât go pick out her babiesâ headstones. Could not. It wasnât even an option. Her palms were clammy at the thought. Her heart was racing. A repetitive pounding began in her ears. She felt her limbs detach from her body as the panic began to rise.
âI lost a child, too, Claire. Not to mention my grandchildren. Sometimes I wonder if you remember that.â
âOf course she does,â Gia said soothingly.
âClaire hasnât forgotten that,â Bill said to his wife, placing a hand gently on her knee. She promptly removed it.
âI donât think she has. Has she once called to see how weâre doing?â
This woman was unbelievable.
âAre you kidding me?â Gia nearly screeched. A calm soul, Gia rarely lost her composure, but when she didâ¦Claire didnât like to be around.
Where were her meds? Claire had been trying to wean herself offthe tranquilizers and painkillers the doctor had prescribed right after the accident. Sheâd always been the type of person who was extremely conscious of not getting hooked on any kind of medication. She didnât even like to take too much Tylenol. But, heaven help her, she needed something right now.
The pounding grew louder and louder.
âClaire needs some timeâ¦â
âYou have no right toâ¦â
âI know better than youâ¦â
âYouâre not even familyâ¦â
The arguing grew distant until Claire could no longer make out the words. The world around her became a blur of slow-moving figures. Mouths opening and closing with exaggerated sluggishness. She thought she could hear Chariots of Fire playing as she watched her mother-in-lawâs mouth move while her finger wagged at Gia.
Only this wasnât a movie. And she couldnât sit and watch any longer.
âEnough!â Claire yelled, jumping to her feet. She mustâve screamed it even louder than she thought because, instantly, the other three froze. All eyes were upon her.
âIâm sorry, Nancy, that you and Bill came all the way here today. I know itâs a long trip. But I will not be going with you to pick out headstones. If you feel youâre up to the task, then by all means, go over there and select them. I donât care one bit what they say. Or, if you donât want to do it, but instead, feel itâs my job, then you can just drive all the way home and one day, maybe, if and when Iâm ready, Iâll go and select the stones for my husband and children. But I will not be bullied
But Claire hadnât even completed the kidsâ baby books yet. She couldnât write âSleep, my little ones, sleepâ on a hard slab when she hadnât yet handwritten âLukeâs first pair of shoesâ next to the photo.
âUmâ¦I canât,â Claire said. âIâm sorry. I canât.â
âWhat do you mean you canât?â Nancy said, the last word rising like a whining childâs âBut why canât I go outside?â
âIâ¦â Claire was at a loss for words. âIâ¦â She looked over at Gia in desperation. Gia picked up on Claireâs cues and came to the rescue. Jumping up from her seat, she walked into the living room.
âI think Claire might not be ready for that.â
âWe understand,â Bill said, his voice kind.
âWe do not understand,â Nancy barked. âShe must select the headstones.â
âIâm sure you can do it,â Claire said softly. âYouâll do a lovely job. I wouldnât know what to put on them.â
âAnd you think I do?â Nancy snapped.
âIâ¦â Claire knew she was stammering, but she didnât know how to reply. She couldnât go pick out her babiesâ headstones. Could not. It wasnât even an option. Her palms were clammy at the thought. Her heart was racing. A repetitive pounding began in her ears. She felt her limbs detach from her body as the panic began to rise.
âI lost a child, too, Claire. Not to mention my grandchildren. Sometimes I wonder if you remember that.â
âOf course she does,â Gia said soothingly.
âClaire hasnât forgotten that,â Bill said to his wife, placing a hand gently on her knee. She promptly removed it.
âI donât think she has. Has she once called to see how weâre doing?â
This woman was unbelievable.
âAre you kidding me?â Gia nearly screeched. A calm soul, Gia rarely lost her composure, but when she didâ¦Claire didnât like to be around.
Where were her meds? Claire had been trying to wean herself offthe tranquilizers and painkillers the doctor had prescribed right after the accident. Sheâd always been the type of person who was extremely conscious of not getting hooked on any kind of medication. She didnât even like to take too much Tylenol. But, heaven help her, she needed something right now.
The pounding grew louder and louder.
âClaire needs some timeâ¦â
âYou have no right toâ¦â
âI know better than youâ¦â
âYouâre not even familyâ¦â
The arguing grew distant until Claire could no longer make out the words. The world around her became a blur of slow-moving figures. Mouths opening and closing with exaggerated sluggishness. She thought she could hear Chariots of Fire playing as she watched her mother-in-lawâs mouth move while her finger wagged at Gia.
Only this wasnât a movie. And she couldnât sit and watch any longer.
âEnough!â Claire yelled, jumping to her feet. She mustâve screamed it even louder than she thought because, instantly, the other three froze. All eyes were upon her.
âIâm sorry, Nancy, that you and Bill came all the way here today. I know itâs a long trip. But I will not be going with you to pick out headstones. If you feel youâre up to the task, then by all means, go over there and select them. I donât care one bit what they say. Or, if you donât want to do it, but instead, feel itâs my job, then you can just drive all the way home and one day, maybe, if and when Iâm ready, Iâll go and select the stones for my husband and children. But I will not be bullied
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