“Surely Nana had a will,” says Kendall. “She planned for everything else.”
I shake my head. “I can’t think about any of that right now. I’ll deal with it later.”
“Of course,” says Patsy. “But if we need to go over there and kick her out, you let me know. I’ll throw her in the back of Garion’s truck and haul her you-know-what out of town. Maybe we can feed her to Kendall’s alligator.”
This gives us the laugh we very much need, and we spend the rest of breakfast talking about the chilly but cooperative weather, how many people we expect to see at the service, and Kendall’s movie star boyfriend coming back to town. By the time we leave, I’m feeling more relaxed and at peace with what I have to do.
The visitation, the service, and lunch go by in a fog. Most of Magnolia Row turns up, and Patsy has to stand beside me and remind me of who some people are. Rhodes stands at a polite distance throughout, checking on me frequently and calming me simply by being there. Every time I look up to see him across the room, I feel stronger.
My mother, on the other hand, is all over the place. She goes from crying with Nana’s friends to laughing with people from her high school class. She sees this as The Christa Show, and I struggle to not show my annoyance.
“Ignore her,” Sistine whispers several times under her breath.
Apart from my mother, the day is nice. Everyone has lovely things to say about Nana, and even Pauline Cavendish, dressed head-to-toe in black sequins and wearing a giant hat with a fake crow glued to the top, shows up at the visitation to pay respects. For the first time in my life, I appreciate her “airing out her crazy,” as Nana always said. She looks completely absurd, but it makes me laugh, which I need.
“Your grandmama was the only woman in town worth a damn,” Pauline says to me before giving my mother a dirty look. “Good luck with that one,” she adds, nodding towards my mom, who is telling a story to someone I don’t recognize and waving her hands around like a drama queen.
With that, Pauline walks to the back and says something to Rhodes. He blushes, then looks at me as she leaves. I wonder what she said, but I don’t have time to think too much about it before the next person in line is waiting to give me a hug.
When we’re finally alone in the car once it’s all over, I ask Rhodes about it.
“She said I’m an idiot if I don’t snatch you up,” he says. “I know she’s a lunatic, but I think she really loved your nana.”
“Everyone did,” I say, then quietly cry as he drives me home.
* * *
Dozens of people show up at home with more food and more flowers. Patsy even has to pus some of the casseroles her car to put in her freezer since I ran out of room.
By evening, everyone clears out save Rhodes and my mother. Patsy has to get home to her kids, Kendall’s boyfriend is leaving tomorrow to go back to LA, and Sistine has to go to the coffee shop to make sure her employees cleaned and closed the store properly.
“Well,” my mom says, “I told a guy I went to high school with I’d meet him up at Cattywampus for some drinks.”
I’m sitting on the couch next to Rhodes when she says this. We’re holding hands and I’m leaning on him.
“How long are you staying?” I ask, knowing full well this is a loaded question.
My mom cocks her head to the side and looks like she’s bewildered I’d ask.
“Well, this is my house now,” she says.
My heart sinks. I do not want to deal with this.
“Nana left you the house?” I ask.
“I’m her only daughter. Of course she did.”
“Did she have a will?” I’m struggling to hide the contempt in my voice.
My mom storms out of the room and comes back with a document that looks like it was signed by Nana. It’s short, barely two pages. Rhodes and I read through it, and it says all her property and assets are to go to my mother. Rhodes says nothing, but gives me a concerned look.
“We’ll talk about the store and everything later,” she says. “I gotta go.” She grabs her jacket and purse and walks out the door.
My stomach turns and my face gets hot. “I feel sick,” I say to Rhodes.
“Micah, we can talk to a lawyer. This doesn’t look like a properly probated will and?—"
I hold up my hand to stop him from talking.
