Enjoy Your Stay by Carmen Jenner Read Free Book Online

endure it any longer.
    I didn’t know Kerry that well. I mean, she seemed nice enough. It was clear she loved her family—even if she didn’t always show it in the best possible ways—but I don’t think we ever uttered more than a couple of sentences to one another since I moved here. She didn’t sound like a bad person. I know Ana wasn’t her biggest fan, but even my baby cousin shed a few tears today.
    Poor little Sammy was heartbroken. He sat between Ana and Elijah, and quietly ran a toy car over the pew in front of him. And Bob hadn’t really uttered a word to anyone. He stood in the first pew in his leathers, sunnies firmly fixed over his bloodshot eyes. He hadn’t flinched when the empty coffin had been carried out, and he hadn’t cried when it was lowered into the ground, and the dirt had been shovelled over the top. He hadn’t said a word to anyone, just tore up the street on his Harley as soon as the service was over.
    The wake is at the little hall adjoining the church, and Ana’s been left with the burden of running around like a blue-arsed fly, making sure everyone has enough to eat, and a full coffee cup in their hands. I tried offering my help, but she shooed me away with a terse, “Go find Holly, and see if you can help her.”
    Looks like the whole town has turned up for the wake, but I gotta say, it’s a little odd seeing Bob’s biker friends in all their leather and tattoos beside little old ladies in pastels. There are a few other kids here, but Sammy hasn’t shown an interest in any of them. He sits on the hardwood floors, and stares into space while leaning up against Elijah’s leg.
    “You seen Holly?” I ask Cade. He’s nursing a cup of coffee in one of those dainty little china cups that he could probably smash with his pinkie. He glances up, and points to the back of the room.
    “Careful, those bitches are dangerous,” he mutters as he chews on a Tim Tam. “They practically bailed me up, and ran me right out of town when I first got here.”
    I glance over a sea of faces I don’t recognise and find Hols cornered by a group of elderly women. Either they’re trying to convert her faith, or they’re trying to coax her into a foursome, because she looks more uncomfortable than I have ever seen her.
    “Thanks for the warning, man.” I walk away, wondering how much damage three little old ladies can do. Old ladies love me.
    As I get closer, Holly spots me above their flower-patterned hats, and gives me these wild, crazy, rescue-me eyes. I grin, and make out like I’m about to keep walking, just to piss her off.
    “Jackson,” she shouts so loudly that several groups turn to stare at her, including the priest, who clears his throat and shifts his focus back to the avid churchgoers in front of him.
    “Hey Hols.” I smile snidely, as I stop beside her. “How you holding up?”
    “I’m hanging in there,” she deadpans. “Wasn’t there something you needed to show me?”
    “Show you?” I frown, and pretend like I’m really giving this serious thought. “Nope, nothing that I can think of.” While she’s silently fuming, and probably envisioning all the ways she could make me die a slow and painful death, I glance at the elderly women before me and hold out my hand. “Hi, I’m Jackson Rowe.”
    The woman closest shakes my hand, and I give her a megawatt smile. The gorgeous old thing blushes so much I bet it travels right the way down from her cheeks to her giant granny knickers. “Celia Rose, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Jackson. We’re very sorry for your loss.”
    “Thank you,” I reply solemnly.
    Celia introduces me to the two remaining ladies, and then launches right into a speech about the sanctity of marriage, and how important it is in this day and age. And then she stumps me by putting her hands on Hols’ flat belly, and says, “Are you the father of this beautiful gift from God?”
    Jesus Christ. Does everyone know everything that goes on in this town?