Book Description

The funeral was short. Laurel was surprised that she cried during the service. It had been small, primarily populated by Laurel and her husband’s family. He didn’t have many friends and she had no family to speak of so the service was short and sweet. The sky was unbearably bright and they held the service in the late afternoon. Maybe not a sweet funeral, but it was short. Richard Ericson had died at the age of thirty five of a massive heart attack. He had grown larger during the last five years of his life and made no effort to remain healthy despite the fact that he nagged at Laurel constantly to maintain her beauty for him. Richard and Laurel had lived quietly side by side, she kept the house and he went to his office job from eight to six. He came home and she had dinner ready. They never had children. There was little love in the marriage. Because there was such little love Laurel was surprised when a few tears slipped out as Richard was lowered into the ground. Her mother-in-law patted her briskly on the shoulder. The woman’s face was tight and devoid of emotion as she gave her a stiff hug. Without another word she walked to where her husband stood, a somber man. The two made a lovely emotionless pair. Her mother and father-in-law were silent and shed few tears. There was little love in the family as well. The priest said a few words and her brother-in-law sang drunkenly under his breath, attempting to put his arm around Laurel’s waist. She swatted him away but his hands kept finding his way to her hip, belly button and thigh. At one point his fingers started to creep up the back of her dress and stoke her butt. That was the last straw. She turned and slapped his hand and stepped firmly on his foot. He yelped, making the priest and his parents look up at them. Laurel flushed but did not apologize, just stepped away from Tyson pointedly and motioned for the priest to continue. It wasn’t until she folded her arms that he continued his reading. It was rather a depressing funeral and Laurel was glad when it was over. Her in-laws gave her a curt nod as she walked back to her car and her brother-in-law gave her a lewd smile that made her skin crawl. She quickened her pace and didn’t look back. Not at the grave or her supposed ‘family’. As she drove home by herself one thought kept circling in her mind. It wasn’t about her dead husband and how she should have left the marriage earlier. It wasn’t about his parent and their lack of affection for both their son and her. It wasn’t about the fact that her home would now be empty and only occupied by her. No, her one thought was this: I have to get a job