Richard Henry Lovinggood III, Hank to his family and
friends, entered the study and gave his grandmother a kiss.
“Hey, Grandma. What’s wrong with you?”
The senator’s heart gave a little leap. He looked so much like Richard! Tall and well-built with blond hair and beautiful blue eyes, he turned feminine heads everywhere he went. The expression in his eyes was different, though. Richard had burned within, but Hank had a peaceful, calm center. Elaine always said it was probably a legacy from his cursed mother because he sure didn’t get it from Richard’s side of the family. She was undoubtedly right about that.
Senator Lovinggood joined them in front of the fire. His old bones liked the warmth. “She’s upset because Morton Williams called today.”
“And?”
“Your parents will be disinterred on the twenty-third. We have to make arrangements.”
“I see.”
Senator Lovinggood blew his nose, the honking sound reverberating around the room. “Do you have any ideas about where you want to put them, Hank?”
“I do. I knew you couldn’t block the train forever, so I’ve been looking around. I visited a very nice cemetery this afternoon. Have you ever heard of Crystal Rivers?”
Elaine shook her head. “No. Where is it?”
“It’s about thirty minutes from here. It’s not a new cemetery, but it’s beautiful as far as cemeteries go.”
The senator’s heart gave a little leap. He looked so much like Richard! Tall and well-built with blond hair and beautiful blue eyes, he turned feminine heads everywhere he went. The expression in his eyes was different, though. Richard had burned within, but Hank had a peaceful, calm center. Elaine always said it was probably a legacy from his cursed mother because he sure didn’t get it from Richard’s side of the family. She was undoubtedly right about that.
Senator Lovinggood joined them in front of the fire. His old bones liked the warmth. “She’s upset because Morton Williams called today.”
“And?”
“Your parents will be disinterred on the twenty-third. We have to make arrangements.”
“I see.”
Senator Lovinggood blew his nose, the honking sound reverberating around the room. “Do you have any ideas about where you want to put them, Hank?”
“I do. I knew you couldn’t block the train forever, so I’ve been looking around. I visited a very nice cemetery this afternoon. Have you ever heard of Crystal Rivers?”
Elaine shook her head. “No. Where is it?”
“It’s about thirty minutes from here. It’s not a new cemetery, but it’s beautiful as far as cemeteries go.”
Elaine shrugged. “One place is as good as another.”
“If it isn’t a new cemetery, is there enough room for us to be buried there as well?” Senator Lovinggood worried.
“Yes, sir, there is. They’re willing to set aside an entire block of spaces for us.”
Senator Lovinggood’s face smoothed out. “Good. If you like it, Hank, that’s what we’ll do. Do you want to call Williams, or do you want me to? I know you don’t know him, so I’ll be glad to take care of it for you.”
“I’ll call him, Grandpa.”
Elaine cocked her head and stared at Hank. “Why have you decided to call Williams? You always tell Henry to take care of things like this.”
“Oh, no reason.” His eyes rested on the photo on the desk. “It’s just something I can do for Mother and Dad.”
Senator Lovinggood blew his nose again and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. “I know exactly how you feel. I’d give my right arm for the chance to help Richard one more time.”
Hank kissed his grandmother’s cheek. “Don’t worry, Grandma. It’ll be over and done with before you know it. Just think how proud Dad would be. His administration laid the groundwork for the Flash Train.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
The senator’s chest swelled with pride. “I’m proud of it too. The Flash Train can travel over three hundred fifty miles per hour.”
Hank rose to his feet. “I want to change clothes before dinner. I’ll see you guys in a minute.”
He dropped a kiss on his grandmother’s cheek and dashed upstairs.
“Just like Richard used to do,” Senator Lovinggood observed.
“If it isn’t a new cemetery, is there enough room for us to be buried there as well?” Senator Lovinggood worried.
“Yes, sir, there is. They’re willing to set aside an entire block of spaces for us.”
Senator Lovinggood’s face smoothed out. “Good. If you like it, Hank, that’s what we’ll do. Do you want to call Williams, or do you want me to? I know you don’t know him, so I’ll be glad to take care of it for you.”
“I’ll call him, Grandpa.”
Elaine cocked her head and stared at Hank. “Why have you decided to call Williams? You always tell Henry to take care of things like this.”
“Oh, no reason.” His eyes rested on the photo on the desk. “It’s just something I can do for Mother and Dad.”
Senator Lovinggood blew his nose again and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. “I know exactly how you feel. I’d give my right arm for the chance to help Richard one more time.”
Hank kissed his grandmother’s cheek. “Don’t worry, Grandma. It’ll be over and done with before you know it. Just think how proud Dad would be. His administration laid the groundwork for the Flash Train.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
The senator’s chest swelled with pride. “I’m proud of it too. The Flash Train can travel over three hundred fifty miles per hour.”
Hank rose to his feet. “I want to change clothes before dinner. I’ll see you guys in a minute.”
He dropped a kiss on his grandmother’s cheek and dashed upstairs.
“Just like Richard used to do,” Senator Lovinggood observed.
“Richard didn’t always change before dinner,” Elaine
disagreed.
“No. Run up the stairs. Richard used to do that too.”
Elaine rolled her eyes. “I think I’ll change for dinner too.”
“You look fine to me.”
“No, I feel like changing.”
The senator shrugged. “I’m fine as I am.”
Elaine shot him a look he couldn’t define. “If you say
so.”
Really! Now what did she mean by that?
Blue 52 is the sequel to Return Engagement. I'm sharing excerpts from that on Sundays if you'd care to take a look. Blue 52 is for sale at Amazon and http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com
“No. Run up the stairs. Richard used to do that too.”
Elaine rolled her eyes. “I think I’ll change for dinner too.”
“You look fine to me.”
“No, I feel like changing.”
The senator shrugged. “I’m fine as I am.”
Elaine shot him a look he couldn’t define. “If you say
so.”
Really! Now what did she mean by that?
Blue 52 is the sequel to Return Engagement. I'm sharing excerpts from that on Sundays if you'd care to take a look. Blue 52 is for sale at Amazon and http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com
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