Wanted by My Three Bosses novel · Chapter 21 of 24

Chapter 21: Ohio

My mother is buried under a maple tree on the hill above the feed store.

I stood in front of the stone at nine the next morning, with three men behind me in dark coats.

I could not think of a single thing to say.

Gray had picked flowers from a gas station.

They were carnations, dyed blue, and he had apologized for them twice on the drive.

"She'd have loved those," I said.

"Liar."

"She loved anything ugly that someone had picked for her."

He laughed, and set them down on the grass.

I crouched and put my hand flat on the stone.

"Hi, Mom," I said. "I put on the suit."

Nobody said anything.

The wind moved in the maple, and somewhere down the hill a tractor started up.

"It was too big," I said. "You were right. I stood in the lobby for ninety minutes and then I stood up."

I swallowed.

"These are the three from the fridge. I know. I know."

Behind me, Anson cleared his throat.

"Mrs. Birchall," he said.

It was the most formal I had ever heard him.

"We've done a great many things wrong, and we'll do more. But I want you to know that she is the best thing that has happened to any of us. We'll try to deserve her."

"Anson," I whispered.

"She'd want to hear it from me."

I stood up and took his hand.

My aunt's kitchen smelled of coffee and onions, and the whole town was already in it.

She was my mother's younger sister, a short woman with her sleeves rolled up.

She had seen the gossip site on her phone at seven o'clock that morning.

So had the church, the feed store, and everyone on her street.

She put four plates on the table without a word.

Then she stood at the head of it with her arms crossed.

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