Laura let out a long sigh. “What a day, huh?”
Jen nodded, a
1, a tired smile on her face. “Yeah, but you’ve got to admit, it makes for a great story.”
Laura chuckled as she turned off the engine “True Though next time, let’s stick to a nice, boring flight, okay?”
They grabbed their bags and headed into the hotel, ready for a good night’s sleep before contiming their journey to Phoenix in the
Laura’s eyes lit up as she spotted the first road sign for Phoenix “Jen, look! We’re almost there.”
Jen, who had been dozing in the passenger seat, stirred and blinked at the sign. “Finally, I think my butt has permanently fused to this
seat. ”
They had been driving for hours, stopping only for quick bathroom breaks and to grab food from drive–throughs. The sun was setting. painting the desert landscape in vibrant oranges and reds.
“I can’t believe we made it,” Laura said, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel. “After everything that happened with the car…
Jen sported. “Don’t jins us now. We’re not there yet.”
As they approached the city, the traffic began to thicken Laura navigated through the unfamiliar streets, following the GPS on her phone
“Mom and Dad’s place should be just around this commer,” she said, turning onto a quiet residential street.
Their patents‘ house came into view, a modest single story home with a well–manicured lawn. But something seemed off. Every light In the house was on, and cars lined both sides of the street.
“h, did Mom mention anything about having people over?” Jen asked as they pulled into the driveway.
Lana shook her head, a sense of unease growing in her stomach. “No, but maybe they’re just being supportive?
As they approached the front door, they could hear the murmur of many voices inside. Laura rang the doorbell, exchanging a puzzled look with Jen
The door flew open, revealing their mother, looking frazzled and somewhat panicked. “Oh, girls! You’re here! I’m so sorry, I meant to call you, but things have been so hectic…”
She ushered them inside, and they were immediately overwhelmed by the crowd. The living room was packed with people, some Laura recognized, others she didn’t
Their father appeared, squeezing through the throng. “Laura, Jen! Glad you made it. Sorry about the chaos. Seems like the whole family decided to come for the funeral”
“The whole family?” Jen echoed, looking around in disbelief.
An elderly woman Laura vaguely recognized as a great–aunt patted her cheek. “Oh, you’ve
“It’s laura, Aunt Mildred,” their mother corrected gently.
Laura smiled politely, feeling overwhelmed. “It’s nice to see you, Aunt Mildred.”
egrown so much! You must be… Linda?”
They made their way through the house, being stopped every few feet by another relative wanting to chat or reminisce. Laura’s head was spinning, trying to keep track of all the names and faces.
In the kitchen, they found their cousin Mark raiding the fridge. “Hey, cuz he called out, his mouth full of leftover chicken. “Long time no see!
“Mark, don’t eat all the food, their mother scolded, shooing him away from the fridge. “Girls, I’m so sorry about all this. Everyone just showed up, and we couldn’t turn them away.”
CHAPTER THIRTY–FIVE – A Promise Made in the Dark
Laura glanced around the crowded kitchen. “It’s okay, Mom. We understand. But, uh, where are we supposed to sleep?”
Their mother’s face fell. “Oh dear. That’s what I meant to call you about. We don’t have any room left. Your Uncle Pete and Aunt Susan are in your old room, Jen. And Laura, we’ve got cousins on air mattresses in yours.”
“Mom, we’ve been driving all day,” Jen said, a note of desperation in her voice. “We’re exhausted.”
