Before I could answer cousin Raymond, Mr. Poyfair walked up to us.
“Mr. Poyfair.” Raymond said.
“Mr. O’Reilly,” Mr. Poyfair nodded. He turned to me and shook my hand, “Mrs. Trelly. I appreciate your coming.”
“It’s nice to meet you, sir.”
“How was your trip?”
“I’ve been up since three o’ clock Texas time so I’m exhausted, but the flight was good and the drive was lovely.”
Jazz came up and grabbed my arm, “Sorry. I’m back.”
“Ms. Friendburg.” Mr. Poyfair continued, “I’m glad all three of you could make it to the funeral. How long will you be staying?”
“I’m flying out Sunday morning,” I said.
“I’ll leave then too,” Jazz said.
Raymond looked at Mr. Poyfair and said, “There’s nothing for me here. I’m leaving as soon as you can read me the will.”
What a jerk. Was the will the only thing he cared about? What about his grandma?
“Your aunt wished the three of you to meet me at her house for the reading. I must go to back to my office first. Let’s meet at four o’ clock. That would give you a couple of hours to rest if you wish Mrs. Trelly. Would that work for you as well, Mr. O’Reilly.”
“Absolutely.” Raymond agreed.
“I’d appreciate a nap.” I admitted.
“Good then. If you’ll excuse me.” Mr. Poyfair left us.
Raymond glared at Jazz and turned away too.
“Are you okay?” Jazz asked me.
“I’m just exhausted.”
“Edna wants to have us over to her house tomorrow if that’s okay with you.”
Sounds good. Why don’t you make the plans while I sit for a bit and try one of those cookies.” She walked away again looking back at me as I put two chocolate chip cookies on a plate, grabbed a cup of lemonade and collapsed on a plastic folding chair. The tart drink did nothing to lift my drooping eyelids.
“Hello Lilly.” Pastor Earl sat in the chair next to me and grasped my hand in both of his. “I’m glad to meet you. Your aunt was a friend of mine and we had a good many talks together until her stroke.” His warm bright smile shone. I jerked my head up.
“Hello Pastor. It’s nice to meet you too.” I hesitated and then asked, “It was a nice service, but I was wondering why you didn’t use the hymns I’m used to. What happened to ‘Amazing Grace’ or ‘Abide with Me’?”
“Your aunt picked the songs out herself.” He explained.
“But they seemed so gloomy.” I broke a cookie in half, “Isn’t this a time to celebrate the resurrection?”
“I can’t answer for her choice of hymns, but I was with her when she prayed the sinner’s prayer. She may have dwelt on the righteous judgment of God, but she was a child of the King.”
I shivered.
“Are you cold?” he asked with concern.
“It’s a lot colder here than the high seventies we’ve been having in Fort Worth, and I didn’t bring a heavy coat with me. I’d drink some coffee if I could do caffeine.”
“Here. I have something of your Aunt’s that you should have.” He walked across the hall and returned. “She used to keep an extra jacket here for the days when the sanctuary was chilly. I can see her now wrapped up in her coat with a hymnal in one hand and the other hand in her pocket.”
The sleeves of the coat fell at my wrists. I buttoned it into a perfect fit. Mom’s family had been right. I was built like dad’s side of the family. No wonder I towered over Mom.
One pocket was filled with tissues. The other was empty except for two objects. I pulled out a dried white flower and a small skeleton key.
“What’s this?” I asked surprised and held out my hand. The key was tarnished brass with an intricate notched blade; the tip of the handle was a four leave clover with diamond shape cut out of the center.
Pastor Earl leaned in to examine it, “It looks like a key for a jewelry box. Boxes like that are common around here. The flower is a lily like she had growing in her yard. See this coat was meant for you.”
“Did she like Lilies?” I asked.
“Just wait until you see her house.”
“Mr. Poyfair.” Raymond said.
“Mr. O’Reilly,” Mr. Poyfair nodded. He turned to me and shook my hand, “Mrs. Trelly. I appreciate your coming.”
“It’s nice to meet you, sir.”
“How was your trip?”
“I’ve been up since three o’ clock Texas time so I’m exhausted, but the flight was good and the drive was lovely.”
Jazz came up and grabbed my arm, “Sorry. I’m back.”
“Ms. Friendburg.” Mr. Poyfair continued, “I’m glad all three of you could make it to the funeral. How long will you be staying?”
“I’m flying out Sunday morning,” I said.
“I’ll leave then too,” Jazz said.
Raymond looked at Mr. Poyfair and said, “There’s nothing for me here. I’m leaving as soon as you can read me the will.”
What a jerk. Was the will the only thing he cared about? What about his grandma?
“Your aunt wished the three of you to meet me at her house for the reading. I must go to back to my office first. Let’s meet at four o’ clock. That would give you a couple of hours to rest if you wish Mrs. Trelly. Would that work for you as well, Mr. O’Reilly.”
“Absolutely.” Raymond agreed.
“I’d appreciate a nap.” I admitted.
“Good then. If you’ll excuse me.” Mr. Poyfair left us.
Raymond glared at Jazz and turned away too.
“Are you okay?” Jazz asked me.
“I’m just exhausted.”
“Edna wants to have us over to her house tomorrow if that’s okay with you.”
Sounds good. Why don’t you make the plans while I sit for a bit and try one of those cookies.” She walked away again looking back at me as I put two chocolate chip cookies on a plate, grabbed a cup of lemonade and collapsed on a plastic folding chair. The tart drink did nothing to lift my drooping eyelids.
“Hello Lilly.” Pastor Earl sat in the chair next to me and grasped my hand in both of his. “I’m glad to meet you. Your aunt was a friend of mine and we had a good many talks together until her stroke.” His warm bright smile shone. I jerked my head up.
“Hello Pastor. It’s nice to meet you too.” I hesitated and then asked, “It was a nice service, but I was wondering why you didn’t use the hymns I’m used to. What happened to ‘Amazing Grace’ or ‘Abide with Me’?”
“Your aunt picked the songs out herself.” He explained.
“But they seemed so gloomy.” I broke a cookie in half, “Isn’t this a time to celebrate the resurrection?”
“I can’t answer for her choice of hymns, but I was with her when she prayed the sinner’s prayer. She may have dwelt on the righteous judgment of God, but she was a child of the King.”
I shivered.
“Are you cold?” he asked with concern.
“It’s a lot colder here than the high seventies we’ve been having in Fort Worth, and I didn’t bring a heavy coat with me. I’d drink some coffee if I could do caffeine.”
“Here. I have something of your Aunt’s that you should have.” He walked across the hall and returned. “She used to keep an extra jacket here for the days when the sanctuary was chilly. I can see her now wrapped up in her coat with a hymnal in one hand and the other hand in her pocket.”
The sleeves of the coat fell at my wrists. I buttoned it into a perfect fit. Mom’s family had been right. I was built like dad’s side of the family. No wonder I towered over Mom.
One pocket was filled with tissues. The other was empty except for two objects. I pulled out a dried white flower and a small skeleton key.
“What’s this?” I asked surprised and held out my hand. The key was tarnished brass with an intricate notched blade; the tip of the handle was a four leave clover with diamond shape cut out of the center.
Pastor Earl leaned in to examine it, “It looks like a key for a jewelry box. Boxes like that are common around here. The flower is a lily like she had growing in her yard. See this coat was meant for you.”
“Did she like Lilies?” I asked.
“Just wait until you see her house.”