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“Seems once again we find ourselves at odds.”
“Interesting turn of phrase.” Tori had to hold back her smile this time. They were having an actual conversation! She was so elated. “Do you have a minute?”
“One, exactly.” Miranda’s gaze moved out the front door to the funeral home as if she was waiting on something.
“All right.” Tori bolstered herself. “The other day…when I brought up Harley’s old clothes…I didn’t mean to offend you. Really. I was just trying to help, and it’s not uncommon to get hand-me-down clothes because kids do grow out of them quickly.” Her nerves got the best of her. “I’m butchering this. I really just wanted to apologize. I didn’t mean to offend you.”
Miranda stayed still, her gaze unwavering. Tori’s heart was in her throat, clogging it up. Would her apology be accepted for what it was? Because she wasn’t sure she could do that again. It had taken a lot out of her.
Eventually, Miranda’s hard look turned into a brilliant smile, her entire face transforming. She chuckled lightly. “I don’t think anyone has ever apologized to me over something so benign.”
“Benign?” Tori’s eyes widened. “I thought you were going to take my head off.”
Miranda wiped her palms on her dress. “No. We wouldn’t want that, would we? Someone needs to be there for the living.”
“I…” Tori was thrown off, completely. “I have no idea what to say to that.”
“It doesn’t require you to say anything. Sometimes there is more to say in silence than there is with words.”
“Interesting line of thought.” Tori leaned in again. “So what do you have to do after the service?”
“Oh.” Miranda was looking back out the front door of the funeral home, distracted.
“Are you waiting for something?”
“Yes.” Miranda cast a furtive look at Tori. “Rebel.”
“Wait? What? Isn’t she at daycare?”
“Not anymore.” Miranda stepped forward and opened the door as rain pelted down.
In rushed two adults and Rebel, without a jacket, her head buried far down against the woman who carried her, and her clothes completely drenched. The woman was the spitting image of Miranda, and there was no doubt in Tori’s mind that this was Rebel’s grandmother.
“She tried to run away as soon as I put her down.”
“You shouldn’t have put her down,” Miranda chastised as she reached for Rebel and ran her hands through her hair, brushing the damp strands from her face.
Tori’s stomach clenched sharply. Rebel’s cheeks were red, but the rest of her face was as pale as could be, ashen even.
“She should know better than to run.”
“Mom, she’s not even two yet.” Miranda sighed heavily. “What did they say when they called?”
The man shook his jacket out, water droplets falling all over the floor and onto Miranda’s foot. She didn’t budge. “Fever.”
“She looks pale,” Miranda murmured. Rebel cuddled into her side. “I have a few more hours of work before I can leave for the day. Do you think you can take her until then?”
The woman’s lips pursed in that exact way Miranda’s usually did. Tori would have laughed had it been appropriate, but she’d finally gotten Miranda to smile at her, and she didn’t want to ruin it by causing a scene where she wasn’t wanted. She thought about leaving and heading back to Nadine, but the drama unfolding in front of her captured her attention.
“I need to finish this service.” Miranda’s tone was flat.
Tori shuddered at it and the chill her parents had brought into the entryway. She was pretty sure Miranda used that tone on a lot of the people who worked under her. It was the perfect I won’t take bullshit voice. Except that rarely worked in these familial situations, especially when it was the child saying it to the parent. And sure enough, Tori’s assumption was correct.
“I have an appointment to get my hair done.”
“Your perm will be ruined in the rain. Reschedule it.” Desperation edged its way into Miranda’s voice.
Tori was about to step in, but Miranda’s mom beat her to the punch. “I can’t do that. It’s a standing appointment.”
