Under Normal Circumstances

Cat's Out of the Bag

I took the plate mom offered me and sat at the table to eat. I gazed over at the papers dad was going over before picking up one of the cards on the table.

Sorry for your loss

I pushed the cards away from my plate. I wasn't ready to see that yet.

"Dad, um," I worked up my nerve to carefully ask him: "when's, uh, when is the funeral?"

"It's a week from today, we wanted to make sure you were home for it and there's a lot to plan as well," dad replied solemnly as he shuffled through the papers in front of him.

I nodded and tried to go on acting normal, like I hadn't just asked when my brother in law's funeral was over sympathy cards and casserole.

"Everyone was so relieved to hear that you were coming home, Maybelle," Aunt Elizabeth said in an effort to lift the mood as I rolled up my sleeves a bit so I could eat.

"We got ahold of everyone to let them know," she was saying as the ink on my arm caught my eye.

Crap! I was supposed to go to the base to send Slivko a message that I got home alright!

I shot up from my seat startling everyone, especially dad who drug his pen clear across the page as he flinched.
"Sorry, I forgot I was supposed to go do something at the base as soon as I got back," I explained awkwardly. "I better go do that real quick before it gets too late."

"May!" Mom called with an unhinged lilt in her voice as I quickly fetched my shoes and my keys. "Is everything ok? Why do you have to go to the base?"

"Everything is fine," I said as positively as possible as I stood there looking like a train wreck to them, I'm sure.

"I don't want you running off alone, you just got home," Dad said.

"I know, I'm sorry. But I just have to do this. I'll go straight there and come straight home," I promised.

"What do you have to do so urgently?" Mom questioned.

I ran a hand over my face.
"The guys wanted me to send a message to the boat when I got home, they were worried about me," I said as I impatiently shifted from foot to foot.

"Guys?" Mom repeated.

"Look, I'll explain it when I get home. I promised I'd do this, I have to go," I stated before walking to the front door.

"Jared, honey," Elizabeth cooed in forced calmness as I opened the front door. "Why don't you go with her?"

"Why?" He asked, earning a smack to the head. "Ow! Ok, I'll go!"

He ran after me and closed the door behind him.

"Guess I'm babysitting you now," he said as he got in the passenger seat of my old pink Cadillac. "Since I won't get paid, can you at least tell me what the heck is going on?"

I sighed as I started the engine.
"I already told Billy the story today and frankly, it's exhausting. Can I do it another day?"

I pulled out at a fast clip and braked hard enough to rattle my cousin.

"Ok fine!" He relented as he gripped the door and dashboard.  "Just take it easy!"

I pulled up to the gate and saw a familiar face working the guard shack. Mack was one of the guys I saw frequently when I was working on the base.