dandelion // h.s.

t e n

Cold, pale skin awaits her. The body is motionless beneath the sheet. It's an older woman with snow-white skin, thin chapped lips, and a body that appears wiry but abnormally bloated. Beneath the powdery skin lingers a blue discoloration. Her hair is still damp, stuck to her forehead by the rain, and her once beautiful waves are tainted with leaves and other debris from the rubble. Her clothes are torn and her skin is covered in small nicks and bruises.

Boo doesn't have to look twice to know it's Martha. Even distorted and discolored, she knows her face anywhere. Her vision turns watery as she gapes quietly at her still body. With shaky hands, she reaches up to pluck several pieces of grass from Martha's hair. Her lips begin to tremble as her hand brushes against her grandmother's forehead; her skin is shockingly cold, a startling sensation even amongst the deep chill of the room.

"That's her," Boo says around her tears. "That's Nana."

Tony issues a small sigh behind her, as though his own heart is heavier having heard this. "Take your time with her."

Footsteps patter away as he leaves her with Martha. Boo doesn't bother to hold back the heartbroken sob that rips from her chest.

« • »

After seeing Martha's cold body laid out on a table like a sick sort of decoration, Boo is left numb to the world as she leaves the police station. The world moves around her in a blur but she can't take notice of any details. In her hands is a brochure for a local funeral home; Joanne had suggested she try calling the insurance company first to find out the cost of burying Martha. The most devastating news had been that Martha wouldn't receive an autopsy. According to Joanne, there was "no real need".

Boo has so many questions burning inside, some which could only be answered by an autopsy. But she's broke and the procedure isn't covered by insurance. So she'll have to find her own way around that roadblock.

Her hands tighten around the brochure as she passes the main reception area.

Is it even worth having a funeral? Will the ground be able to hold a casket after so much rain?

Eyes burn into her back, interrupting her thoughts. She glances over as she walks by and just catches a glimpse of Nathaniel watching her from afar before he's gone from her vision, probably slinking back to some unholy corner of the earth.

On her drive home, she phones Lori. She picks up after the third ring, leaving Boo to wonder how Lori fared so well but Martha didn't make it through the night. Maybe the universe was intent on playing one more sick joke.

"What do you want, brat?" Lori sneers into the phone.

"Hello to you too," Boo mutters, her eyes fluttering sarcastically. "Where are you staying? I'm coming to see you."

"Don't you dare," Lori protests. "We have an agreement -"

"- to stay the hell away from each other, I know," Boo finishes impatiently. "But this is important. We have to talk about Nana."

"What did she do?"

"She didn't do anything," Boo replies, rolling her lips together in thought. "She . . . just tell me where you are."

"Shawn and I are at his aunt's house," Lori snaps. "At least one of our families cares about us."

"Nana is dead!" Boo suddenly screams into the phone, unable to suppress the rage that spikes inside. "She's dead, Lori, don't you dare talk about her like that!"

A beat of tension passes; the only sounds are Boo's tires moving rhythmically on the road and the sound of Lori breathing into the receiver. "She's dead?"

"Yes," Boo cries, her voice cracking. "She - last night . . . I just saw her at the morgue."

". . . So why are you calling me?"

A noise of disgust leaves Boo's lips. "Because!" she sputters. "She was your mom! We have to do something, Lori, we have to bury her!"

"No we don't," Lori replies dryly. "Let someone else handle it."

"I don't know if it's because you're used to someone else cleaning up all your messes, but this isn't something you can ignore!" Boo hollers. "There is no one else. We have to be the ones to handle it."

"You do it then, I'm not planning anyone's funeral," Lori snaps.

"Lori, you have to help me!" Boo begs. "I can't do this by myself, I'm just a kid!"

"You're a grown woman, stop looking for sympathy," Lori laughs coldly. "I'm not wasting another penny on that woman. Why should I? She was never a mother to me."

Boo's cheeks flush red hot and her free hand clenches onto the wheel. Martha had laid herself down hand over hand for Lori - bailed her out of jail countless times, escorted her to and from every court hearing, and even visited her in prison. Any time Lori was kicked out and needed a place to stay, Martha had a room and dinner ready for her without question.

"You were never a daughter to her!" Boo bites back.

"She didn't need me, she had you," Lori sneers, and if Boo didn't know any better she'd say Lori sounds jealous. "Seems like we know who should be doing the planning."

"Fine!" Boo yells, her frustration hitting a peak once more. "If you won't grow up and help bury your own mother, then I'll do it for you! I'll be the grown up, like always!"

Lori begins another snide remark but Boo hangs up before she can hear it. Furious and blinded by a red rage, she throws her phone into the floor of the passenger seat, banging her fists against the steering wheel to keep from crying.

hello my lovelies! how are you this fine morning? what are your thoughts so far on the story?