Too Much Heaven/ A Short Story

Chapter 3 / B.L.T.D.

The four of us friends went on a weekend trip. It was one of my college friends, an old coworker and my cousin Lotte. We drove along the coast. We never made hotel arrangements or a plan for that matter. We wanted to be spontaneous and see where fate would take us. It took us nowhere. We were idiots not to recognize memorial day would draw crowds. Lotte had just graduated high school and we left as fast as possible. By the time the sun was dropping we were having to come to grips with sleeping in the car. That was the beginning of the end of our friendships. By the next morning, I had gotten word of our Grandpa's passing and showed Lotte. I wanted to immediately come back home. She didn't, and needless to say, the last day of that trip was the last time I considered that selfish little ungrateful child my family. She never had time for my grandparents. Her grandparents. I discreetly let her know grandpa passed away by texting her in the car. I wished she would have stayed silent. I didn't want everyone in our business. Her first thought she blurted when I let her know was "Wow." She then paused, as if to make sure her tasteless thoughts were worded right. " Well, don't just think everything is yours. We all want to look through the stuff." Jaw-dropped, my mouth hung so wide I could've bitten her head off. I just glared at the back of her head with a fire inside. The stuff? I thought. I said nothing. Lotte banked on the fact that I wouldn't talk back, so she felt a little to brave that day. Later, while we all sat down for lunch I let Lotte know I was gonna run to the drugstore to find perfume or body spray. Something to make me smell better after not getting to shower. I had Lotte order me a BLT. I still wonder if it would have been a good one. Where the bacon is freshly cooked, crunchy with extra mayo and red ripe beefsteak tomato. I walked out of that greasy spoon, waved down a taxi and went right to the bus station.

I scanned the streets wondering what it would have been like to live somewhere else. Could I get to know anyone? Could I make new friends or find work here with my simple ways or limitations? I think I wanted to escape going back to no one left. I cried silently the whole time in the cab. I waited for 4 hours while the girls texted me frantically, thinking I was kidnapped. Lotte knew I would never leave a BLT on the table, but it wasn't a BLT. It was a BLTD. Bacon, lettuce, tomato, and diversion sandwich. Once my bus finally arrived, I headed for home. I messaged them of how I had left, and to have a nice life. For once, I'm glad I will never have to speak to Lotte.

Lotte ended up going through grandpa's stuff alright. She took all kinds of things and sold many things in an estate sale. I wanted a few items that held memories. The little Dutch crystal vase with a sailboat etching that held fresh daffodils like it was born to display them. Grandpa's Swiss Army knife. A couple of quilts and an apron made by grandma. I set them in a box with my name on them. Yep. She sold them all. Our mothers were sisters, so her mom had more of a right to everything than I did since she was still alive. Her DNA tied my hands: I didn't have the energy or the voice to argue with my overbearing, deafening aunt. When they left, they made sure I understood that it was my job to clean the house since I had lived there all of my life. The house was small. A two bedroom where you had to go into the first bedroom, then through the only bathroom to get to the master. I miss that house. Someday I want to go back and buy it. I want to finish all of the projects Grandpa started for Grandma. I especially want to add one more cabinet. I'll pick up where I left off on the crosses too.