[FM] August - Hearse
Her fingers traced along the length of the car, still standing in the driveway to the funeral home. She didn't know these people, and there was a part of her that didn't want to know them either. Paolo's family is loud, and a bit overbearing. It makes her wonder just how the hell Paolo turned out the way he had. Of course it could make perfect sense... the family forcing his hand at all times, making him just follow along. Folding her arms across her chest she leans against the side of the hearse and watches from beneath the canopy covering the sidewalk in front of the parlor.
Short fingernails tapped lightly against the sleeve of her coat, and she had been over thinking the entire thing for the most part. It was logical that she was there... sort of. Most the news from Australia had kept the lowly chef out of the papers, and it wasn't like his family even knew who she was... but she was pretty sure Paulo had told his family about a girl... it just was never really clear if she was mentioned by name, or hair color.
Glancing to her watch she was upset by the thought that only twenty minutes had passed. The church was filling up, and she was about to turn and leave. She knew she had to get back to the other side of town before four to check a lead... and it was pushing on three as it was.
"You knew him?"
The question startled her for a moment, a thick accent lilting with sorrow from behind her. Turning around Nikki settled her eyes on the elderly woman, "I did."
"You're Nikki."
It was confirmation, and it was unsettling. To think that someone else knew who she was in connection to Paolo... it wasn't right at all.
"He loved you. He'd have wanted you to go in... I'm his Abuelita... he would have wanted you to be with family."
Nikki drew her arms in closer to herself, nearly recoiling from the woman's comforting touch, "I'm sorry... I just can't right now."
"You were supposed to be on that flight."
That was too much for her to hear, pushing off the side of the car Nikki shook her head, "I'm sorry... I have to go."
She didn't look back, not to see if the woman called for someone else, or pointed her out to a crowd. She didn't turn to meet the woman's eyes one last time, nor did she want to ever look back again. All she wanted to do was just move forward, and move on with her life.
All she wanted was to forget.
Short fingernails tapped lightly against the sleeve of her coat, and she had been over thinking the entire thing for the most part. It was logical that she was there... sort of. Most the news from Australia had kept the lowly chef out of the papers, and it wasn't like his family even knew who she was... but she was pretty sure Paulo had told his family about a girl... it just was never really clear if she was mentioned by name, or hair color.
Glancing to her watch she was upset by the thought that only twenty minutes had passed. The church was filling up, and she was about to turn and leave. She knew she had to get back to the other side of town before four to check a lead... and it was pushing on three as it was.
"You knew him?"
The question startled her for a moment, a thick accent lilting with sorrow from behind her. Turning around Nikki settled her eyes on the elderly woman, "I did."
"You're Nikki."
It was confirmation, and it was unsettling. To think that someone else knew who she was in connection to Paolo... it wasn't right at all.
"He loved you. He'd have wanted you to go in... I'm his Abuelita... he would have wanted you to be with family."
Nikki drew her arms in closer to herself, nearly recoiling from the woman's comforting touch, "I'm sorry... I just can't right now."
"You were supposed to be on that flight."
That was too much for her to hear, pushing off the side of the car Nikki shook her head, "I'm sorry... I have to go."
She didn't look back, not to see if the woman called for someone else, or pointed her out to a crowd. She didn't turn to meet the woman's eyes one last time, nor did she want to ever look back again. All she wanted to do was just move forward, and move on with her life.
All she wanted was to forget.