Lead Me Home, Numbers, Part 30/84
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"I think that's about it," Colby said after about twenty minutes. He took a sip of his water.
Beth chuckled. "I don't think so. You didn't mention any dating."
Colby shrugged. "Well, not much to tell on that front."
"I can't believe a beautiful man like you doesn't have hordes of women flocking after him."
"L.A. is hard. My work schedule is so weird and I was..." He broke off, not sure how much he really wanted to share.
Beth smiled ruefully. "Zach and I travelled the world, Colby. You don't have to worry about shocking me."
"I'm not sure I know what you mean."
"You can say you were a spy. And we often travelled to Greece, so you can say that you don't like women, if that's the case. Neither statement would change anything."
Colby blushed. "Okay. I was a spy and didn't feel comfortable dating; how could I put some innocent person potentially in danger? And it's not that I don't like women, I'm just..."
Beth raised her eyebrow.
"I've got a crush on a guy from work. But I'm not sure what it means yet."
"I see," the statement was paired with a sage nod. "Well, I know when you're ready, the right person will come along."
Colby laughed and shook his head.
"What?"
"You have no idea how worried I was that you'd... well, it doesn't matter."
Beth took a deep breath and her face got as serious as Colby had ever seen it. "Colby Zachariah Granger, you'd best not have been thinking I was so closed-minded."
"No, ma'am. I just didn't know... I mean five weeks is a long time to... "
"I never for one moment thought you were anything but a patriot. Zach and I met while working in Washington. For a time, Zach worked for one of the ambassadors. So even if I didn't know the details, I knew you and your heart and knew there was more to it."
"And Zach?" Colby felt as if the question was ripped from him. He hadn't intended to voice any more insecurities today.
"Oh sweetie," Beth rose and came to sit next to Colby. "He has always been in your corner. Since the day you were born and named after him. Don't worry for a second about it."
Colby nodded and took her hands in his. "I guess I didn't realize how important you two had been in my life. I've had to work really hard to gain back... my friends, my life. And you..."
Beth smiled and kissed him on his cheek. "I wonder if your friends know what a sensitive soul you are. No, I bet you've got them thinking you're this tough guy."
"Can't I be both?"
"You, my delightful boy, can be anything you want. You know that."
Colby laughed and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Enough heavy stuff. I've done all the talking. You tell me what I've missed here."
She laughed as well and shook her head. She rose and retrieved a book from her shelf. "Here."
Colby opened the book and discovered it was the guest register from Zach's funeral.
"It was a great service. The pastor gave a wonderful eulogy. I would have liked to have had you to sing and be a pall bearer but... Your mother was such a big help."
"I'm glad." He flipped through the pages of guests but stopped at the copy of the bulletin. It was classic and simple. It contained the details of the funeral.
A copy of Zach's obituary from the Statesman followed. He quickly scanned it and felt his breath stutter when he got down to the family section. He whispered the sentence aloud, "Zach is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, and one god-son, Colby Granger, of Los Angeles."
He moved on before he got too choked up. That went out the window when he got to the pictures of the flowers. The funeral home had included the cards with the photos and he had to stop when he got the bouquet he'd had sent.
The flowers were simple but beautiful. White larkspur stalks gave the arrangement some height. Deep red carnations and bright white chrysanthemums were some of the largest blooms in any of the photos. The bouquet was exactly what Colby would have picked had he been able to chose. The card below said only With Deepest Sympathy and no signature. Beth, however, had known. "From Colby" had been written in her neat script. He wiped away the single tear that rolled down his cheek.
"You were there in spirit, Colby. Zach and I both knew that."
Colby looked up at her. She always seemed to know what he was thinking. "I know you understand. It doesn't mean I still don't wish I could have been here."
"I didn't show you this book to hurt or depress you. I wanted you to see how loved Zach was. And how much you were loved in return by him." Beth sighed. "We just keep getting into the weeds today."
"Yeah," Colby replied, keeping his thoughts to him. Story of my life, lately.
"Do you have plans for lunch?"
"What?" he was thrown by the change in conversation.
"I know you have cousins here in Boise. Do you have lunch plans with them?"
"No, not lunch. Coffee later, why?"
"Because I want to take you to lunch. It'll do my ego good to be seen out and about with a hot, young thing."
Colby laughed. "Okay, but where are you finding this third person to lunch with us?"
A swat on the arm and laugh were his reward for the joke. "You behave or there won't be dessert."
"Yes, ma'am."
~3~
Dessert had just been served to them at the nice French cafe Beth had chosen, when she cleared her throat to speak.
"I know we've discussed some very serious things today, Colby. But there is one more thing that I want to talk you about."
"Okay."
"I'm not a spring chicken anymore and losing Zach... well, I'm in the possess of changing my will and some of the changes affect you."
Colby set his fork down and looked over at Beth. Yes, she was a little gray-haired old lady, but she'd never seemed old to him. She was spry and sharp-witted and young at heart. "You're not going anywhere for a while, Beth."
"I know but I want to be prepared. I don't know if you know this but Zach and I were very well off and when I go my estate will be quite large."
"Beth, I-"
"Let me finish. Now a nice portion is going to various charities. I'm also donating some properties, as well. But a sizeable chunk remains, a chunk to go to my heir. You."
"What? No. What about your cousin, Leah?"
"Oh, she's expecting to get it all, but I don't intend for her to see a penny. You know, she didn't even send flowers to the funeral? She just showed up today wanting to know if everything was in order for her inhertience."
"Beth, even if you don't like her, she's family. I'm just-"
"Family, as well. Closer and more precious to me than that bitch."
"Beth."
"I've made up my mind. The lawyer's all ready working on the new will. Don't worry; I'm gonna be here for a while, yet. You can try to talk me out of this later. Now, eat up. Your dessert is getting soggy."
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Part 01 Part 02 Part 03 Part 04 Part 05 Part 06 Part 07 Part 08 Part 09 Part 10
Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20
Part 21 Part 22 Part 23 Part 24 Part 25 Part 26 Part 27 Part 28 Part 29
"I think that's about it," Colby said after about twenty minutes. He took a sip of his water.
Beth chuckled. "I don't think so. You didn't mention any dating."
Colby shrugged. "Well, not much to tell on that front."
"I can't believe a beautiful man like you doesn't have hordes of women flocking after him."
"L.A. is hard. My work schedule is so weird and I was..." He broke off, not sure how much he really wanted to share.
Beth smiled ruefully. "Zach and I travelled the world, Colby. You don't have to worry about shocking me."
"I'm not sure I know what you mean."
"You can say you were a spy. And we often travelled to Greece, so you can say that you don't like women, if that's the case. Neither statement would change anything."
Colby blushed. "Okay. I was a spy and didn't feel comfortable dating; how could I put some innocent person potentially in danger? And it's not that I don't like women, I'm just..."
Beth raised her eyebrow.
"I've got a crush on a guy from work. But I'm not sure what it means yet."
"I see," the statement was paired with a sage nod. "Well, I know when you're ready, the right person will come along."
Colby laughed and shook his head.
"What?"
"You have no idea how worried I was that you'd... well, it doesn't matter."
Beth took a deep breath and her face got as serious as Colby had ever seen it. "Colby Zachariah Granger, you'd best not have been thinking I was so closed-minded."
"No, ma'am. I just didn't know... I mean five weeks is a long time to... "
"I never for one moment thought you were anything but a patriot. Zach and I met while working in Washington. For a time, Zach worked for one of the ambassadors. So even if I didn't know the details, I knew you and your heart and knew there was more to it."
"And Zach?" Colby felt as if the question was ripped from him. He hadn't intended to voice any more insecurities today.
"Oh sweetie," Beth rose and came to sit next to Colby. "He has always been in your corner. Since the day you were born and named after him. Don't worry for a second about it."
Colby nodded and took her hands in his. "I guess I didn't realize how important you two had been in my life. I've had to work really hard to gain back... my friends, my life. And you..."
Beth smiled and kissed him on his cheek. "I wonder if your friends know what a sensitive soul you are. No, I bet you've got them thinking you're this tough guy."
"Can't I be both?"
"You, my delightful boy, can be anything you want. You know that."
Colby laughed and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Enough heavy stuff. I've done all the talking. You tell me what I've missed here."
She laughed as well and shook her head. She rose and retrieved a book from her shelf. "Here."
Colby opened the book and discovered it was the guest register from Zach's funeral.
"It was a great service. The pastor gave a wonderful eulogy. I would have liked to have had you to sing and be a pall bearer but... Your mother was such a big help."
"I'm glad." He flipped through the pages of guests but stopped at the copy of the bulletin. It was classic and simple. It contained the details of the funeral.
A copy of Zach's obituary from the Statesman followed. He quickly scanned it and felt his breath stutter when he got down to the family section. He whispered the sentence aloud, "Zach is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, and one god-son, Colby Granger, of Los Angeles."
He moved on before he got too choked up. That went out the window when he got to the pictures of the flowers. The funeral home had included the cards with the photos and he had to stop when he got the bouquet he'd had sent.
The flowers were simple but beautiful. White larkspur stalks gave the arrangement some height. Deep red carnations and bright white chrysanthemums were some of the largest blooms in any of the photos. The bouquet was exactly what Colby would have picked had he been able to chose. The card below said only With Deepest Sympathy and no signature. Beth, however, had known. "From Colby" had been written in her neat script. He wiped away the single tear that rolled down his cheek.
"You were there in spirit, Colby. Zach and I both knew that."
Colby looked up at her. She always seemed to know what he was thinking. "I know you understand. It doesn't mean I still don't wish I could have been here."
"I didn't show you this book to hurt or depress you. I wanted you to see how loved Zach was. And how much you were loved in return by him." Beth sighed. "We just keep getting into the weeds today."
"Yeah," Colby replied, keeping his thoughts to him. Story of my life, lately.
"Do you have plans for lunch?"
"What?" he was thrown by the change in conversation.
"I know you have cousins here in Boise. Do you have lunch plans with them?"
"No, not lunch. Coffee later, why?"
"Because I want to take you to lunch. It'll do my ego good to be seen out and about with a hot, young thing."
Colby laughed. "Okay, but where are you finding this third person to lunch with us?"
A swat on the arm and laugh were his reward for the joke. "You behave or there won't be dessert."
"Yes, ma'am."
~3~
Dessert had just been served to them at the nice French cafe Beth had chosen, when she cleared her throat to speak.
"I know we've discussed some very serious things today, Colby. But there is one more thing that I want to talk you about."
"Okay."
"I'm not a spring chicken anymore and losing Zach... well, I'm in the possess of changing my will and some of the changes affect you."
Colby set his fork down and looked over at Beth. Yes, she was a little gray-haired old lady, but she'd never seemed old to him. She was spry and sharp-witted and young at heart. "You're not going anywhere for a while, Beth."
"I know but I want to be prepared. I don't know if you know this but Zach and I were very well off and when I go my estate will be quite large."
"Beth, I-"
"Let me finish. Now a nice portion is going to various charities. I'm also donating some properties, as well. But a sizeable chunk remains, a chunk to go to my heir. You."
"What? No. What about your cousin, Leah?"
"Oh, she's expecting to get it all, but I don't intend for her to see a penny. You know, she didn't even send flowers to the funeral? She just showed up today wanting to know if everything was in order for her inhertience."
"Beth, even if you don't like her, she's family. I'm just-"
"Family, as well. Closer and more precious to me than that bitch."
"Beth."
"I've made up my mind. The lawyer's all ready working on the new will. Don't worry; I'm gonna be here for a while, yet. You can try to talk me out of this later. Now, eat up. Your dessert is getting soggy."
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