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CHAPTER 33 34 35 36 Epilogue
“ Beating around the bush is rather unproductive, a waste of time and generally leads to a great deal of confusion. Mourn Justin? Yes I will. Fill my heart with a bunch of could haves and should haves, leaves less room for the love he deserves,” Sam said thinking“ Maybe I will be a good mommy.”
Getting the family home was a priority and Sam informed Shelby she would be in touch with the service times. Shelby felt the need to say something to Justin’ s parents. Sam said she would be glad to pass any message along but right now they were not in a very talkative mood.“ Tell them he was a real gentleman,” Shelby said, after a moment of deliberation. She was glad she did not run over and say the first thing that popped onto her head. The verbalization of that truth flipped a switch in her heart and set her upon a path that changed her life. Justin would have been proud.“ That will be the first thing I say,” Sam was in tears again as she walked to the car, and passed on the words the family would need to hold in their hearts. Services were held Tuesday and Wednesday morning with the burial later in the afternoon on Wednesday.
Rodney and Jeff shared the benediction and graveside prayer after they shook hands, with Rodney being the first to say“ Afternoon Jeff.”“ Nice to see you again Rodney,” Jeff smiled. Rodney waited for him to turn away before flexing his hand. Eddie witnessed the exchange and it lightened his heart to know some things never changed. Frank could not make the services and passed his condolences through Rodney and by providing the beautiful, granite, grave stone marking the loss. Justin’ s friends and teammates arrived. Shelby was invited to sit with the family. Sam met Eddie’ s parents. She was planning to meet them tomorrow when they sat for Thanksgiving. Almost everyone left the grave site thinking they had much for which to be thankful.
The food was shifted to Sam’ s home. Tanya agreed to let James prepare the meal. She was going over the menu with him as Maurice poured her a glass of wine.“ I noticed the ingredients for candied yams, but noticed that dish was not on the menu,” James mentioned.“ That was Justin’ s request,” Tanya said. Maurice heard the pain in her voice.“ Do you honor him by refusing the sweet things in life he enjoyed?” Maurice asked simply and quietly.“ Butler and philosopher. That is quite a resume,” Tanya stated.“ I’ ve observed a great deal and I hope I won’ t require a resume.”“ I did not intend it that way. I meant it as a compliment. Put the candied yams on the menu,” she said as the chime for the front gate sounded.
Maurice opened one of the cabinets in the butler’ s pantry. Tanya could see the glow from a monitor within, but could not hear the conversation. He returned to the kitchen and called Sam.“ The police are here to speak with Mr. Dodge,” Maurice said. Tanya went to find Eddie, while Sam called George.“ What’ s going on? The cops are here,” Sam said.“ A courtesy call. I read the report. Fucking gung-ho rookie points a gun at a guy in his jockey shorts and confiscates his weapon. Bad guys don’ t run around in their underpants unless they’ re perverts. In which case you usually don’ t catch them with a gun in their hand. I like Eddie even if he almost made me shit my pants,” George said.“ How did they know he was here?”“ I told them because you told me they was staying at your place at the funeral. By the way does Tanya know you’ re banging Eddie?”“ You know you are the only person who gets away with talking to me like that?”“ Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But you didn’ t answer my question.”“ Yes as long as I’ m banging her at the same time,” Sam answered.“ No shit? Lucky bastard! I mean that with the utmost respect,”“ Yeah. Yeah. Yeah,” She said and ended the call.
Tanya and Sam arrived at the bar in the game room at the same time. Nicole and Matt were playing billiards. Eddie was watching.“ Cops are here to see you,” Tanya said and the game came to a halt.