The Sooner the Better Read Free Page A

alcohol, and communication between them had been infrequent at best. The last time Virginia had heard from her brother was five years ago, when he’d phoned her asking for money to make bail. Virginia had refused. Lorraine’s only cousin lived someplace in California, and she hadn’t seen or heard from her since the summer she was thirteen.
    In other words, Lorraine was alone. Completely and utterly alone.
    The phone startled her, and she whirled around to grab the receiver. “Hello,” she said breathlessly, uncertain who to expect.
    Gary. “Just checking to make sure you’re all right.”
    â€œI’m okay,” she told him.
    â€œYou want me to come over?”
    â€œNo.” Why can’t you just accept that I need this time by myself? His attitude upset her. This wasn’t like Gary.
    â€œI don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be alone,” hesaid. He’d told her this earlier, more than once. “I know it’s all a terrible shock, but the last thing you should do now is isolate yourself.”
    â€œGary, please. I buried my mother this afternoon. I…I don’t have anyone else.”
    Her words were met with an awkward pause. “You have me,” he said in a small hurt voice.
    She regretted her thoughtlessness and at the same time resented his intrusion. “I know how that must have seemed and I’m sorry. But everything’s still so painful. I need a chance to adjust.”
    â€œHave you decided to sell the house?” Gary asked.
    Lorraine wondered why everyone was so concerned about what she did with the house. “I…don’t know yet.”
    â€œIt makes sense to put it on the market, don’t you think?”
    She closed her eyes and sought answers. “I can’t make that kind of decision right now. Give me time.”
    She must have sounded impatient because Gary was immediately contrite. “You’re right, darling, it’s too soon. We’ll worry about it later. Promise you’ll phone if you need me?”
    â€œI promise,” she whispered.
    After a few words of farewell, she ended the call. As she replaced the receiver, her gaze fell on the clock radio. She was shocked to discover it was only nine o’clock. It felt more like midnight. She lay back down and stared up at the ceiling, letting her thoughts creep into the future. Her mother wouldn’t be at her wedding, wouldn’t be there for the births of her grandchildren. Virginia Dancy had looked forward to becoming a grandmother; now her grandchildren would never know her.
    Rather than deal with yet another aspect of her loss,Lorraine turned her mind to Gary’s unexpected call. He’d brought up a number of questions she still had to face.
    The house had to be dealt with soon. If it sat empty for long, it’d start to deteriorate, not to mention attract vandals. Gary was right; she had to figure out what to do with it. Finances and legal issues posed another problem. She’d never even seen her mother’s will.
    She’d handle one thing at a time, she decided. That was advice Virginia had given her as a child and it had always stood her in good stead. One step and then the next…
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    The call from Dennis Goodwin, her mother’s attorney, came a week after the funeral, when Lorraine had returned to work. She’d been waiting to hear from him. Dennis had told her at the funeral that there were a few legal matters that needed to be resolved and then he’d get in touch. He wouldn’t need more than fifteen or twenty minutes. He’d promised to phone the following week and set up an appointment.
    True to his word, Dennis had called exactly a week after she’d buried her mother.
    Lorraine arrived at the appointed time, prepared to hear the details of her mother’s will. The receptionist greeted her pleasantly, then reached for the intercom button. “Lorraine Dancy is here to