Sequel: Fate's Cruel Hand ›
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Life After You
Life After You
Six Weeks Later
For the first time in months Kelly finds herself driving to her parents house for Sunday lunch. Her sister Caroline had gently persuaded her over the phone to visit the family, a thing that had come so easily in the past,but over the years she had distanced herself. Kelly loves her parents, but hates being made to feel as if she had made all the wrong choices. Her parents were old fashioned, went to church every Sunday and weren't at all happy that their eldest daughter was still unmarried. Every time they got together at a family occasion she was lectured and made to feel bad about becoming such an established person. A family friend had once tried to compare Caroline and Kelly, and it didn't end well.
Kelly takes a deep breath before ringing the doorbell.
Everyone is gathered around the dinning room table as Gloria carries in the huge leg of lamb, complete with trimmings. Kelly admits to herself that she's missed this terribly. Being four hours away from her parents had given her new lease of life, but in her heart she misses them like crazy. Her mother's sister, a god fearing woman watches her with no emotion as she sits down at the table. There are other family members there who she hasn't seen since she was a child. All of them God fearing and God loving.
"Kelly, will you say Grace?" Her father asks her as everyone joins hands and bows their heads.
She should have known that this would have been expected of her.
"I think it would be better if someone else did it" she replies.
All eyes are on her.
"Why is that?" Harold, her father asks.
She would be disrespectful if she said that she didn't believe in God and she would be rude if she embarrassed her parents.
Caroline gives her a small supportive smile. She knows the truth.
"It's not something I do" she finally says.
"Good Lord what has happened to you out there in Los Angeles?" Her aunt Patricia says. "You've been brainwashed. That's
my reckoning"
Kelly wants the ground to open up and swallow her. She knew that this was a bad idea.
Aunt Patricia continues rambling on about how she will pray for her niece and her salvation, that she must rekindle her relationship with God.
"I didn't ask for your opinion, aunty Pat" Kelly says evenly "I can't be thankful for something to someone who I don't believe in"
Everyone stares at her. Especially her aunty and parents. Caroline and her husband share a nervous glance.
"Pass the sauce, dad" Caroline butts in as her father is about to say something.
They carry on with their meal without a glitch or bad word spoken.
Harold talks to his son in-law Benjamin about his job at the newspaper and starts giving his opinion on things that he isn't educated enough to know about. As usual, Ben is polite to make it look as if he is taking an interest and tries to change the subject.
"Are you still a loony doctor?" Aunty Pat asks.
"I'm still a psychiatrist, yes"
"Biggest waste of time I've ever heard of. Who wants to air their dirty laundry to a complete stranger? And I see that you still aren't engaged or married."
Kelly subconsciously touches her bare ring finger.
"No wonder a good Christian man won't look at you when you're not going to be a good housewife. Take your sister for instance. She's pregnant with the first grandchild of your parents and she stays at home doing what a woman should be doing, not off doing whatever she wants"
Kelly rolls her eyes. She's had enough and gets up from the table.
"I don't mean to be rude, but when I want your opinion I'll ask for it. I'm happy not being married and my work is rewarding. It's the twenty-first century not the dark ages" Kelly grabs her coat as walks out to her car. It's been raining.
It's no wonder why she avoided family dinners or parties.
For the first time in months Kelly finds herself driving to her parents house for Sunday lunch. Her sister Caroline had gently persuaded her over the phone to visit the family, a thing that had come so easily in the past,but over the years she had distanced herself. Kelly loves her parents, but hates being made to feel as if she had made all the wrong choices. Her parents were old fashioned, went to church every Sunday and weren't at all happy that their eldest daughter was still unmarried. Every time they got together at a family occasion she was lectured and made to feel bad about becoming such an established person. A family friend had once tried to compare Caroline and Kelly, and it didn't end well.
Kelly takes a deep breath before ringing the doorbell.
Everyone is gathered around the dinning room table as Gloria carries in the huge leg of lamb, complete with trimmings. Kelly admits to herself that she's missed this terribly. Being four hours away from her parents had given her new lease of life, but in her heart she misses them like crazy. Her mother's sister, a god fearing woman watches her with no emotion as she sits down at the table. There are other family members there who she hasn't seen since she was a child. All of them God fearing and God loving.
"Kelly, will you say Grace?" Her father asks her as everyone joins hands and bows their heads.
She should have known that this would have been expected of her.
"I think it would be better if someone else did it" she replies.
All eyes are on her.
"Why is that?" Harold, her father asks.
She would be disrespectful if she said that she didn't believe in God and she would be rude if she embarrassed her parents.
Caroline gives her a small supportive smile. She knows the truth.
"It's not something I do" she finally says.
"Good Lord what has happened to you out there in Los Angeles?" Her aunt Patricia says. "You've been brainwashed. That's
my reckoning"
Kelly wants the ground to open up and swallow her. She knew that this was a bad idea.
Aunt Patricia continues rambling on about how she will pray for her niece and her salvation, that she must rekindle her relationship with God.
"I didn't ask for your opinion, aunty Pat" Kelly says evenly "I can't be thankful for something to someone who I don't believe in"
Everyone stares at her. Especially her aunty and parents. Caroline and her husband share a nervous glance.
"Pass the sauce, dad" Caroline butts in as her father is about to say something.
They carry on with their meal without a glitch or bad word spoken.
Harold talks to his son in-law Benjamin about his job at the newspaper and starts giving his opinion on things that he isn't educated enough to know about. As usual, Ben is polite to make it look as if he is taking an interest and tries to change the subject.
"Are you still a loony doctor?" Aunty Pat asks.
"I'm still a psychiatrist, yes"
"Biggest waste of time I've ever heard of. Who wants to air their dirty laundry to a complete stranger? And I see that you still aren't engaged or married."
Kelly subconsciously touches her bare ring finger.
"No wonder a good Christian man won't look at you when you're not going to be a good housewife. Take your sister for instance. She's pregnant with the first grandchild of your parents and she stays at home doing what a woman should be doing, not off doing whatever she wants"
Kelly rolls her eyes. She's had enough and gets up from the table.
"I don't mean to be rude, but when I want your opinion I'll ask for it. I'm happy not being married and my work is rewarding. It's the twenty-first century not the dark ages" Kelly grabs her coat as walks out to her car. It's been raining.
It's no wonder why she avoided family dinners or parties.