Made In Germany

A Death in the Family

　

Orchid stood, sniffling into the hankerchief she'd been given by her grandmother years earlier on her tenth birthday. With one hand on the glossed wood casket, she bent over, she stared into the face of familiarity. Her hands cupped the face of the woman who lay inside, "I'll see you on the other side, Gran." She whispered softly and kissed her cold, fleshy forehead.

"Orchid, come sit, the ceremony's about to begin." Orchid nodded, giving the old woman who'd been the inspiration of everything she did one last glance.

"Wait for me." She choked out finally. Orchid sat beside her mother; rigid and cold as the drizzle continued.

"Don't look so glum, Kitty. You know Gran wouldn't want that." She stated behind darkened sunglasses, obviously hiding tear, "She would've wanted her best girl to look her best." A small sigh escaped her parted lips; which were painted cherry red.

"Gran didn't care how I looked." She bit back, rolling her eyes. Even after Gran's death, Elaine still managed to know nothing about the wonderful woman she was. "Gran loved everything about me, ugly or not."

Once everyone had paid their respect, two elderly women approached the small, daunting teen, "Are you Orchid?" Asked one of the ladies.

"I am." She replied numbly, "Can I help you?"

The women smiled to each other, the one with the hiddeous fur coat continued, "We had to meet the splendid Orchid that Catherine talked about so fondly every night after visitor's day." She smiled sweetly, "And from what I can see, your Gran wasn't lying at all." She took Orchid's hands. "But that's not the only reason we're here, sweet flower. We have a message for you."

Orchids perfectly shaped eyebrows grew closer, "A message?"

The old bitties nodded, "Behind the board where dreamers lie, is the secret that will bring you nigh." She gave a toothless grin, "Do you have any idea what that means?"

Orchid gave some thought before answering. She hadn't the foggiest idea. "'Behind the board where dreamers lie, is the secret that will bring you nigh'?" She repeated, hoping to jog her spotty memory, "I honestly have no idea." Knowing her Gran, it was most definitely a riddle.

"Agnes, Eden, what are you two doing? We were about to leave you two behind!" Scolded a young man in funeral attire. The women looked to each other and back to Orchid.

"If you need any help, or someone to talk to, you're welcome to come to us, we shared a room with Catherine, and she told us almost everything." They offered, leaving with the young man.

　

"I will." She called after them. She repeated the riddle over and over, not recalling anything. "Damn it Gran, you couldn't just once in your long life be totally blunt with something?" She screamed aloud in the mortuary in frustration.

"Kitty sweetheart, are you alright?" It was Elaine peering around the corner, "I heard shouting."

"I'm fine." She answered a little too quickly. Pulling her black sweater over her dampened clothes and hair, she asked Elaine if it was okay to head home.

Elaine was shocked at Orchid's willingness to leave early, "Yes, we can go now if it's what you want, but your father hasn't seen you yet. We should wait a while longer." Her voice trailed off into the rich smell of potpourii in the funeral parlor.

"Fine, I'll wait." She shivered under her cobweb patterned sweater.

Elaine smiled, "Good, you know how he gets paranoid when we leave before he gets to see you."

Orchid nodded, she was almost eleven when her father left them, not that she blamed him. The only thing that she was angry about was that he didn't take her with him.

"Kitty!" A male's voice called, she turned to see her father, "It's so good to see you munchkin." He eyed her up and down, "Even if you're not that much of a munchkin anymore." He sighed.

"Shut up, Dad." She punched him jokingly, "I'm only five feet five inches, that's freaking short compared to Tori." She said referencing her cousin at the buffet table; standing at nearly six feet tall.

"Orchid, I need you to tell me something, and I wan't you to answer honestly, okay?" His facial expressions hardened.

"Fine." She muttered angstily. "What?"

He held out a silver hair plucked fresh from his scalp, "Am I getting old?" His voice quivered.

"You're ridiculous." She snapped, swatting the grey hair away from her. "Of course you're old, you're nearly fifty!" As her father moved in for the hug she batted him away, "What the heck are you doing? You're so awkward!" She yelped playfully.

"I'm not awkward, I'm old! And old people give sloppy, feely hugs, now get over here Orchid Kathryn Fontaine!" He tackled her, enveloping her in his arms. "So tell me kiddo, when's your next performance? I really wanna see that dance to Yanni's 'End of August.'"

Orchid smiled, "Madame Zoe's annual showcase is coming up soon, she hasn't set a date, but I'll let you know."

Elaine's envious eyes preyed on the two of them, "Orchid sweetie, we have to get going now." She pulled on Orchid's toothpick arm, "Goodbye Brandon, nice to see you again." She turned on her heel, dragging Orchid behind her.

"You didn't have to do that." Orchid muttered.

"Do what?" Elaine asked with fake innocence.

"Drag me away from one of the few times I actually get along with Dad." She fumbled her fingers. "Forget it," She gave up, it was a futile argument. "Let's just go home."

______________________________________________

She fell onto her bed, taking in the familiar scents of lavender and rose oils. She weaved the soft fabric between her fingers, "God damn it Gran, why'd you have to leave?" She screamed, muffled by bedding. Her tears soaked the cloth and her face until it was too disgusting to keep her face there. She breathed in deeply, her chest expanding awkwardly.

"Behind the board where dreamers lie, is the secret that will bring you nigh." Orchid's eyes scanned upwards to the oak head board, "Behind the board where dreamer's lie. Gran you sly old fox." A grin turned the corners of her lips up.

She stuck her hand in the gap between the wall and the wood, feeling the backside of the head board, she snagged a piece of paper. Pulling her arm out of the snug fit hurt a little, but the reward was worth it.

"Come to me moon goddess and shed your light, onto thy object breathe its life, This is my protector, my friend and guardian. For as long as we both are alive, we shall never be apart, for as long as one heart beats, so does the other."

　

Bill and Tom, snuggled together in the old trunk had lied dormant for over a decade, suddenly opened their eyes, "Orchid's awake." They spoke in unison.

"She'll come for us any day now." Tom spoke hopefully.

"But we have to help her remember." Bill volunteered.

"How are we going to do that when we're stuck in here?" Tom askedd sullenly, "It's not like we can do anything from inside here, and your arm is still detatched."

Bill readjusted himself, "I think it's time we visit her dreams, Tomi. I really do."