Taming the Author

32: Offer a Hand

Loramina wasn't kidding when she said she had organized Rupert's funeral. In fact, all Errol had to do was notify his kin about his father's passing. She had signed the papers, paid for all that needed to be paid for, and scheduled everything that needed to be scheduled.

I remembered how stoic she was when Errol walked into the room. It was as if someone casted a petrification spell on her. The nurses rushed to the bed in an attempt to revive him. I pulled her to my chest as the commotion ensued, but it was no use.

He was gone.

In the end, Errol quietly took a seat next to Rupert's body. I was about to take Loramina outside when he reached his hand out to her and called her name.

I let her go. I didn't want to, but Errol seemed to need her more than I did at that moment. So I watched her take seat next to him; watched him grab her hand; and I bitterly frowned at how he tightly held it against his lap.

He was using the situation to take advantage of her! At least, that was what my selfish ego claimed. My lame side of me prevailed in the end, and I allowed Harold to lead me out of the room.

The next time I saw her, she was busy shuffling files and boxing things in my office. Jimmy told me a day before that she would drop by to get Rupert's things and I told him I was okay with it.

"I'm taking Grandpa's things," she said as she hovered over my desk. She was putting a picture frame inside it and her eyes stayed on her work. "I'm sorry for not asking permission."

It was early in the morning and only a handful of people were already in the office. I supposed she chose to go there early on purpose to avoid office gossips.

"N-no, it's okay," I said. "Do you need help?"

"I'm just finishing up," she said, closing a box on the table. I found four other boxes on the floor.

"I'll help you get these out then," I said, dropping my bag on a corner and rushing to her side to pick one of the boxes up.

"No, it's fine," Loramina said, piling up a box on top of the one she sealed. "Errol will be here soon. He'll pick these up."

"Oh," I said, somewhat hurt at the thought that she and Errol seemed to have kept in touch with each other. I wasn't sure why I didn't like the idea, but I decided not to voice my thoughts out or ask her more about Errol coming over. "I'll just... I'll place the boxes by the door," I insisted, picking up a box on the floor. I could have piled them and lifted them in one go, but I wanted to prolong what little time we had together.

"Okay," she quietly whispered, lifting her boxes to the door.

"So um...what time will he be here?" I asked, picking up another box from beside my desk.

"He should be here in a few minutes," she said, and as if on cue, we heard knocks on the door.

My heart skipped. He was there already?!

I quickly opened the door before Loramina could reach out for the doorknob.

"Hi, uh...Dean, is it?" a slightly taller guy standing on the doorway clad in a black shirt and slacks said; his grey eyes framed with his silver spectacles.

Under the bright fluorescent lights of the office, I saw what Rupert might have looked like when he was around my age. I had to admit he was a little bit better looking than me. His nose was slightly pointier than mine, his jaws were shaped a tad bit smoother and smaller than mine, his lips were faintly thinner than mine, and his posture was somewhat more model-like than my own.