We're Not Related Anymore...

A Badly Timed Announcement

Maddie: Present Day

Unlike the rest of the people in my family, I'm rather pleased with Adrian Isaacs appearance at the funeral. The mystery of him takes my mind off the hollowness in me long enough that I can get myself together before the funeral reception at Lilian's house.

Shelley has been letting me use her bedroom on and off for the last few days. She's let me come in to do my makeup. It's been nice, we've been able to catch up this way. Now, however, I quickly sneak up there ahead of her and shut myself into the room.

It looks similar to how it did when it was my room. Only the posters and bedspread have been changed to fit Stein's personality. I reach under her bed, pull out the makeup case she has there, and take it over to the floor-length mirror she has leaned against the wall.

I wince when I see my reflection in the mirror. I look horrible. Most of my makeup has been wiped off and I have a severe case of raccoon eyes. I take a wipe to my face and remove everything so that I can start over. As I start applying foundation to my face, I think about the funeral.

I don't know if funeral crashing is a thing but if it is, Adrian Isaacs has certainly done it. Not one person in his family seemed relieved that he was there. I think about what my mom said about him being in prison and do a quick Google search.

Sure enough, his name comes up with a few news articles about his case. He was sentenced to prison for five years due to crimes of embezzlement. He was recently released early on good behavior. I skim the article, trying to pick up the most interesting bits but I give up on the task so that I can do my mascara.

Despite myself, I smile. What kind of guy gets out of prison and his first order of business is to go to his ex-wife's husband's funeral?

I hear a knock on Shelley's door when I'm just about done and go over to answer it. My mom stands on the other side looking worried.

"Hey, kid, how're you holding up?" She asks, stepping into the room and looking around it. "Is this your old room?" She asks, picking up one of Shelley's art pieces from school. It's supposed to be a vase but it's so lopsided that she uses it as a pencil holder. My mom puts it down with a look of total confusion.

"I'm fine, mom. And this is Shelley's room now. I'm just using it to escape." I snap her makeup case shut and push it under her bed again. I look into the mirror and check my face. While I do that, my mom comes behind me and wraps her arms around me. I look at us in the mirror's reflection and watch as she presses a kiss to the back of my head.

"What's going on, Maddie? What are you thinking about right now?" She asks. I lean into her embrace and look at her eyes through the mirror.

"Right now? I'm actually thinking about how funny it is that Lilian's ex-husband gate-crashed dad's funeral. But in general, I'm thinking I really don't want to go down and talk to all those people." I tell her, surprised at my own honesty. Usually, I try to keep most of my thoughts to myself. But my mom has a special talent for making all my feelings come to the surface.

My mom takes a step back from me, smoothing out her black dress as she does. "Unfortunately, you have to come on downstairs. Betty told me to get you. She and your brother have an 'announcement' to make," she tells me using finger quotes over the word announcement. Her one blonde eyebrow is raised and I don't hide the sigh that escapes me.

"Oh, God. I don't think I can handle this right now, Mom," I say, pulling up my loose, dirty blonde hair into a tight pony.

My mom gives me a tight smile. "You have to, Maddie. If they're going to announce what I think they're going to announce, you have to be there for your brother."