Resurrection. The Underwood and Flinch Chronicles: Volume One.

Chapter Four

‘The what?’

He thumbed the bristles of his toothbrush. ‘I don’t know. The news about John I guess.’

She stroked his back. ‘It’s okay.’

He met her eyes for a second before looking away to his suitcase. ‘You remember that word you were saying I call out in my sleep sometimes, “Underwood”?’

‘Yes?’

He got up and dropped his toothbrush into the suitcase. ‘I don’t know why I didn’t tell you when you mentioned it yesterday, but I suppose I was just ... embarrassed about it.’

‘About what?’

He turned back to her. ‘It’s a business. My family’s business in Spain.’

‘This is the job you have to do?’

‘Yeah.’

‘The terrible job? The one that you couldn’t speak about last night?’

‘Yeah, but I was just drunk, talking shit, you know? It’s not a big deal. John was running the business, and since he’s going to die, now it falls to me to become the head of the family firm.’

‘Is that so terrible?’

David knew she deserved some kind of a logical explanation for all this. In the shower earlier he had been thinking about how to broach the subject and he’d remembered the old family cover story. It was, of course, perfect. He cleared his throat and said, ‘It’s an undertakers.’

She raised her eyebrows. ‘Underwood the undertaker?’

He smiled. ‘It’s Underwood and Flinch, actually. At least that’s what we call it.’

‘Oh.’ She lay back, supporting herself on her elbow. ‘I can’t imagine you dealing with dead people.’

‘Neither can I,’ he sat down again. ‘And I don’t intend to either. See, I’ve been thinking. My sister, Lydia – she’s been out in Spain for ages, fluent Spanish speaker, and completely devoted to the family in ways I could never be – well, she’d be perfect for the job.’

‘And so she can do it instead of you?’

‘Yeah. Well, hopefully.’ His expression was doubtful.

‘But there is a problem?’

‘Yeah. The problem is, she’s a woman.’

‘What? Why is that a problem?’

‘Well, Underwood and Flinch is a father-to-son type business, you know? Eldest boy gets to run the company? It’s old-fashioned I know, but that’s the way it’s always been.’

‘But that’s sexist. Surely it won’t be a problem in this day and age?’

He scratched his head. ‘Yeah, well I hope not. What I want to do is go out there; be there – you know, for John – until after he’s gone, and then just sign everything over to Lydia and get myself out of it.’

‘So you want no role in the business at all?’

David was thoughtful for a moment. Then he said, ‘Their business is death, Lisa. I want no part of it.’

She squeezed his hand. ‘Yes, I think you are more suited to teaching than the disposal of bodies.’

‘My feelings exactly. More than you could know.’

‘But tell me, what are you going to do about this flat while you are away? And your job?’

‘Well, I’m sure I can get some kind of compassionate leave from my job. As for the flat, my rent will keep going out by standing order, and, well, if you like, you can stay here – till you go back to Germany, or as long as you like. You have a key, after all.’