Chapter 10: Trip to Philly

Shelly and Carl arrived at their son’s apartment at 5:30 in the morning. He had done as instructed and had his suit hanging over a chair in the kitchen. Cody’s dad carried a garment bag. Shelly wanted the suit packed correctly to avoid wrinkles.

“Your suit looks perfectly fine,” said Carl.

“I had it cleaned not that long ago. Remember the job interview where I got drenched by a passing car?”

“Oh, yes, I remember,” said Shelly as she busied herself in the kitchen putting the dishes from the strainer into cabinets.

“Mom, you don’t have to do that,” said Cody.

“I know, but while I’m here I may as be useful,” she said as she wiped the excess water off a cup before placing it on a shelf.

“Where is your bag?” asked Carl. Cody pointed.

“There, by the door. I’m all ready. And before you ask, your house key is there on the counter. Jewel will pick it up later and check your house once-a-day.”

“Shelly?” called out Carl. “Are you ready?”

She placed the last of the silverware in a drawer and followed her husband out the door. Cody was the last out. He turned to lock the door and followed his parents to their car. His dad had double-parked but at this time of the morning it was not an issue.

Cody asked, “Did you hear any more from Aunt Edith? Why I am needed to be present?”

Carl shook his head. Shelly turned to face Cody. “No, I tried to ask her again the last time she called but it sounds like she truly does not know any more than she has already said.”

They rode the half hour commute to the airport in silence. The lines at check in and security were surprisingly long but they had planned to arrive two hours early so it was not a problem. At the gate, Carl left Shelly and Cody with their carry-ons and went in search of coffee, tea, and doughnuts. When he returned he handed a large black coffee to Cody, an herbal tea to his wife, and he sat with his cappuccino. He then opened a box of eight doughnuts.

“Eight doughnuts!” exclaimed Shelly.

Nonplussed, Carl replied, “I figure Cody is good for three or four, I’ll have two or three, and you’ll have one or two.”

Cody said in his dad’s defense, “Don’t worry mom, they will get eaten.” He took a chocolate covered glazed doughnut and ate half of it in one bite. His dad grinned as the frosting oozed down Cody’s chin.

In reality, Cody would have preferred not having the sweet breakfast. With the coffee and sugar he was sure he would be awake the entire flight.

When they landed in Philly they had time to check into their hotel before the memorial service. They had adjoining rooms on the fourth floor.

“Don’t lie down on the bed,” Shelly warned the two men. “Just get changed and we will go out for dinner.”

“Honey,” Carl suggested easily, “it may be a bit of a rush to change and get a dinner and to the service on time. What if we get changed, meet downstairs at the hotel’s happy hour for a drink and snack, then get a dinner afterward?”

Being tardy was one of Shelly’s almost unforgivable offenses. It pained her to relent but she would rather change her mind than be late for the service.

“Yes, that is probably most prudent,” she said. She turned to Cody, “Get changed and knock here on the door when you are ready.”

Before Cody could reply his dad said, “I think he can meet us downstairs. No need to wait if one of us is not ready.”

Carl pulled the adjoining door closed with a wink to his son. Cody hurriedly changed and left his room so he did not hear the sounds of passion that his dad hoped to be creating shortly with his mom.

Downstairs, Cody found the happy hour to be thriving. The hotel offered beers for two dollars, mixed-drinks for three, and provided popcorn, fresh out of the oven pretzel rods, and mozzarella sticks for free. Cody ordered a drink and put a pretzel and cheese stick on a plate before finding a table. His parents arrived twenty minutes later.

When they sat at the table Cody’ mom said, “My makeup needed more of a touch-up than I expected.”

Cody was able to refrain from smirking. “You look great mom.”

After they snacked on the appetizers they went to the front door. Shelly moved to hail a taxi but Cody stopped her with a wave of his phone.

“I’ve got a car coming in about a minute. A dark blue Camry.”

In less than a minute a Camry zipped into the pick-up lane and stopped. The three piled in and they were off to the funeral home.

As the driver pulled into traffic he said, “I’m sorry for your loss.”

Shelly’s eyes arched while Carl’s head tilted.

“You are going to a funeral home, right?” said the driver. “I assume a friend or family member died?”

“Yes, an uncle,” answered Cody. His parents did not realize the driver already knew their destination when the ride was requested.

Ten minutes later they were being let off at what appeared to be a small house in a semi-residential area. A small professional sign out front identified the place as the funeral home. When they entered they heard a woman’s shrill voice call out.