2020-02-26 - A Love Demon and a Funeral

It had been a long six days. So very long. It felt like it had been months, weeks, instead of just days. Esme had temporarily moved back in to her family home so she could care for her father and so they could grieve together. The guilt of it all still weighing so heavily on the woman that she definitely felt it was her responsibility to handle everything. Her dad should do as little as possible because this wasn't fair in the slightest. So Esme had finally pulled herself together and drove over to Lawson Funeral Home. It was two fold really. She only trusted Beth to do right by her mom is death and helping Esme figure out what to pick and do. She had discovered her mother had a sizeable life insurance policy on herself - enough at least to cover any funeral costs and keep the house bills paid for a while.

The second reason for coming here was to check on Beth and make sure that she was still alive and that nothing more wild/terrible had happened. Esme drew in a deep breath and then entered the funeral home, looking around a moment. "Hey Beth, you around?" She called out. Her hair was left down and looked like it had only been half-heartedly brushed. Lack of sleep was written all over her features, and she wore a pair of dark blue jeans with a thick navy blue sweater.

Esme may notice that one of the windows at the funeral home has been replaced very recently. When she comes into the funeral home proper she will see that the door leading to the office has also been replaced. The old door is leaned against a wall. It looks like it has been in a house fire and is scorched black.

Luckily, despite the somewhat bizarre changes, Beth is in the office working on paperwork when Esme steps inside. She gets up from her desk as soon as she hears the front door open and when she sees who it is her expression melts into sympathy. She is always good to the families but this is different. Esme is a family friend and Beth knew Esme's mom in the way you know your friend's moms. "Esme I'm so sorry." She says, and she comes over to hug her if she'll accept.

Esme misses the window, but definitely notices the door. Esme returns the hug tightly, her face burying briefly against Beth's shoulder as she tried to stave off more tears. She had hoped to be on empty by now but that lump was still there. After another moment Esme released the younger woman and took a step back, pulling a bit of a smile. "Yeah, me too. I....it's. It still doesn't feel real, you know?" She used her thumb and pointer finger to wipe away the few tears that had started to gather in her eyes. "But, I know it can't be put off forever." Else the morgue might start charging her for storage.

A little shake of her head, "How are you? What happened to your door?"

Beth pats Esme's back as they hug in a comforting manner and when she releases her she nods her head in understanding. She then says reassuringly, "She's cared for, okay? This is about what you and your dad need now. So if you need more time we can make that work." Her eyes stray towards the door and she looks at it for a moment before looking back to Esme, "It's a long story." She admits. She then motions towards her office. "Come on in. Do you want anything to drink? I could make you some coffee or tea if you want."

"I don't think all the time in the world is going to make me feel better." Esme admits, glancing over her shoulder briefly and then back to Beth. "I at least need to go over the options...get an idea of things." She nods, starting to follow Beth towards the office. "I would love some water if you have it? And I've got plenty of time if you feel like sharing." And, you know, it was always easier to talk about other people's issues rather than her own.

"No. Probably not." Beth says in agreement as she leads the way to the office. She motions invitingly to one of the comfy chairs placed in front of the desk so she can sit down. A box of tissue is strategically poised on the desk within reaching distance. Beth goes to a little mini-fridge to get a bottle of water along with a cocktail napkin and puts it down on the desk in front of Esme. She smiles a shade when asked about the door again, "It's being handled. I don't want to burden you with my problems when you've just lost your mom." She hesitates a moment before admitting, "And I know I said we have plenty of time but there may need to be steps taken. If you need more time."

"Thanks," When the water is given and a long sip taken before she sets it back on the napkin. She eyes Beth for a beat and then relents with a soft sigh. For now at least. "But it's so much easier to focus on other people's problems." She gives a wry, fleeting smile before sitting back in the chair and nodded. "What sort of steps?" Trying to lock down her emotions for now, maybe channel a bit of her 'detective mode' so she could stay focused.

"Very true." Beth says in agreement before adding with a dry little smile of her own, "So we'll take care of the thing you don't want to and then I'll burden you with all of my problems." Her expression grows more serious, "Well, we need to get your mom released to my care and we need to determine if embalming is required." She doesn't beat around the bush like she normally would with some people. "If we have the service and burial or cremation within the next few days we probably won't have to embalm but if we wait longer embalming would be best."

"Deal." Esme straightened up a bit as Beth launched into it. "She wanted a burial, that much is outlined in her will. I'll have to talk to dad but, I think he'll be agreeable to having it in the next few days if it's possible." Esme pushed a hand through her hair. "Would an open casket service still be possible without the embalming? She died of...acute liver failure...so there's no real external showings." Besides the obvious signs of someone being dead.

"Is there a burial plot already purchased? If not I can take care of all that for you." Beth asks as she opens her desk to get some paperwork out. "And I'm going to do everything at cost, okay? Your mom fed Angela and me so often when we were kids so I owe you all anyways." She thinks for a moment before she nods her head. "Yes. We can do it without embalming. I have things to take care of the jaundice cosmetically."

Esme pulled out her phone - because having pictures of important things was easier than carrying an entire folder. She skimmed a moment before, "She does. Yes. It looks like two actually - one for her and then one for dad." A thoughtful little noise before she shook her head again and put the phone away. "I'll send you a copy of the information when I get back home." She shifted a bit to sit closer to the edge of the seat when the paperwork came out. "That's generous Beth, thank you." Giving a bit more of a smile. "She always tried to feed everyone didn't she?" Esme leaned her arms on the desk with a slow exhale. "Alright, then we'll do it like that."

"Okay good. I'll need you to send me that as soon as you can so we can get everything prepared." Beth says as she begins filling out the paperwork. She makes an X on the paper, attaches it to a clipboard, and turns it so Esme can see. "This will release her into my care. Just sign and date it where I made the X." Her expression softens a bit and she nods her head. "She did. She liked watching out for people, didn't she?" She nods again, this time to agree with what Esme says, before she takes out more paperwork. "I am assuming it will be a traditional service? We'll have a viewing on..." She looks down at her calendar, "How does tomorrow work? If it's too soon we can push it back to Saturday. We could even do the viewing and the funeral on Saturday and just make it an all day thing if that's what you want."

Esme accepted the paperwork with sign and date, "Always. Guess that came with being a nurse for so long." She handed the paper back over. "You know she...had powers? I think...the healing ones...in those last moments I could-I sensed it..." Esme frowned but then shook it off. "Traditional is fine. Let's do...Saturday. All day. I'm sure dad will go along with it. We've...grieved a lot this week. I think he is ready, even if reluctant. I'll put a note out to the paper for them to run tomorrow notifying about the funeral. So if people who knew her want to come to it they can."

"Yeah." Beth says quietly before she adds softly, "You can see the powers when they are used. Sometimes people who have them just...glow a bit?" She adds, "I guess people see it in different ways but I see it as a glow." She puts her finger on her trackpad to move the mouse before typing something in. "I can do all of that. The obituary. Contacting the paper." She smiles gently to Esme, "If you want to once we're done here I can take care of mostly everything. All you'll need to do is pick out some clothes for her and show up, okay?"

"When I'm thinking about it, or...focused on it...people look a little transparent. The ones that have it." Esme nods. She thinks on it a moment before agreeing with another nod. "Yes...I think that would be best. Let you handle things and I'll handle dad and...wardrobe." She looked down briefly in thought. Then took out her phone to send a quick text off before refocusing. "You're amazing Beth, really. Anything you need, after all this is said and done, I'm there."

"Transparent." Beth says, and she smiles just a touch at the idea of this. Her expression sobers as they return to talk about the funeral. "Yeah. Just pick out something nice that you know she liked. Bring me anything she wore makeup-wise, too. Things she enjoyed wearing." She shakes her head softly, "I'm just doing what I'm supposed to do. Now let's pick out the stuff and go over the service and then we'll be done and I'll get the ball rolling, okay?"

Esme made a mental note of that. Clothes, make up, maybe a piece of jewelry or two. "Right. Yeah." Pulling herself out of her wandering thoughts. "Let's get everything picked." She agreed, taking out her phone again so she could double check how much money was set aside for this. "What all is there to pick out? Besides the coffin?" She asks, setting the phone away again and looking to Beth. "Well, Tombstone too I guess?" She'd never really had to think about what all went in to planning a funeral before, least of all what all got picked out.

"Well, I can contact a Priest to do the service. Or if you have someone specific in mind I can get a hold of him." Beth says as she types something else into her laptop. "Music for the service. The programs. Flowers. If you want catering I can either order it all or you can decide what's served. You can either pick all of that out yourself or I can give you a few options I think your mom would like that would be good with you and your dad. People will send flowers but generally the family chooses the casket spread. As for the tombstone that is generally placed later because it has to be carved. We'll place a simple marker with her name on it until it's finished."

It is clear by the look on Esme's face that she was not expecting all these things to be choices. They just...were, weren't they? "Well they didn't go to church religiously or anything so...which ever priest you have in mind is fine." She thinks for a moment longer. "I will take care of getting the music together - I know what she liked. But if you can handle the...everything else? I'd be very grateful. And I'll get you the information that should be on her tombstone by tonight or first thing tomorrow so the order can get sent off for that." She relaxed back in her seat again, running a hand through her hair. "She wasn't die hard on flowers or anything but I know she liked paler colors? So maybe pinks or pale yellows or...cream colored flowers maybe? Are those even a thing? Do flowers come in cream?"

Beth types more things down as Esme speaks, and moves the mouse a few more times, clicking and typing some more. "We have time for the tombstone. If your dad is holding up enough to do it maybe it's something he can pick out?" Because eventually it will be his headstone as well. Beth doesn't say this of course. "I'll take care of everything else. And I imagine there are flowers that come in cream colors. I'll get something good." She clicks something else on her laptop and the printer spits out some paper. She picks it up, straightens it out, and begins laying it out in front of Esme. "These are just standard wavers saying you can't sue us unless we do something that isn't typical or is illegal. This one is for the burial..." And then she explains everything Esme is signing. When it's finished she sits back a little, "Do you have any questions?"

"Yeah...maybe. That's a good idea." Esme agreed about the tombstone. He should have some kind of further involvement in the process at least. She dutifully signs everything as Beth explains it. Normally Esme might scrutinize every paper she was signing like she had with her rental lease but Beth was a friend and also Esme lacked the energy to do more than just sign off. If it came back to bite her later - so be it - but Esme was sure it wouldn't. When it was all done, Esme thought for a moment and then shook her head. "No questions. It all seems fairly straight forward. I think if she were able to see everything on Saturday she would love it."

"And even if she didn't she would have said something like Oh honey you put so much effort forth." Beth says warmly and fondly. She then says, "I'll give you a catalog for the tombstones. We can go into the show room for the caskets." She begins standing up from the desk and waits for Esme to follow her. "And I guess I'll tell you what happened while you look. But only because it'll give you something else to think on."

"Yep, she would. Mom was firm but fair, always." Esme agreed, getting to her feet. "Yes, please. I would love to have something else on my mind." She followed Beth out and towards the show room. All ears to hear about what went down.

Beth walks into the viewing room and turns off onto a side door. The side door is opened to reveal a display room for caskets held on brackets on the walls as well as in the middle of the floor. Another display holds more urns. She leads the way towards a elegant looking pine casket. "I like this one a lot for your mom. We have one in maple that's similar. I could also show you more ornate stuff, too." She lets Esme look a moment before she says, "The thing stalking me showed up while I was talking to someone who knows a lot about the veil. It tried attacking me. Burnt down the door before it broke out a window to get out. The time before it mutilated a corpse. I managed to get the hell out. I was trying to stay with someone but now it's showing up even when other people are here, so..." She lets out an anxious little puff of air. "If you talk to Gabe he is on the case of the people killed by it."

Esme eyed the caskets carefully. This was an important choice. She definitely wanted to make sure the right one was picked. As she watches, she listens, considering the pine casket that Beth showed her. A look of concern given toward the woman. "Has it said anything about what it wants? How many people have been killed by it so far, any idea?" There's a little nod. "Yeah, I have to catch up with him anyway so I'll definitely get in touch." She finally looks at the casket again. "I do like this one. Do you have a sample of the maple one? Ornate wasn't her thing. Elegant, simple...not showy or flashy."

"From what I can tell it is the Veil's twisted interpretation of love." Beth says softly as she watches Esme look over the caskets. "It's name is Obsesi. It's just...well, it's obsessed with me. It wants me." This causes a worried look to cross her face. "Either we stop it or it kills me I figure. Or it kills someone else and tries giving me the heart. Which is worse than it killing me, I think." She nods her head at the question of the maple sample, and goes over to a drawer to pull out some sample pieces of wood. "I have maple and oak."

"Obsesi...fitting name." Esme murmured. "Definitely sounds like it needs stopped. You know I'm happy to help. Whatever I can do." Because staying busy was better than being left alone with her thoughts. Esme eyed the samples. Considering them, then the pine, then back to the samples. "I think the maple would be good." She decides finally. "Does there seem to be a pattern of when it shows up? Or is just random?"

"I do, too." Beth says in agreement before adding, "And it'll look pretty with cream colored flowers with some yellows and pinks." She then turns back to the subject at hand. Her head shakes and she lets out the softest of sighs. "No. It's random. Or if there is a pattern I'm not seeing it." The casket chosen she starts leading the way out of the room. "I need to get things rolling on this. I'm going to order the casket and go get your mom from the hospital. We'll get everything ordered and going so it's ready for Saturday."

"We'll see." Esme shook her head a bit about the demon. Once they were back in the main area, Esme gave Beth another hug. "Thank you Beth. I'll send you that burial plot information when I get home and I'll drop off the outfit and things for you tomorrow." She offered up another touch of a smile. "Let me know if there's anything else you need. Either with the funeral preparations or the Veil matter."

Beth returns the hug. "Okay. And I'll let you know. For both of them. But just focus on yourself and your dad for now, okay? Don't worry about me. I'll be okay for now." She takes a step towards the door to open it for Esme when she's ready to go out, but waits until she looks like she is actually ready. "And if you need anything call me, okay? Even if you think it's silly. Same goes for if your dad needs anything, too. Either one of you can call me."

"Yeah, I'll try." Esme nodded about focusing on herself and her dad. "I'll see you Friday." She gave Beth's arm a final parting squeeze before heading out, back in to the cold.