Double Trouble 44: The Funeral
 by Cariad
 

Double Trouble
~Forty Four~
Holly was in the middle of a fantastic dream in which the insufferable Jonathan Hotchkiss was brought to his knees, vanquished by her own sword, while a knight rode up to the castle walls, lifting off his helmet…

“Hollis, wake up!” Julia said, shaking her violently. “We’ve got to make our appearance at Rebecca’s funeral.”

Holly shook off her tiredness, and staggered to the bathroom. Julia, she noted, was already dressed in a somber black pantsuit, her hair and make-up complete. “Why are you ready so early?” Holly demanded.

Julia rolled her eyes. “You know our little houseguest?” she asked. “Well, the Terror woke me up an hour ago to help her choose an appropriate dress.”

“It’s a funeral, wear black,” Holly muttered.

Less than a week after New Year’s and Rebecca’s body was being interred in the Harmony Cemetery. Not many mourners were expected, but the press would be there, as the Cranes and Hotchkisses would make their first public appearance since the tragic events and Julian’s arrest. Holly chose a long and simple black dress from her closet and pushed her golden hair behind her ears. Ephipany, she thought, and we’re putting an unrepentant gold-digger in the ground. She looked at her hands. Shutting her eyes, she donned the ring she had not worn since New Year’s eve. Who knew if she would have to remove her gloves for some reason? The absence would be commented upon, and word would get back to Grandfather Crane. She sighed, and joined the company in the foyer.

Aidan slouched by the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes intent on Theresa. Theresa, dressed tastefully in one of Holly’s old dresses, gripped her handbag tightly, shrinking under Gwen’s hateful stare. Ivy soon descended the stairs slowly, with Jonathan’s help, and they donned their coats for Rebecca’s funeral. Two limousines waited outside. Holly glanced at Julia as they wondered who would ride with whom.

Jonathan cleared his throat. “It would be best if the Hotchkisses rode in one and the Cranes in the other,” he declared. “Theresa, you will be riding with the Cranes. Holly, you come with me.” He grasped her hand and pulled her towards the second limousine.

“Let me go!” Holly hissed. “I don’t like you this way!”

He flicked a glance at her. “You’re wearing the ring, good,” he replied.

Holly’s eyes widened in fury. In the five days they had been cooped up in the Crane Mansion, Jonathan had resumed a chilly distance, loosing once more all trace of humanity—to Holly’s eyes. She often found him striding purposefully from her Father’s study, to the vault, and several other places that were off-limits. Dinner was, necessarily, silent as the seven people gathered in one room and tensions flared. Ivy occasionally chatted with Jonathan, but ignored her own son. Aidan cast suggestive looks at Theresa, daring her to break Alistair’s word. Any response from Theresa was quickly quenched by a cold stare from Gwen. Gwen had barely spoken since the incident, and remained silent in the limousine. Her eyes stared ahead, focusing on nothing, her shoulders slumped.

Holly expected the flashes as she alighted from the limousine after Jonathan, his hand gripping hers so tightly, she thought her fingers would break. She figured a smile was not appropriate for the occasion, so she did not bother putting one on. Gwen proceeded into the church first, alone, followed by Jonathan and Holly. Julia walked with Theresa, and Ivy and Aidan brought up the rear.
 

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Julia was surprised at the amount of mourners present. She figured they had not come for Rebecca. She quickly found Noah, standing silently and respectfully next to his Uncle Hank. And then her eyes found Reese, standing alone, and off to one side, his hands awkwardly clasped in front of him. Julia’s eyes narrowed. This wasn’t the time for a confrontation, she reminded herself, though she would dearly like to teach him a lesson for fooling with her sister’s fragile heart. She walked up to the coffin alongside Gwen, to give her friend the moral support she needed.
The coffin was closed. Julia assumed that was due to the autopsy, or perhaps they could not make her remains look presentable. Julia fought against the vision of Rebecca on the bed. Her sightless eyes bulged and stared up at the ceiling, wisps of red hair falling onto the pillow, mingling with clotted blood. Her throat had been slit. Julia shook her head, glancing up to see Hank Bennett standing next to Gwen now.

“Are you all right?” he asked quietly. Gwen nodded. He gave her hand a squeeze. “It’s going to be all right, Gwen,” he promised. “Eventually, it will be all right.” Gwen nodded slightly, wiping tears from her eyes.

“I’ve been to too many funerals recently,” Gwen whispered. “Only Mother’s not going to come back like Sheridan did.”

“It will be ok,” Hank comforted.

“Thank you for coming,” Gwen whispered.

Hank combed a hand through his hair. “I can’t say I knew your mother well,” he confessed, walking the tightrope of politeness, “but I thought you might be needing someone here.”

Gwen nodded. “That was good of you. Thank you.”

Jonathan gave the eulogy. Gwen started, but could not find her voice, so choked was she with emotion. Instead, she stood by her brother while her brother read the speech Gwen had prepared. “I know my mother wasn’t the most beloved of people. And I know she did not set an example of what is right and good. To call her a wonderful person and blessed of God’s Angels would be a lie. But she was a mother. She was my mother, and despite all her faults, I loved her as any child loves their mother. She did not always act in my best interests, she often acted in her own, but I loved her anyway. I do know one thing about her, though. Her greatest fear was to die unloved and forgotten, all alone. She did not die unloved and forgotten.”
 
 

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The trip to the cemetery was silent, Gwen’s words and Jonathan’s voice ringing in their ears. Through the ride, Jonathan did not release Holly’s hand. Holly berated herself for her uncharitable thoughts. After all, Rebecca was his mother too. The wind was blowing out at the cemetery and snow covered the ground, capping the headstones in white. The dark clothing seemed a blot on the pristine ground, and the open hole where the coffin was to be place seemed more of a sacrilege rather than a sacrament. Holly stared across the hole at her sister. Already, she felt further from her sister than she thought possible, as if the hole were a gaping canyon. The line had been drawn, though no rites had taken place, Jonathan had claimed her as a Hotckiss. She was no longer a Crane. And she was scared.
Julia stood between Aidan and Theresa. The two Mrs. Cranes were to be separated as far as possible as the future Mrs. Crane-number-three was buried in frozen ground. The seven inhabitants of Crane Mansion remained as the coffin had been covered. The groundskeeper gently asked them to leave so the machinery could fill in the rest. Silently, they walked back to the limousines.

Julia was tired as she climbed back in. She could tell from the glances exchanged that there soon would be a confrontation between Theresa and Ivy, and Julia prayed that she was not there to watch the proceedings. Anyone present in Crane Mansion would probably be able to hear at least one side of the confrontation. The wait staff knew that Ivy was hardly silent when in the middle of a tirade.

But the day would not end as they returned to Crane Mansion. Alistair had informed Jonathan and Ivy—who passed on the news in the limousines on the ride home, that there would be a press conference on the front steps. She sighed and rubbed her temples.

“You will be silent, Theresa,” Ivy commanded. “As will the rest of you. Alistair has commanded a united front, and Jonathan and I will be the only ones allowed to make statements concerning this fiasco. If you are asked a direct question, one of us will answer and you will agree. You realize that there is now a scandal attached to this, and once again, Julian leaves it to someone else to pick up the pieces. He always was like that. Never taking responsibility for his actions.”
 

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Holly found herself near the podium, still next to Jonathan, a pounding headache marching inside her brain. Public appearances always did this to her. She prepared once again for the flashes of the cameras as she followed Jonathan out of the limousine. Reporters shouted questions, glibly answered by either her mother or Jonathan. No, the family does not believe that Julian was guilty. Yes, he is cooperating fully with the police, all the Cranes are. Business was proceeding as normal, and yes, Jonathan Hotchkiss was acting for Alistair in Julian’s stead. No, the allegations that Julian murdered Rebecca had no effect upon the engagement between Holly and Jonathan. No, there was no wedding date set, both had plans to finish school.
Holly dutifully removed her glove to prove that she still wore the ostentatious diamond.

Ivy’s declaration of intent to divorce Julian had been put on hold until after Julian was cleared of charges. Yes, the family was welcoming Theresa as the mother of a Crane child. Yes, the child would be considered a Crane, as Julian had publicly declared his intentions. Yes, Theresa was very happy in the Mansion. No, it is not true that her mother still worked for the Cranes in a servile manor. Yes, Pilar was still Ivy’s personal assistant, and had many responsibilities, but no, she was not a servant. They hoped the true murderer would be brought to justice soon, and also prosecuted for being a thief. No, they would take no more questions. No, they did not think that Julian did that out of passion, if you recall it was Rebecca who was mad at Julian, not the other way around. No, they would take no more questions. No more questions. Lights flashed once more as they found the heat of Crane Mansion welcoming.
 

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“Another midnight meeting?” Julia asked as she saw Jonathan pass her bedroom that night.
Jonathan glared at her. “Tell Holly that I was proud of her today and would like to speak with her in the morning.”

Julia arched an eyebrow. “So I’m her secretary now?” she asked.

“You wouldn’t have to be if she would say two words to me on her own.”

“I’m sure she’d warm up to you more if you behaved in a more personable manner,” Julia commented, examining her nails.

“So it is my behavior not her cold shoulder which has caused all this?” he asked. “Just let her know that I would like to talk to her in the morning.”

“Why not now,” Julia demanded.

“You should know. I have things to do.”

Julia arched an eyebrow. “More things? Mysterious things like you did Tuesday night?”

He sighed. “You said you wouldn’t pry. Look, I have to leave now else I’ll be late. Tell Holly.”

“Tell her yourself,” Julia said with a secretive smile, opening the door wider to reveal her twin.

“What do you have to say to me,” Holly demanded coldly.

“In the morning, Holly, I have an appointment.”

“At this hour of the night?” Holly closed her eyes, gathering herself. “I will tell you something Mr. Hotchkiss,” Holly hissed. “I know my duty to you, so you should also be aware of your duty to me. If we go through with this charade, I will let you know now that I will not tolerate philandering.”

Jonathan barked a bitter laugh. “So I let you look for a way out, but I am not allowed to look for one?”

Holly’s lips straightened into a thin line. “You’re the one who was hell bent on this engagement,” she explained.

“We’ll speak more in the morning,” he fumed.

“I hope she’s worth it,” Holly replied coolly.

“We settle this in the morning, Holly,” Jonathan replied, stalking down the hallway.

Julia closed the door as he passed, dissolving into a fit of laughter.

“Was it really that amusing?” Holly asked, finding Julia’s giggles infectious.

Julia nodded, catching her breath. “Just his expressions,” she explained finally, between fits of laughter. “He struts down all confident and sexy, and I’m sure he’s absolutely bewildered about how you can resist him!” Julia laughed again. “He’s a tough one to resist,” she sighed. “You don’t know how lucky you are, Hollis.”

Holly sat on the bed. “I’d say you were the lucky one, Jules. Just think, I've got a lifetime of being told when and where you could communicate, of standing silently while he declares his opinions, and putting up with mysterious meetings that last all night. Something’s not right here, Jules. Something’s not quite right about him.”

“Whatever!”