Chapter 25: Whadda Ya Gonna Do?

We've been in D.C. now for three days, and nothin's been happenin' ‘cept me and B have been doin' the town. Today we're supposed to be meetin' some big shot, probably the guy who's fundin' this operation, but it's been delayed.

So, after me and B did some more sight seein', and found a way to get in touch with Will to let her know someone's been tippin' these asshole's off, we went back to the hotel for more fake fuckin'.

We're layin' in the bed makin' out when Ken's phone rings, "Probably the big boss." I get up and get the phone out of my jacket.

Hmmm, it's Laurie, one of Ken's old crew.

"What's up, Laurie? Long time no talk to."

"I know, you jerk! You abandoned your crew and you have the nerve not to keep in touch." She laughs.

"So, what's up, you guys need help with something?"

"No, I heard you were with Buffy now, that's some freakin' development, huh?!"

"Yeah," I smirk and wink at B. "she's everything I've ever wanted."

"Are you with her now? ‘Cause I overheard that Giles and Willow were trying to get in touch with her."

Could've just called me, they know this number. Must be needin' her for somethin' they don't want me to know about.

"Yeah, we're in D.C. gettin' better aquainted." I smile and B smiles really bright. Shit, I still get those heart pangs everytime she does that.

"Ken, I know you and Faith are kinda enemies now, but I just thought you should know, her grandmother died this morning."

My heart freezes and sinks into my stomach. "What was that?" I must've heard her wrong.

"Faith, she had a grandmother, I heard Willow saying to Giles that she had a call from Faith's Aunt in Boston. I just thought I'd give a call because I heard you were with Buffy now and you and Faith used to be friends."

It's not true, it can't be true!

"Ken, are you ok?" Laurie asks.

Buffy's lookin' at the look on my face and I realize I have to play this as Ken. Fuck, I wish I knew who these assholes were so I could be done with this bullshit already!

"Yeah, I'm just stunned, I didn't even know she had a family. You say she died this morning?"

Buffy's eyes go wide and she sits up on the edge of the bed.

"Yep, that's what I've heard. In case you don't hear anything else, give me a call, I might be able to get you some more info, if you need it."

"What did she die of?"

"Old age I guess and I think I heard someone say cancer. I'll bet Faith's gonna be a basket case when they get in touch with her. She'll be brought back from France."

"Hey, thanks a lot, Laurie." I'm smilin' like she just told me I won the lottery. "I'll keep in touch."

"You better. Talk to you later, Ken."

I close the phone and look at Buffy with the big grin on my face.

"What happened, Ken? Who died?"

"Oh, Faith's grandmother, or something. Which is weird, I didn't even know Faith had a grandmother, or family for that matter."

Buffy looks horrified.

I walk over to her and give her a kiss, she doesn't kiss back, she's still stunned.

"Now, where were we?" I start kissin' and nibblin' at her neck. I'm still smilin'.

She realizes what's goin' on and she pushes me back a bit. "No, I can't. I-I, I just can't."

"Whatever." I get up off the bed all irritated and go to wash my face and brush my teeth.

I can't fuckin' cry, so this stupid fuckin' grin keeps breakin' out on my face.

When I get back in the room B's still sittin' on the bed, she's lookin' at her hands.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't know you knew her that well." I put on some workout clothes and get Ken's ipod. "I'm gonna go work out, will you be ok?"

She looks at me and I can see by her eyes she wants to come over and comfort me, or stop me or do somethin', but she can't ‘cause I gotta be ‘Ken'. Besides, if she came over and hugged me, I'd fuckin' lose it and people might die.

"Maybe you should call Willow, Laurie said they were trying to get in touch with you."

"My phone!" She jumps off the bed and goes to where it's chargin'. "I shut it off because the battery was low, I forgot to turn it on when I plugged it back in." She's upset at herself for not bein' there for Will's call. I bet it's because I found out through someone totally random, but that's not her fault so she shouldn't be that upset.

"See you later."

She looks at me all sad and I have to turn away.

"See you, soon." She says quietly.

I get down to the workout room and no one's there. Good, I can think in peace, I do the spell and see that there's no bugs. I hope Will calls me and does one of those spells so they can't hear what she's really sayin', I need to know what's goin' on. I have to know when I can get outta this fuckin' glamour and get up to Boston. My aunt's probably goin' fuckin' nuts!

The door to the workout room opens and Julian walks in, he's dressed in shorts and a tank, I guess he decided to work out on the spur of the moment. Shit, I hate this undercover bullshit. Everyone's a fuckin' spy, even the chauffeur. It's all so fuckin' James Bond.

"Hey"

"Hi Ms. Kennedy! How's your day going?"

I shrug, "I just got a phone call that through off my groove. So forgive me if I'm not too chatty."

"I understand." He's lookin' at me like he wants to say somethin' else, I see him make up his mind. "That's one hot babe you've got, if you don't mind me saying so."

"Can't fault you for stating the obvious."

"Do you mind me having a go at her once you're done with her?"

What the motherfuck?!

"What?"

"I love small chicks."

I get off the treadmill I'm on and go over to the elliptical machine he's busy with. I lift him up by his throat so fast that he's still got his arms movin' like he would if he were on the machine.

"What was that?"

He's strugglin' to say somethin' and he's pointin' to my hand. I set him down on the floor. He's gaspin' and sputterin'.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch what you said, forgive me for lifting you off your machine like that."

"What the fuck?" Julian's still gaspin'. "They said you didn't mind shit like that."

"Comments about wanting to fuck my girl?"

"Yeah, and not just the comments either."

Shit, Ken must use ‘em hard and fast, and then give ‘em away when she's done.

"Well, this one's different."

"Sorry, I'll remember that."

"Thanks, and I'm sorry I reacted like that, I told ya, I'm a little wound up."

My cell rings and there's no name or nothin' on the display. It's that fucker Gerard.

"Kennedy, I'm sorry to bother you, I have some rather bad news."

"Yeah, Laurie called."

"How did Laurie know?"

"She's at the school, she overheard Willow and Giles."

There's a pause on his end of the line.

Oh shit, maybe he was talkin' about somethin' else, but I hope I just gave him a heart attack.

"Is this about Faith's grandmother?" I ask.

"What? Oh!" He sounds relieved, the fuckface. "No, the boss won't be able to meet today. In fact I'm not sure when we can reschedule, he's been called away."

"Oh. Hey, Laurie's call was about Faith's grandmother dying. I think Buffy's pretty upset about it, she's probably gonna want to go to the funeral and stuff, will that throw things off?"

"No, in fact that will be perfectly fine. You might be able to meet with him in Boston, Massachusetts is his home state."

"So, he's like in politics there?"

"Yes, and I can't stress enough how much discretion is warranted in this operation. He's never wanted to meet one of our slayers before. You must have impressed him very much."

‘Their Slayers'. The implications of that makes my skin crawl.

"You'll arrange things?"

"We'll be in touch. Sorry to have brought you all this way for nothing."

Not nothing, we were able to get a bit of dirt on that Senator's assistant, just have to bring it back to Willow and Giles to figure out.

"No big deal, I got to spend some time with Buffy, without the Scooby gang around."

"Yes. You must like her very much, usually the others don't last for more than a night or two in a row."

"There's just something about her, and knowing that I took her away from Faith, priceless."

He laughs.

"I guess that would be incentive to keep Buffy around. Among other things." The suggestiveness in his voice as he said that makes my skin crawl even more. I wish I could set myself on fire to get rid of this feelin'. "By the way, you can leave when you want, we have the suite until the end of the week. Don't worry, it's all paid for by us, we didn't stick you with any of the bill."

"Thanks, Gerard."

"You're most welcome. Oh and Kennedy?"

"Yeah?"

"I can't tell you enough how happy I am that you're doing so well. We've all been very pleased."

"Thanks. I think you've told me that already, but it's nice to hear." Haven't done nothin' but oh well, whatever he says.

"We'll be in touch."

"Ok, bye."

He hangs up and Julian's cell rings, then he excuses himself and says another sorry as he leaves.

I get back on the treadmill and break into a run. I can't think of anything until I know how I can safely get outta D.C. and back to Boston as myself.

When I get back to the room, I'm fuckin' tired, I ran about 30 miles at almost full speed on that fuckin' treadmill. It was either that or bust up every piece of fuckin' equipment and all the mirrors they had.

I'm surprised I restrained myself from killin' Julian.

I flop down on the bed and Buffy comes out of the bathroom.

She still doesn't know what to say to me, I can tell. She doesn't want to keep up this Ken charade, but she has to, and that's makin' her nuts because all she wants to do is comfort me.

I'm actually revelin' in not bein' comforted right now and that's a bit scary. ‘Cause I know thinkin' like that can lead me down the dark path that I've been tryin' to stay away from.

"Did you talk to Willow?"

She doesn't answer me, so I turn around to look at her. She's got the bottom lip quiverin' and her nose and forehead are scrunched up in that way she has when she's gonna start bawlin' really hard. I hate to see her cry, it really guts me.

I get up off the bed. "Hey, are you ok?"

She nods but it doesn't look to me like she's ok. I rub her shoulders tryin' to get her to look me in the eyes.

"It'll be ok. From what Laurie said she was just old. It was natural causes."

"I know, but... Faith..." Her eyes lock on mine and I cut her off.

"She'll be ok, Buffy." Shit, she better not blow it here for us, I don't wanna die, too. "I tell you what, I'll talk to Will and see what we can do about going up there. Ya know, maybe she can smooth things over. How's that sound?"

"Ok" Her voice is filled with tears and I have to get away before I lose it, too.

"Good, will you be ok? I was gonna take a shower."

She nods and sighs.

Ken's cell rings and I take it in the bathroom with me.

"Hey, Will."

"Faith, I've got the spell again on the phone, just listen, it's really important that you understand what's about to happen. First of all, I'm so, so sorry about Gee Gee, and I'm sorry you found out the way you did. She went into a coma last night, and died this morning. Apparently, she was in the last stages of cancer."

Why the fuck didn't anyone tell me?! What the fuck!!!

"Yeah, Laurie told me, I know Buffy'd like to come up there for the services and stuff. How can we make that happen without a scene?"

"Rona's on her way to JFK on an Air France flight, she's got a wicca with her, once they get there she'll be teleported to me, and then I put a Ken glamour on her and she's teleported to your hotel room. Don't worry, she won't end up out on the balcony."

"Well that's really nice of you. I appreciate that."

"You'll be teleported by me at the same time to the airport. Giles will be waiting there for you with Francie. She doesn't know anything about this operation, Faith. Once you get there you'll have a connecting flight to Boston. From there it's as normal. Well, except that Rona and Buffy will be playing their parts. But like you said, they'll be going to the services."

"Well, that's it then, I'll see you up in Boston."

"You got it. I'm really sorry, Faith. I-I don't know what to say."

What can she say?

"I know it's gonna be hard, but you've got my word. I'll be good." I say that so she knows I'm not going to do anything stupid to jeopardize our current mission, or my sanity. Even though I'm barely hangin' on to both.

We say our goodbyes and I step into the shower. I feel numb, there's really nothin' goin' on in my mind except ‘don't fuckin' blow it, don't fuckin' blow it'. I still have that overwhelmin' feelin' of wantin' to smile. I don't know why, but it just seems fuckin' surreally funny to me. I knew she wasn't well, but nobody fuckin' said a word how bad she was. I wonder if Buffy knew? Nah, she woulda told me.

Wouldn't she have?

After I'm done in the shower, and managed to not pull a ‘Wesley's bathroom wall' repeat, I stand there and look at myself in the mirror. Well, I look at Ken in the mirror and I gather strength in keepin' my composure from thinkin' about when we were friends, and when we fought side by side on more than a few occasions. Keepin' each other alive.

Still sucks that my grandmother's gone, and I wasn't there to say goodbye and thank her for all she's done for me.

Whadda ya gonna do?

"Faith!!" Francie comes chargin' me as I step up to the bag carousel to claim the luggage Rona had brought with her to France. Which is actually my luggage.

I wrap her up in a hug and finally shed a tear or two as she's bawlin' on my shoulder. I still haven't broken down and really lost it. I don't know whether that's a good thing or a bad thing.

"Hey, G." I nod at Giles who's standin' a little bit away

"Hello, Faith. I'm so sorry, I can't express my condolences enough for the loss of Gee Gee."

Giles sayin' her nickname makes my bottom lip pout, but I don't lose it. "Yeah, it's a shock, I didn't realize how bad she was."

"I'm not sure anyone did."

He picks up my bag, and I get Francie to start walkin', we have to make our way to the gate for the flight to Boston. She's still clingin' to me and I stroke her back to give her some comfort. Giles says he's comin' with us. Good, it'll be nice to have him there with me, especially since B can't be. That really must be tearin' her up, she'd wanna be with me at a time like this. Kinda like how I felt bein' in prison when Mrs. S. died and I wasn't even her girl then, I couldn't imagine if that happened now and I couldn't be there with her.

These fuckers are gonna die hard!

When we get to Logan there's a car waiting for us, Giles sprung for a driver. Good, ‘cause he drives like an 80 year old woman these days, and I didn't wanna have to drive. I'm not in the mood. I'm gettin' broody because I don't really wanna deal with what I'm about to walk into at Aunt Dee's.

"Have you talked to your Dad, Fran?"

"Yeah, he said he'd be at Aunt Dee's when we got there."

"I bet the whole neighborhood is there."

"You ain't kiddin'. When you came back, Aunt Dee didn't tell anyone but our family because she knew everyone would be pilin' in tryin' to see ya."

"Really? She didn't say anything."

"She didn't want ya ta get spooked and not come."

Shit, everyone's always worried I'll wig.

"Wouldn't have stopped me, I realized how important family was, no matter what. Ya know?"

"Yeah, I know what ya mean. I was bein' such a bitch to everyone when I didn't know what the dreams and stuff meant. But deep down I knew they'd be there for me." She starts to tear up, because she's thinkin' of Gee Gee, I know she is because that's what kinda stuff Gee Gee did for us. No matter what you did she'd try to help you out.

With Francie she knew she had to get her help, and she protected her from parts of the family that would use the slayer stuff against her and Uncle John. I'll find out about that shit and see what I can do about it. No one's gonna fuck with my family or my slayers anymore.

When we get to Aunt Dee's she's comin' outta the house with a couple of other people, one is Uncle Jim and the other is Leah, I can see some other people waitin' on the porch. I get out of the car and Aunt Dee waits for me to stand fully before grabbin' me in a hug and cryin' into my shoulder.

"Oh, Faith! I'm so sorry." She's cryin' so hard she can't get anything else out. Everyone's sorry, I'm the one that should be sorry.

"It's me who's sorry, Dee. I'm sorry I wasn't here and I'm sorry you lost your mother."

That makes her cry harder. Leah's standin' right behind me rubbin' my back and cryin'. We stand like that for a few minutes until Aunt Dee calms down enough to walk. My Uncle comes up beside her and supports her and we all walk arm in arm to the house. Jules hugs me and says she's glad to see me, she too starts cryin'. Ashley's standin' a little bit away like she doesn't know what to do. I give her a "get over here look" and she comes up and joins in on the hug with her sister.

My Aunt says there are some people that are flyin' in and they'll be here later. Like my grandmother's brother Sal and my Uncles Bobby and Ted, with their wives and a couple of kids. Even though they're all stayin' at hotels, the house will still be nuts.

When we get inside I'm brought over to the couch and made to sit, Uncle Jim brings my bag upstairs, I guess I'll be stayin' in the same room I stayed in when me and B came up back in February.

"So, she went quick?" There are so many things going around in my brain, but this question is the one that matters right now.

Aunt Dee hesitates, and more tears leak out of her eyes, she sighs. I put my hand on her shoulder providin' some strength. She turns to me and nods her head.

"She-she just went into a coma and slipped away. She had been complainin' of a headache, and we took her for a scan, the cancer had spread to her brain."

"When was all this? I mean, I knew she fell but no one said she had cancer."

"She didn't..." Aunt Dee trails off.

"She didn't want me to know." I finish for her.

Aunt Dee doesn't say anything but I can see in her eyes that I'm right.

"Why?"

"She didn't want her last days with you to be sad."

Shit, she's right, I would have been so fuckin' busted knowin' she could up and die any day.

"I wanted to be with her, when she went." I tear up when I say that. I wasn't there when my mother or grandfather died, I wanted to at least be with Gee Gee. I owed it to her.

Aunt Dee takes my hands in hers and kisses them.

"She knows you do important things, Faith. She didn't want you postponing your trip, besides, she really didn't think she'd go that fast. The original scan she had last month didn't show any cancer in her brain."

"What happened, it just grew that fast?"

"The first one must have been wrong."

"Fuck, uhhh sorry." I apologize to Leah who's holdin' Joey. He's bouncin' on her hip and holdin' his arms out to me. He makes me smile this little boy. I hold my arms out and he tries to squirm outta Leah's arms. She notices what he's tryin' to do and hands him over.

"Hey, little man. I missed you so much." I give him kisses and he giggles and squeals. He's so cute he makes me laugh. "Sorry, bubba, I was kinda out of it the last time you saw me. I promise this time I'll play with ya." I bounce him up and down on my knee and he claps.

Uncle Jim comes down and says he put my stuff in Gee Gee's room. Giles'll take Ashley's bed. The girls are gonna double up again.

I start to protest and Dee won't hear it. "You have to spend some time with her; it'll help, believe me." She mean spend time with my grandmother's things, and her spirit.

Joey stands on my lap and I hold him securely by his waist, he starts rockin' back and forth and side to side, like he's dancin'. Shit, he remembers our little dance routine. I taught that to him while Buffy and everyone went to the mall the last time we were here. Gee Gee and me were teachin' him this dance, and singin' an Italian song Gee Gee used to sing to us all when we were little babies like this. This kid is amazin'! I can't believe he remembered that. He's lookin' at me almost darin' me to sing.

"La mia mamma, matta matta
M'ha pigiato nella pignatta.
Mia sorella, bella bella
M'ha posato nel cestello.
Il mio papà, quatton quattoni
M'ha pappato in un boccone.
Per l'amor di San Martino
Son diventato un bel uccellino:
Cip, cip, cip!"

He's rockin' out and everyone around me is stunned. They're all smilin' and I can tell a few of my cousins wanna bust out laughin'.

"Oh, Faith! That's just like Gee Gee!!" Leah squeals.

I can see a grin break out on Giles' face and he nods.

I shake my head, "Me, like Gee Gee? Yeah right."

Aunt Dee pokes me in the side. "You see what you want to see, you don't see what we see."

B and the others are always sayin' that same shit to me, I wonder when I'll ever get it. But still, my grandma was a classy lady, and I'll never live up to what she did. Always helpin' everybody out when she could, even takin' in her kids friends when they were tossed out of their places at one time or another.

Dee pats my leg and whispers to me that we'll talk later. I make Joey dance for another two songs, one of which is Jingle Bells in Italian, and everyone claps and laughs. You'd never have thought someone so dear to our hearts had died today if you walked in the room right now.

I guess that's how Gee Gee wanted it; It's funny that she's always guidin' us the way she wants us to act, even when she's not here.

I'm sittin' on Gee Gee's bed and takin' in everything, includin' her perfume that's still in the air. It's not the same one that B uses, but it has the same kinda calmin' effect on me. I want to break down, but I just can't, I don't know why. A soft knock interrupts my thoughts and Dee asks if she can come in.

"It's open."

"Uncle Sal just called they met up with Bobby and Ted, they'll be here in about a half an hour."

"Cool."

I feel her starin' at me.

"You doin' ok, Faith?"

How can she ask me that after losin' her mother, my grandmother?

"Are you?"

"No, but we'll get through it all as a family, no?"

"Yeah, we will."

"What about the stuff with Buffy?"

"What about it?" I still have to act like the break up is real. Even though this place isn't bugged, I don't know what or who could be tippin' the assholes off, so we have to keep as many people as possible out of the loop.

"It all happened so fast. I'm still in shock."

"Me too. But I was always pullin' stupid shit that she'd be annoyed with. I guess she just got fed up."

"You two looked so solid, even though you were fightin' when you came up here the last time, I still felt you guys would last. I mean," She scoffs, "If Jim and I broke up for good everytime we fought I wouldn't be married and these kids of mine wouldn't be here."

"What a horrible thought."

"I know right?!"

"I mean, not for the girls, but Joey not bein' born, man that would suck."

She laughs and slaps my leg. "Oh you're a real piece of work! I'll tell the girls you said that. But that little boy is somethin' right?"

"He's somethin' alright. He's a doll is what he is."

"I know, he just cheers up even the most fucked situations."

"It's like he knows we need it."

"He's really smart, Leah's gotta take him to get tested. I think he's a genius."

"Yeah, but let him be a kid, ya know, geniuses learn a lot by playin' with other kids, in the mud and junk."

"So, does Buffy know about your Gee Gee?"

I nod, "She got a call from someone, I think and then she called Will and confirmed it. Willow called me and asked if it was ok if Buffy came up to the funeral."

"What did you say?"

"What did I say, or what did I wanna say?"

"What did you say, because I know what I'd say."

"I said, whatever, let her do what she wants. Did Gee Gee ban her from the funeral?"

Aunt Dee shakes her head.

"So, it's not up to me, she can come, she just can't make a scene or she's gettin' bounced. Right?"

"Right," Dee pats my leg again. "You're bein' very good about it, I would be fuckin' bustin' heads. ‘Scuse my French, Ma." She crosses herself.

"Hey, did Buffy know about Gee Gee bein' real sick?"

"Not that I know of, but you know Gee Gee, she don't spill no one's secrets."

"You're not kiddin'."

"Still can't believe that about you and Buffy."

"Yeah well, whadda ya gonna do?"

"Nothin'," She shrugs, "what can ya do?"

"Nothin'."

"You comin' down to meet Uncle Sally and Aunt Rae? Ted and Bobby should be with them."

Fuckin' used to throw me into fits when Uncle Salvatore's and Aunt Raelena's nicknames were mentioned, because "Uncle Sally", I mean funny in and of itself, but then he's married to "Aunt Rae". I used to die laughin'.

"Of course," I smirk, "I wouldn't miss it."

"You still get a kick outta their names, huh?"

"It's funny!!"

"Yeah, yeah, ya ditzy broad. C'mon."

We get up and she slings an arm around my shoulder, I see a picture that catches my eye and I stop, it's a really old one, in a brass frame that's up on the wall. The two girls are posed kinda like how me and Aunt Dee are standin' right now.

"Is that Gee Gee?"

"Yep, and her best friend, Alicia. That was taken on Gee Gee's farm in Palermo."

"Wow, they were lookers, who knew huh?" I kid. I've seen pictures of her as a young woman before, just not this one.

"You're bad. And you knew your Gee Gee was a hottie. She can hear you, ya know. She'll getcha!"

"I know, I better watch out or I'll pitch down the stairs."

"Yeah, but with my luck you'll use me to break your fall."

"Whadda ya gonna do?" I wiggle my brows at her.

"Uncle Sally! Aunt Rae!" Aunt Dee rushes to the door and greets her Uncle and his wife. She's glarin' at the girls who can't keep their snickers in at the nicknames. I said it was hard to do. They're faces are serious with a hint of wantin' to laugh.

"Such a shame, Deborah, what a shame, huh?" Aunt Rae tuts and looks like she's about to bawl. Then she and Uncle Sal notice me. "Is that Faith?"

"'Course that's Faith, Rae! Whatta ya, blind? Looks just like Kate." Uncle Sal says.

They didn't call my mom Kathy, she was Kate. "The Kate that Fate Hates", she used to always fuckin' say. Then she'd mutter, "Faith, too." Meanin' that I hated her, too. If she only knew that I loved her so much, but she beat the hate into me. Maybe she did know. But I can't think of that now, I have people to get reacquainted with.

Uncle Sal and Aunt Rae hold their arms out to me and I go over and hug them both. Aunt Rae pinches my cheek, Uncle Sal pats my hand.

"Such a beautiful girl, you stayin' outta trouble?" Aunt Rae says all concerned.

I nod, "Yeah, I'm workin' for the good guys."

"Good, I always knew ya had moxy." Uncle Sal winks.

"I'm sorry for your loss Uncle Sal." I give him a kiss on the cheek.

"She was my older sister, we were the last two left of the D'Allesio's from Palermo." He looks at me all sad then shrugs, "Whatta ya gonna do?"

I want to crack up because I know I'm gonna hear that all week. Seems like when an Italian doesn't know what to say, we say ‘Whatta ya gonna do?' instead. If I really sat down and thought about it I'd know why that is, but I'm really overloaded right now. My two Uncles who were sayin' their hellos to everyone are makin' sure they razz me about jail and stuff. Always gotta tease.

"So, where's your wives, they finally wise up and leave ya?"

Uncle Bobby laughs, "No, they're gettin' the kids ready. Ted and I figured we'd get out here first and then they can come tomorrow night. Give them an extra day in school and stuff. Plus, it'll give the girls more time to pick out their outfits." He laughs and all the men agree.

"Hey, not to bring up business, but we have to go meet the undertaker tomorrow. We've got a 9am appointment." Aunt Dee says.

"Gotta pick out the casket and stuff." Uncle Ted sighs. "Do we need to buy her clothes?"

"No, she had an outfit picked out already." Aunt Dee looks over at me. "You're comin' tomorrow." She's not askin'.

"Why me?"

"You're the executrix of her estate."

"When the hell," I stop myself and nod to Aunt Rae and Uncle Sal. "Scusi, but when the... since when?"

"Since before you went out to California, your foster mother signed on your behalf."

What the shit? How the fuck did Emily know them and why would she agree to me bein' the executrix of my grandparents estate?

"Don't think about it Faith, you know your grandmother was testa dura, when she wants something she gets it." Uncle Sal says. "She wanted you to be the boss, you're it."

"Why wouldn't...nevermind." I can't begin to think about this shit.

"So you're comin' tomorrow." Aunt Dee says, again, not a question.

"I guess."

What the fuck was Gee Gee thinkin'? I look at Giles with that written all over my face and he shrugs.

Great, another fuckin' mystery for me to solve. Go me.

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