Emanuel's Gift

Chapter - 10

There I stood for a moment, then thought of who could I get here to help me. I feared venturing outside the house, becoming a hermit. Only deal with any clients that come to me alone, never the other way around.

"Emanuel, what are you going to do?" Cilan whispered into my ear. It was then I heard the downstairs door bell clang which made me jump a little. I hurried downstairs to answer the door.

"Yes, may I help you?" I was surprised to see it was Mr Christianson and his wife

"Emanuel we have some grave news, I know you knew our daughter Anna-Maria well she was found dead." Mrs Christianson wept into her handkerchief, I gasped at the fact Anna-Maria's is no longer of this world.

I could feel Cilan shift inside me, he was keeping my weak heart beating. This was alarming news to me to learn that my first ever friend had been murdered. My mind then went to the wedding where we tried to stop her marriage, everything was blank. However I learned that Anna-Maria had come to her senses and the wedding was halted, whether they captured the man and imprisoned him I never know. Now I have a bad feeling that they committed the crime.

"I guess you require me to help with the funeral arrangements...." I watched Mr Christianson comfort his weeping wife.

"Where is your grandfather?" Mr Christianson noticed it was then my lips thinned tightly, I didn't want to add to the sorrow that was already swelling up inside me.

"His resting hasn't been feeling too well lately, shall we proceed with this" flat out lied the words trembled out of my already thin lipped mouth hoping that they bought it.

"We have had her body brought over to the business If you proceed to open it up" Mr Christianson wiped his nose. I nodded and proceeded out of the house across the street. I noticed the two men waiting there. Anna-Maria's body was still in the truck. The Christianson's followed me into the funeral parlour. The men proceeded to bring the body which was in a bag. After Anna-Maria's body was placed into the coffin her family had paid for, the two men came back to me.

"Right Mr Woods, will there be anything else today?" One of them asked if I remembered I needed them to take my Grandfather's body away. I looked over at the Christianson's who were sitting in the parlour area. I turned to speak in a low tone.

"I require you take my grandfather's body to the crematory, I have to tend these people. The body is upstairs, make it discrete no one else knows about this please," handing the note to the man. I also gave them payment for their work enough to make this efficiently move faster.

"You won't be accompanying us? At least show us where he will take it from there". I turned around to the grieving parents, the last thing I needed was them to know about my sudden loss.

"I'll be right back, please make yourself comfortable" I said curtly as I left the business and headed across to the street to let the men into the house. My heart was straining a little. I clutched my chest willing myself onwards. I led the two men to the bedroom and they proceeded to take my grandfather's body away.

"I guess you will not be accompany us?" the man said as they took the body downstairs I had to stop them for a moment.

"I can't, sadly, have too much to deal with right now. Please return him in this" In my arms was an urn, from there I rushed across the road the men followed and placed the body into the truck. I couldn't tell if the Christianson's had seen what was going on. I just hoped they remained oblivious. I handed the urn to them.

"Thank you"

"No problem, Mr. Woods." The men proceeded with their job one more question was asked to me