Read (2012) Colder Than Death for Free Online

of half rolling her eyes, then with exasperation said, “Even if there were people interested in coming, they wouldn't be seeing her. They would be looking at an ugly, depressing closed coffin.”
    “But at least they would be near her,” said the girl, lurching forward. “They could touch the coffin and know she's inside and maybe it would make them feel better and... ”
    “What would be inside is nothing but bones with some strands of flesh, Quilla, and I don't think anyone in their right mind would want to go near it.”
    “ I would,” the girl said defiantly.
    I felt for the kid. Her pain almost oozed out of her. I saw this as an opportunity to make some money. “Mrs. Worthington, we have closed coffin visitations quite often.” Quilla smirked at her mother, then looked at me. “I assure you,” I continued. “That, while it might be disconcerting now to know that your sister's remains are inside the coffin, once the reality of that fact sets in it's not as bothersome as you might think.”
    Quilla continued to stare at me. In her eyes, bloodshot as they were from crying, I felt a twinkle that she was beginning to consider me an ally. “What's usually done is to place a photograph of the deceased directly over the coffin.”
    “That would be excellent,” Quilla said.
    “Seeing the face of the deceased somehow enables people to forget that the person is lying in the coffin,” I glanced at Quilla who stared intensely at me, then added, “There's another delicate area. It's the matter of clothes.”
    Suzanne leaned back and said, “If it's going to be a closed coffin, why would clothing even be an issue?”
    “It doesn't have to be,” I said. “But it's incumbent on me to bring it up. People like to have their loved ones dressed...despite a body's condition. It's your decision.”
    “I see no point in it,” said Suzanne.
    “I want Aunt Brandy to go out in style,” Quilla said firmly. “I'll pick out what she'll wear.”
    “Whatever,” said Suzanne halfheartedly, giving up.
    Quilla smiled confidently.
    “I'll come by later and pick them up,” I said.
    “What I'm really interested in most of all,” Suzanne said in a deflated voice. “Is getting this over with.”
    “Getting it over with is why Funeral Homes exist,” I said. “We think of the process as helping people get through the first stages of grief and into the healing process.”
    Suzanne leaned back. “There is no grief.” She looked at her daughter for a semblance of understanding. “My sister and I were not close when she was alive. When she disappeared I felt a brief sense of sadness, just like I felt the other times she ran away. I assumed that this time she decided not to come back. There was nothing to come back to. Our parents were dead. The only family she had was me.”
    “And me !” said Quilla pointedly.
    “As you can see, my daughter has this obsession with my sister. It's gotten worse over the years and... ”
    “It's not an obsession!” Quilla yelled, jumping up from the couch. “I loved Aunt Brandy and she loved me and I've thought about her every day since she left and I always knew she didn't run away and that something bad happened to her, but you wouldn't believe me!”
    Quilla sat back down and started to cry. Suzanne, as if she were oblivious to the tears, continued speaking. “There was a large gap in our ages. The truth is, I barely knew my sister and we didn't get along. She was twelve years younger than I. When you're a child, that's a tremendous gap. But the fact is, she is my sister and I want to do what's appropriate and I think that the best thing to do is to get everything over with as quickly as possible for all concerned.” She reached for a tissue from the box I kept on my desk and gently dabbed at her eyes, then she turned towards Quilla. “If a closed casket viewing is important to you, alright.” Quilla's eyes lit up. “But only one night,” said Suzanne tersely. “Then, I want her