Read The Girl's Guide to Homelessness for Free Online

is how you want to remember him. It sounds to me like you think he did his best to be a good dad to you toward the end. It sounds like you loved him very much, and you feel that he loved you back. And it’s not my place, or Carol’s place, or anybody’s place, to try to take that away from you. If you have good memories of your dad, hold onto them. Remember him as you knew and loved him.”
    I waited, suddenly feeling dumb and sentimental— My god, that answer was cheesy beyond belief, even for me. But it was the best I could come up with. A long, long pause.
    â€œThank you, Bri. That was perfect. That was exactly what I needed to hear.”
    Â 
    Charlie, Bob’s second wife, was delighted to speak to me. I still remembered vague bits about her—her name, her living in an apartment with Bob at some point while he still had visitation rights, how kindly she had treated me and Molly—but that was about it. It turned out that she had told Patty and Penny about Moll and me several years earlier. Patty, in particular, was intrigued and wanted to track us down. Charlie and Patty tried for about three years, but couldn’t find anything on us—they didn’t know my mother’s new married name. Now Charlie was gushing over the phone, sweet as ever, and planning a visit out to California with the girls.
    â€œI didn’t communicate much with Bob,” she confessed, “other than making arrangements for the girls to visit. Things were strained there. But the girls are taking it very hard, so I was thinking of bringing them out there for a sort of mock funeral.”
    â€œThat reminds me,” I interjected. “I wanted to talk to you guys and find out if you had any specific wishes for his body. I can’t afford a burial, but perhaps you or Jesse might want that. If not, we can look into cremation.”
    â€œWe’ve already spoken to Jesse. None of us can afford a burial, so she said to go ahead with cremation. The coroner told us over the phone that you have the sole right to release the ashes to us. Would you be willing to do that?”
    â€œOh, gosh, yes, of course. Absolutely. I don’t want them.”
    â€œGreat. We’d love to come out there and let them go over the sea. He had a little boat, you know. He loved sailing and fishing, so I think it would go a long way toward helping the girls heal.”
    â€œAbout the boat. I’m also going to be stopping by the coroner’s and the public administrator’s offices. I’ll find out what we’re looking at as far as property. I don’t imagine he left a lot, but of course I would want you and your girls to get your fair share. I don’t…I didn’t expect any of this. I’m not out to get anything. Clearly, you guys would be far more entitled to anything he left than I would. To them, he was actually a father. I’ll keep you posted on what I find out from the coroner and the public administrator.”
    Charlie hesitated, as if she wanted to bring something up but didn’t quite know how. “We aren’t too interested inproperty; if anything, the most important thing to the girls is that they get some photos that he took on their last trip out. He took them to the lake and he rode his old Jet Skis. If you go by the house, could you look for the photos?”
    The house. That was a little unnerving to me—the guy had killed himself there. Still, I assumed I’d have to go by at some point if there was any property to be dealt with.
    â€œSure, I’ll do it. Where would the photos be?” I hoped against hope that she would say the garage or the living room or…
    â€œThey’d most likely be in his bedroom.”
    His bedroom. Where he blew his brains out. Oh, thanks .
    Â 
    I met with the coroner on a gray, rainy Saturday. I wasn’t sure what to expect. It turned out to be a large, courthouse-style building in Los Angeles with very