I took a deep breath and rolled up my sleeves, ready to clean up the mess.
Seth stopped me and reminded us that Rafe’s memorial was that evening. Skye and Faith had taken him to Big Buy, where they picked up supplies for the memorial.
Diana was horrified and embarrassed that she’d forgotten.
Lucan had put himself in charge of the plans when Dylan was arrested. He’d called Diana and said he would take over while she dealt with her brother. According to Diana, there wasn’t much actual planning to do since Rafe had left very specific instructions as to how his service should be arranged. We left Dad and Seth with a bucket and a mop and Diana explained the process as I drove her home to get ready in time.
The first part of the service was to be held at dusk in the woods with Rafe’s coven-mates and close friends. I wasn’t going to be a part of that ceremony. Diana said they would encourage Rafe to continue his journey if any part of him still lingered. Apparently both Lucan and Diana felt there was a strong chance of this since Rafe died so suddenly and because he was a control freak. Rafe wanted to be cremated, but his body hadn’t been released yet. They planned to bury his ashes near his parents’ graves in a Grand Rapids cemetery.
My whole family would attend the reception afterward. That was supposed to be a time for anyone to say good-bye. Alex had been working on the catering for the event.
By the time I returned from Diana’s place, Seth and Dad had made a good dent in the cleanup. We put Tuffy in the tub while Dad went home to warn the ladies that the reception was that evening. Before leaving, he extracted a promise that we keep this little mishap to ourselves. He said living with Vi was difficult enough without handing her ammunition.
Seth and I left a damp Tuffy and an exhausted Baxter at home and went to my mom’s for chili while we waited for the reception. Even though I told her we’d have plenty to eat once we got there, she had been planning to serve chili and so we were going to eat the chili.
I wasn’t surprised when the dinner conversation turned to pointed questions about what to expect at the reception.
“Will there be a fiery cauldron again?” Vi asked.
“I don’t like what Vi told me about invoking goddesses and elements,” Mom said. “It just seems dangerous to me, messing with all of that.” She waved her hand in the air to encompass all of the Wiccan philosophy.
“I wish we could go to the woods with Diana,” Seth said.
“I’m glad we don’t have to,” Mom said.
Dad focused on his food.
“What will they do at this reception thing?” Vi asked.
“I don’t know,” I said. “I think it’s just like a regular reception after a funeral. Talking and eating.”
“Did Alex say anything about drinks?” Dad asked.
I shrugged and focused on my food, hoping they would move on to other topics. Then I regretted that thought as they began discussing Diana’s release, Mac’s inability to make a reasonable arrest, and who might have had a grudge against Rafe.
After a lengthy monologue on Wiccans and their cats and whether they were reliable sources of information in the murder of Rafe, Vi finally pushed her bowl away and announced we should stop dillydallying. Seth sputtered at the implied accusation and Mom patted his hand and subtly shook her head.
The Reading Room was in an old city building that had been converted into an assembly hall space. It was used by psychics during the tourist season for readings that had been scheduled and for walkins. Some of the psychics had people visit them in their homes, but more and more had begun to opt for the more anonymous Reading Room. That way they kept some distance between themselves and their clients. It could fit about one hundred people. I thought that would be plenty of space but Diana was worried.
We arrived and saw that she was right to be concerned. The streets were packed with milling clumps of mourners and Dad had to park several blocks away. He muttered to himself about how it would have been easier to walk from the house and Mom patted his arm as the two walked on ahead toward the reception.
“Wow, that Rafe was more popular than I thought,” Vi said.
“Ooh, look—some of them are wearing robes.” Seth pointed to a couple of people in black, hooded robes walking toward the building.
“I wonder if there’ll be fiery cauldrons again,” Vi said.
“I hope they don’t have that burning spice stick this time,” Seth said. “That thing smells.”
“Shhh!” I said. “You two are acting like . . . tourists.”
Vi’s intake of breath demonstrated her shock and outrage at such an insult. Seth ducked his head and shrugged.
The crowd was rowdier than I had expected and the noise level grew as we walked closer. I spotted Diana’s bright orange hair through the crowd and pushed my way through the throng, pulling Seth and Vi with me.