“If it felt that awkward to you, imagine what it must have been like for him. You’re an adult. You chose the situation. He didn’t have a choice,” Stassi said.
Charlie shook her head, forlorn, unsettled, and distraught.
“I want you to focus on growing my niece,” Stassi said, smiling and trying to thrust the conversation in a positive direction. “That’s your only job right now. Don’t worry about Demi. I got my eye on him. You just make sure you and baby girl are doing okay. You can’t afford to stress over Demi or anybody else. You just focus on what you can control, and that’s bringing a healthy baby and a little bit of joy back into all our lives.”
Chapter 10
Stassi stood at the front of the church, rearranging the flowers so that they sat around the casket perfectly. Her heart was heavy. She hadn’t even known DJ, and the day still hung over herhead like storm clouds in a torrential sky. His casket was small and golden. Remnants of his favorite things lay inside. His favorite video game, a stuffed bear that had been his since the day he was born. His favorite pair of hole-filled Pokémon socks that his mother had tried to throw away a thousand times and the Rolex watch that Demi had gotten him for Christmas. Demi and his son had matching timepieces. DJ’s had been inscribed, and links had been removed just to fit his tiny wrist. It had been a watch that his son would be able to grow into, expanding the band as he got older, only now he would never get to appreciate the value of the timeless piece. Demi had made it clear that his son was to be buried with it. The time had been set to 4:55 AM, the time DJ had been born.
“I’ll wake up every day to spend a few minutes with my boy until I see him again,” Demi had explained. Stassi had made sure it was on DJ’s wrist. Last, but not least, was a handwritten letter from Lauren that Stassi hadn’t read, but she had made sure it was in the breast pocket of his designer suit. So many tributes to this little boy. So many small details that felt minor to the world but were major to these grieving parents. Williams Funeral Home had done a beautiful job with DJ’s preparations. He still looked like himself, and as she stood in front of the casket beforethe family arrived, she couldn’t help but feel sadness. He was so young.
“The family is en route. They’re five minutes out.”
She turned to the voice that had come up behind her.
“You’re the pastor that saved the day,” she commented. “Thank you.”
“Just call me Ny,” he said, extending his hand. He was in full robe, and Stassi was stuck as she took in his presence.
“You’re young,” she commented, searching for something else to say because that wasn’t what she meant to say at all. He was fresh and debonair, poised and relaxed all at the same time. He carried an aura about him that made her feel he was trustworthy instantly. She had expected some old man to deliver the eulogy. Nyair was the opposite of what she thought of when she thought of a preacher.
“Nah, you’re just used to God’s hitters being old,” he said with a charming half-smile. His cheeks sunk into deep dimples, and Stassi smiled.
“Sounds about right,” she said, a bit in awe by how attractive he was.
“Better get to it. The family will need a lot of support today,” Ny said. “I’ve got the local fire department ready to escort the procession to the burial site. That way, it isn’t interrupted, and everyone will arrive in time for us to get DJ blessed before the rain arrives. The burial team needsto get him in the ground before the storm rolls in. It’s supposed to get bad out there. Freezing temps and rain don’t mix well.”
“Not at all. It was nice to meet you, Pastor Ny,” Stassi said.
“Just Ny,” he corrected. “And the pleasure was mine.” He held out his hand, and she shook it but sucked in air as he held it with both hands and brought her knuckles to his lips. “God bless you. Stay strong today.” He walked off, and she gawked in intrigue because damn it if her hand wasn’t tingling. He wasmagnetic, and Stassi had to suck in a deep breath to shake off the butterflies she felt. Some men just had a presence like that.
Stassi beelined for the door so that she was visible when Demi and Lauren arrived. Minutes later, a string of Black SUVs pulled into the parking lot.
Stassi was in sync with the theme. Her off-white sweater dress and thigh-high, cream boots were covered by a nude-colored blazer. She was professional, patient, and polished, but most of all, she had been present for this family. The paparazzi were present, standing along the barriers that Stassi had set up to keep them out, using zoom lenses to narrow in on the processional.
Demi emerged from the back of the truck first, and Stassi could see the turmoil hanging on him. Demi was a powerful man. Everything about him said so, and he was appealing in a way that made women feel like he was out of their league. Rugged and mannishly attractive, it was apparent that he had earned his position in the field, fighting one battle after another, until he sat on the throne. He was kingly, and Stassi understood how Charlie had fallen for him. His posture was strong in his taupe-colored suit as he reached out his hand to help Lauren from the car. Lauren Sky was so beautiful that Stassi gasped. She looked like his rightful queen, and Stassi’s stomach ached knowing that Charlie was trying to fill big shoes. Stassi couldn’t imagine how left out her sister felt. The intimidation of coming after a woman like Lauren was real. Stassi felt it, and it wasn’t even her situation. The family had shown up in style to say goodbye to their baby boy. Despite how well they had pulled themselves together, Stassi could see their burden. Day emerged from the back of the second SUV, and he was dapper as ever. His red eyes told her that a combination of weed smoke and tears had consumed the car ride. He pulled designer sunglasses over his eyes beforeapproaching. Stassi wanted to wrap her arms around him, but this was a job for her, and she wanted to be professional. When Kiara Da’vi emerged from an SUV behind Day’s, Stassi’s stomach hollowed. She cut her eyes as she watched him turn to the songstress, greeting her. The kiss on her cheek could have been polite or intimate. She couldn’t decipher the intent, but it put Stassi in her feelings. Feelings she would hide well because she was working. She acknowledged Demi and Lauren first.
“I’ve prepared everything for you. I want to escort you to the sanctuary. I’ve reserved a half hour for just you two with DJ. The doors will be locked, and the curtains pulled for privacy. After that, the rest of the close family can come for the remainder of the family hour before I open the doors for everyone to be seated as we start the service.”
Demi nodded and Lauren lowered her eyes to the ground as Stassi motioned for them to ascend the steps. Day was next. He motioned for Kiara to walk ahead of him, and Stassi rolled her eyes as the singer bypassed her without even a hello. Day stopped briefly.
“Thank you for all this,” he said. She didn’t know what she wanted him to say, but she was bothered.
“Just doing my job,” she replied shortly.
“Can I pull up on you after this?” he asked.
“Day, we better get inside!” Kiara called from the top of the steps.
The look of impatience Stassi gave the girl was deadly. “You better get in there,” she said sarcastically without looking at Day.
“It’s just business, Anastassia,” Day reassured. “We’re just standing behind Demi today, as a company, a united front.”
Stassi nodded but refused to meet his stare as she smiled and greeted the people coming up the steps behind him.
“Sure,” she said. She turned and walked away, heading inside, ignoring Kiara Da’vi as she passed her.
Stassi had never quite heard death until she entered the sanctuary and shared space with Lauren as she said goodbye to DJ. Pure agony emitted from the deepest tunnels of her throat. It could be heard all the way to the door. It was a distinctive cry, a desperation, a pleading for more time, and it was earth-shattering. It almost felt too intimate to witness. It was, in fact, because when Demi gripped the edge of DJ’s casket and lowered his head, Stassi knew he was crying. It was a moment he couldn’t stop. He had hidden his vulnerability well until now. He turned to Lauren and pulled her into his arms, or did she pull him into hers? Stassi couldn’t tell. All she witnessed was beauty as Demi’s tall, vast body shrank into the safety of Lauren’s shoulder as they held onto each other for dear life.
