What a healthy relationship looks like

Jaddy Jearest

"I think you're bein' too hard on yourself, Rich." Jimmy said, handing a scalpel to Richard. Rich made an incision into the corpse's neck, using a hook to fish around for the carotid artery before putting in the artery tube. He just shook his head and flipped on the embalming machine, "She just wanted a nice dinner and I messed it up-", "I know..." Jimmy rolled his eyes, "You've been going on about it for weeks.", "Yeah, but I can't do anything about it...", "You haven't tried talking to her, have you?", "Who?", "Caroline. Or Heidi for that matter.", "I can't- What do I even say to Heidi about that?", "Uh, how bout 'You ran off my daughter and now she doesn't want to talk to either of us. Screw you.'?", "She's my sister-in-law, I can't say that.", "Put a little heart on it or somethin', I don't fuckin' know.", "Language." Richard snipped and Jimmy held his hands up. Rich sighed, "and I can't talk to Caroline because... Because she doesn't want to talk to me.", "But you haven't tried, so how do you know?" Richard thought about it, then shook his head, "What are you doing asking me all these questions? Massage the damn body." Jimmy started massaging the corpse, making sure the blood didn't clot as it drained out the vein tube and he mumbled, "When is this apprenticeship done, again?", "You got another month, Jimmy. Keep your head on.", "God, fuckin' help me.", "Launguage-" Rich snapped, and then the phone rang. He pulled off his gloves and trashed them before picking up the phone, "Sweeney." On the other line, Heidi said, "Richie, we got another one.", "God- we don't have room!", "We have an empty locker, I saw it when I went down there.", "No, we don't. That locker belongs to the gentleman we're currently embalming.", "Well, what do I do? Her family is trying to plan a funeral for friday.", "Send them to the hospital. They have a bigger morgue than us.", "I've already sent one over, Rich, and the hospital is getting antsy.", "Heidi, we literally don't have room. Send them away.", "You're fucking useless, Rich!" and she hung up. Richard just sighed, putting the phone back, gloving up, and moving over to help massage the body. Jimmy mused, "You'd think it was New Years or somethin'.", "Ha, ha..." Rich mumbled and Jimmy asked, "So, this is the last one for the day?", "Unless the hospital asks for a house call.", "Ugh. I hate doin' this shit- uh, stuff manually.", "You and me both..." Richard grumped before going down the list, "Alright, so you've got the service this evening, I got tomorrow morning, then we're double booked tomorrow evening, but that'll clear up some space in the coolers-", "Wait, I thought Heidi was scheduled for tomorrow morning?", "She is, but she's in a mood so it looks like I'm gonna have to it-", "A mood? Is that what you call it?" Heidi questioned as she came down the stairs. Richard slouched, "We're working Heidi-", "Oh, you're working? What about me having to tell a grieving family to hit the fucking road? Hm?", "Please tell me you didn't say that.", "God, Rich! I'm not fucking stupid! But clearly you are!", "We're working, Heidi. Get out!", "Don't fucking tell me what to do!" She shouted, stomping over to the coolers and opening one of the lockers, it was empty. She pointed at it, "What the fuck is this?", "That one's for this man." Rich gestured to the body they were embalming. She looked through the other lockers and then the lockers on the other cooler, even pulling open the one that was taped shut, which was empty as well, "What about this one?", "That one's broken.", "Bullshit, it's cold!", "It's still broken, and it still hasn't been fixed, because someone still hasn't filed a maintenance request!", "Oh, boo hoo. Paperwork takes time.", "It's been two weeks!", "Oh, now look who's in a mood. If it bothers you so much, file it yourself-", "That's literally your job! What the hell else am I paying you for?", "Uh, boss?" Jimmy asked, but neither of them noticed. Heidi just threw up her hands, "Where is this fucking attitude coming from- dear God, you're so fucking grumpy today!", "Well, maybe there's a reason for that!" Richard shouted and Jimmy turned down the pressure on the embalming machine, letting the last of the fluid push out all the blood before turning it off. Heidi shouted, "Don't you dare say it's my fault! I have been busting my ass planning funeral after funeral- Writing obituaries and all the shit you need me to and you still fucking complain! Complain, complain, complain- It's never good enough for you, is it?!" Jimmy pulled out the tubes and sutured both holes shut as Richard shouted back, "It would be enough if you'd bothered to show up every now and then!" Jimmy tapped Richard's arm, "That's good, boss." and Rich stopped massaging the corpse to face Heidi. She shouted, "Excuse you! I'm doing my fucking best, Richard! You know I have problems-", "Well maybe your best isn't good enough, Heidi!", "What- What did you just say?!", "You heard me! Because if it was, then Caroline wouldn't have fucking left!" She looked like she was halfway between strangling him and bursting into tears, but instead she just ran back up the stairs. Richard just stood there, fuming, and from behind him, Jimmy said, "Damn, I didn't think you had the balls to do that." Richard glared at him, but Jimmy just got out the trocar and started preparing the body cavity. Richard sighed and moved to help, but Jimmy had it handled. Richard shook his head, "That was too harsh.", "Maybe, but she deserves it.", "Jimmy-", "I mean it. That's what she fu-reakin' gets. She's mean.", "She has... Problems.", "Don't we all? But I'm not out here throwin' my weight around, messin' shit up for the sake of it- messin' stuff up, sorry." Richard shook his head, "I should go deal with this... I hate to ask you again, but would you mind finishing up?", "'Corse, boss- but I ain't doin' a hospital visit if they call.", "Would you rather do paperwork?", "...I'll get a bag ready, just in case.", "Thank you, Jimmy.", "Course, Rich." Richard took off the gloves, apron, and other protective gear and moved up the stairs. Heidi's desk in the front was covered in unfinished paperwork, and looking in his office, it had been wrecked. Richard sighed, figuring it would be best to let Heidi cool down before going to talk with her. That, and he needed to cool down too. He sat down behind the receptionist desk, missing the days when Caroline would sit here and figure out his paperwork for him. He was sometimes tempted to call and ask her to work for him again, but he knew that was selfish. She deserved to live a life separate from her father, and even though she complained, even though he still needed her, she didn't need him. So, once she left for college, he never let her work for him again. Even though it hurt, he knew in his heart that was what was best for her... It didn't make it any easier, though. The hospital did end up calling and Richard phoned Jimmy down in the prep-room. Jimmy said, "Yeah, boss? I just finished up down here..", "Good, because the hospital just called.", "Damn it- I gotta get ready for the service tonight!", "Don't worry about it, I still have a favor I can call in.", "Alright then, I guess. Goodnight, Rich.", "Goodnight, Jimmy." and they hung up. Rich called in his favor and kept working, managing to clear about half of the desk before figuring he should quit stalling. He locked up and walked the long path back to his property. It was getting dark out so he could see the lights on in his house and he unlocked the door, opening it quietly. He could hear her sobbing, so he waited, listening. Heidi was blubbering out, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry- I didn't mean to-" and Rich sighed to himself, figuring he was about to find another dead man on his floor. He took a step, but then she said something that stopped him in his tracks, "I'm sorry Katie- I didn't mean to, I promise- it all just happened so fast! But- you never like me anyway! You hated me, just like mom! and just like mom, you're fucking dead... I bet you still hate me, both of you- looking down from fucking heaven or whatever... Why not? Everyone else does- Caroline hates me, Rich hates me, Jimmy hates me- THEY ALL FUCKING HATE ME!" There was the sound of glass shattering and then Heidi started sobbing again. Slowly, Rich stepped towards the kitchen until he could see Heidi, doubled over on the floor, a bottle of wine she had spilled everywhere in one hand, and a knife in the other. On the other side of the kitchen, where she threw it, was the now shattered portrait of Richard, Caroline, Catlin, and Heidi. Richard could feel his heart pounding in his ears as he asked, "Didn't mean to do what?" Heidi looked up at him, startled, "Rich!", "Didn't mean to do what, Heidi?" He took a step toward her and she scrambled back, "Richie! Rich- it was a mistake- I didn't mean to-", "Didn't mean to do WHAT?!" He shouted and Heidi flinched. "WHAT didn't you mean to do to Catlin?!" Heidi looked up at him, distraught and drunk and pathetic on his kitchen floor- and he'd had enough...