Wednesday at the Cemetery: My Rival is a Dead Woman ?
Daisy Swift · Completed · 6.6k Words
Introduction
The moment I pushed open that heavy iron door and found myself standing in a showroom full of coffins, I knew my world had been turned completely upside down. Gabriel Stone—the party planner I thought I'd been emailing—turned out to be this small town's most mysterious funeral director.
His hands always carried the scent of flowers, yet his eyes held the gentlest light I'd ever seen. He taught me that death could be elegant, that fear could transform into courage.
But when the town gossips told me he visited his dead wife's grave every Wednesday, my heart shattered. How could I compete with a perfect memory? How could I make a man still living in the past fall in love with me?
So I ran. I ran into another man's arms, toward what I thought was safety.
Until Gabriel revealed a truth that left me reeling—Elena had never died. She had simply left him...
Chapter 1
I was organizing ribbon samples for next week's wedding in my studio when Poppy burst in like a tornado. Her eyes were swollen red like walnuts, her nose twitching from crying, looking like a child who'd just had a meltdown.
"Sunshine!" She grabbed my arm, "You have to help me!"
I quickly set down the pink ribbon I was holding and helped her sit on the couch. "What's wrong? What happened?"
Poppy's tears started flowing again like a burst dam. "It's Charlie... Charlie's gone!"
My heart skipped a beat. Charlie was Poppy's five-year-old golden retriever, usually bouncing around full of energy. Just last week I'd seen him chasing squirrels in the park.
"Gone? You mean..." I asked.
"Last night, heart attack," Poppy choked out. "The vet said it was sudden, no pain, but... but I wasn't ready to say goodbye!"
Death. That word gave me goosebumps all over. I'd been afraid of death since childhood - I even hid behind the couch during horror movies. But seeing my best friend in such pain, I forced myself to stay calm.
"I'm so sorry, Poppy." I gently patted her shoulder. "Charlie was a good boy."
"Charlie was with me for five years, from my lowest point during the divorce." Poppy wiped her tears. "I can't just let him leave like this... I want to give him a special farewell, a... life ceremony."
Life ceremony? I blinked, my brain working fast.
"You mean... like a party celebrating his life?" I asked tentatively.
Poppy nodded, hope rekindling in her eyes. "Yes! I want something warm and beautiful, so everyone remembers Charlie's happy moments, not... that dark, gloomy stuff."
"Don't worry!" I squeezed her hand. "A life ceremony... sounds like a special gathering celebrating life, right? I'll make it perfect for you!"
Poppy smiled through her tears and hugged me tight. "I knew you wouldn't let me down!"
After Poppy left, I sat in my studio, lost in thought.
I looked at Charlie's photo on my desk - one I'd taken when Poppy brought him to the studio last time. The little guy was holding a colorful toy ball in his mouth, his tail wagging like a propeller.
"Alright, Charlie," I said to the photo, "let's give you the most amazing life celebration."
At 11 PM, I sat at my computer with my third cup of coffee and Charlie's photo on the desk. I'd been searching for two hours, but only found regular pet supply stores.
I typed "pet life ceremony services" into the search box again and hit enter.
The third result caught my eye: Stone Memorial Services.
The website design was clean and simple, with the homepage reading: "Professional, warm, personalized service - giving every life the respect it deserves."
Perfect! This was exactly what I was looking for!
I clicked on the "About Us" page and saw a professional photo: a man who looked to be in his thirties, dark hair, wearing a neat dark suit, with an expression that was solemn but gentle. His name was Gabriel Stone.
"Wow," I muttered to myself, "this Gabriel looks very professional. And... pretty handsome."
I continued browsing the website. They offered "personalized memorial services," "floral arrangements," "remembrance ceremonies," and "family gathering arrangements." It sounded exactly like what I needed!
I clicked on the contact page and started typing an email:
"Dear Mr. Gabriel,
I'm Sunshine Rodriguez, an event planner. I need life ceremony services. I hope this ceremony can be warm and lively, so everyone remembers Charlie's happy moments.
I looked at your website and feel your service philosophy matches our needs perfectly. Do you have time to discuss the specific arrangements in detail? We hope to have colorful decorations, happy memory sharing, and elements that make participants feel warm rather than sad.
Looking forward to your reply.
Sunshine Rodriguez"
I reread the email, felt satisfied, and clicked send.
The next morning at 8 AM, while drinking my first cup of coffee, I received a reply email.
"Ms. Rodriguez,
Thank you for contacting Stone Memorial Services. I'd be happy to arrange a memorial ceremony for Charlie.
We provide complete memorial services, including floral arrangements, remembrance sharing sessions, and final farewell ceremonies. I understand your desire for a warm ceremony - this is exactly our specialty: ensuring every life receives dignified commemoration.
Regarding the specific arrangements you mentioned, we can completely customize according to your needs. Many families hope to find some warmth and comfort in their grief.
If convenient, we could meet tomorrow at 2 PM to discuss details. My office is at 145 Maple Street.
Gabriel Stone
Stone Memorial Services"
I spun around excitedly in my chair. This Gabriel was not only professional but completely understood our needs!
I picked up my phone to call Poppy.
"Poppy! I found someone who might be perfect!"
"Really?" For the first time, there was a hint of hope in Poppy's voice.
"Yes! His name is Gabriel, he specializes in life ceremonies, super professional! He completely understands the warm feeling you want. The vibe I'm getting from him is amazing! I'm meeting with him tomorrow to discuss all the details, and I'm confident we can create the most beautiful celebration for Charlie!"
After hanging up, I started gathering prop samples to bring tomorrow: colorful balloons, ribbons, small decorations, and photo albums from happy parties I'd planned before.
Meanwhile, at 145 Maple Street at Stone Memorial Services, Gabriel Stone sat in his solemn office, frowning as he reread my email.
Crosses and family photos hung on the walls, with flower catalogs and funeral supplies samples on his desk. The entire office was filled with a somber atmosphere.
"Colorful decorations?" Gabriel muttered to himself. "Happy memory sharing? Celebrating life?"
He shook his head and wrote in his notebook: "Ms. Rodriguez - Special Requirements Client."
"Client requests are getting more and more unusual these days..." he murmured. "But everyone processes grief differently. If colorful decorations can help them, then so be it."
He looked at his schedule and wrote at tomorrow's 2 PM slot: "Ms. Rodriguez - Charlie Memorial Ceremony Consultation."
Gabriel had no idea that a few miles away, a death-phobic party planner was excitedly preparing ribbons and balloons for tomorrow's meeting, thinking she'd found the world's most open-minded party planner.
And I had no idea that I was about to walk into a real funeral home to meet a real funeral director.
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