Page 82 of Dead Serious Case 5 Madame Vivienne

“Anthony, Bryan,” Chan greets them, leaning in to hug and kiss both of them.

“Chan, darling, you look amazing, even on a sad day like this,” the skinny man in the makeup says.

“Thank you, Anthony.” Chan smiles softly. “Tris, this is Anthony and Bryan.”

“Hello, Tristan.” Anthony takes my hand and squeezes it gently rather than shaking it. “Oh my god, you look so like your dad. Martin was such a special man. I hope you don’t mind, but when Chan told us about the funeral, we wanted to be pallbearers. If that’s okay with you? Martin meant a lot to me.”

“Sure,” I reply, but my voice is barely more than a whisper as I try to keep it together. “That’s very kind of you.”

“Taking into consideration everyone’s height, we thought the best way to arrange it would be to have Anthony and Bryan at theback,” Chan tells me. “Danny and Sam at the front. You’ll be in the middle with–”

“Me,” Aidan interjects.

“Aidan?” I turn to the sweet kid next to Chan. “You want to carry my dad? You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to do this. For you,” he says shyly. “You guys… you guys mean so much to me. You all took me in and became my family when I had no one.”

Anthony smiles. “Looks like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

But before I can figure out what he means, Aidan continues. “I never met your dad, but I do know that, if he was anything like you, then he was awesome.”

I swallow past the lump in my throat and pull Aidan in for a hug. “We are your family now, Aidan,” I whisper in his ear. “Always. You’ll never be alone again.”

He pulls back and sniffs, looking away. But before I can speak to anyone else, they’re sliding Dad’s casket out of the car and we begin to line up either side.

Danny offers me a comforting smile and then we all lift the coffin onto our shoulders and move to the doors. Chan and Harrison walk behind us and as the music starts, the doors open.

I dropdown onto the padded bench and loosen my tie, popping open the top button of my shirt. A glass of wine is placed down on the table in front of me and I look up to see Anthony and Bryan.

“I hope you don’t mind, but we wanted to buy a round.” He winks. “Your hot-as-fuck fiancé told us what to get you.” He nods toward Danny, who approaches the table with two pints in hishands and Sam behind him carrying a wine glass and a tall glass of something else. I’m guessing those are for Harrison and Chan, who are sat next to me.

“Thanks,” I say, picking up the glass and sipping. “Please, pull up a chair. I’m curious to hear how you knew my dad.”

Anthony slides onto a stool while Bryan continues to stand behind him and sips the pint Danny hands him. Harrison shuffles along the bench so Danny can sit next to me just as Sam strolls up again, now holding his own beer.

“This is going to sound crazy,” I say, looking back and forth between Sam and Bryan, “but you two could be twins apart from the obvious age difference.”

“Ah.” Bryan rubs the back of his neck nervously.

“Just tell them, Bry,” Anthony says softly. His voice is laced with affection as he looks at his husband.

“Um, well, actually”—he turns to look at Sam—“you probably don’t remember me.”

“I know who you are,” Sam says quietly and we all watch with avid interest. “It’s been a long time, Uncle Bryan.”

“Uncle?” Danny says, looking from Sam to Bryan. “Yeah, obviously I can see the family resemblance, but I didn’t think you had any other family apart from your mum.”

“Yeah, well.” Bryan flushes. “I’m kinda the black sheep of the family.”

“You’ll fit in perfectly with us, then,” I mutter and take a sip of my wine.

“Uh, how’s your mum?” Bryan asks.

“Oh, this is all kinds of delicious awkwardness.” Chan grins. “Makes me wish I’d added popcorn to the buffet.”

Anthony snorts loudly and glugs his drink to try and hide the sound.

“She’s okay,” Sam says as he studies his uncle. “Maybe we can grab a pint or something… sometime?” He offers and Bryan’s shoulders relax a fraction.