There was a disruption in their row as Max struggled to stand, accidentally knocking Kit’s bag to the floor. Kit stood up herself and placed a hand under Max’s arm, helping him to steady himself. He didn’t look well, and he hurried down the aisle with a blotchy face. As Bette watched Max go, she caught Tim’s eye as she was turning around to face front again. He smiled faintly. Bette looked away.

She was just wondering when things were going to start when she heard yelling back near the front door.

“You have no right to do this! You can’t keep me from going in,” a female voice screeched. “Let go of my arm!”

Bette turned to look back, this time joined by everyone else wondering about the disturbance. The service was well-attended, but there was one person Bette hadn’t seen as she made her way up the aisle to her seat. The same person causing a scene now. Niki Stevens.

Bette could see a burly man dressed in black pulling Niki from the premises. Niki was nearly yelling at Shane, who was in turn saying something that Bette couldn’t make out.

“This isn’t right,” Niki whined. “I loved her, too. Jenny would want me to be here!”

Kit stood up again and hurried to the back of the room, looking grim. Niki’s voice faded as she was dragged out and the door closed behind her. People began to turn around and face front again. Bette saw Kit leading Shane to a seat in the front. Shane was drawn, unusually pale. It was as if Kit was holding her slight frame together. Shane said something and then pulled away from Kit, and instead of sitting next to Alice, she sat next to Jenny’s mother.

Tina leaned over to whisper to Bette. “Niki is such a little guttersnipe. Can you believe she actually crashed a funeral? Pathetic!”

“I know. Poor Shane, that was the last thing she needed to deal with today.”

“Niki will get hers,” Tina muttered, clenching her jaw and pursing her lips as she looked down at her hands.

Bette pulled one of Tina’s hands between her own and held it. “We’ll deal with her later,” Bette whispered.