Guy bustled into the kitchen and abruptly stopped, the swinging door smacking him in the back. The pile of plates clattered as he did everything to keep from spilling them from his hands. Angel was kneeling on the floor and startled as he entered. Amelia’s body sprawled out awkwardly, her face showing a wide-eyed grimace.

“Guy, this is not what you think.”

“You keep saying that. What happened? Did you kill her?”

“Guy...”

“You killed her. You killed the love of my life!”

“I didn’t kill her.”

“You keep saying that. But here she is. Is she dead?”

“Guy, keep your voice down. You’ll alarm everybody.” Guy hurriedly set the stack of plates next to the sink. Outside the kitchen, loud voices struggled to talk over the bass thump of music.

“Alarm everyone? This is already pretty alarming. Is she dead?”

“Yes.”

“I can’t believe you killed her.”

“I didn’t kill her.”

“No? Maybe you didn’t ‘kill her,’ but you killed her all the same.”

“You know that’s not what I do.”

“Isn’t it? She’s still dead!”

“She had an aneurysm. That’s what killed her.”

“An ‘aneurysm’?” Guy made air quotes. “Another one? How convenient. She was alive. You enter the picture.” Guy motioned to the body on the floor. “Now she’s dead.”

Angel stepped toward Guy and glared at him. She suddenly hauled off and smacked him across the face.

“Ow, you hit me.” A shocked Guy rubbed his reddening cheek.

“Of course I hit you. You’re being rude.”

“Are you going to kill me next?”

“No.” Angel looked down at the body.

“Are you sure? You just hit me. Maybe I’m next, and you’ll drop me next to the love of my life?”

“Guy, she was not the love of your life.”

“Really? How would you know?”

“I’m your love now. I might not be the love of your life, but I’m your love now.”

Guy stared at Angel. His mouth opened. His mouth closed. His mouth opened again. His mouth closed again. He looked down at Amelia's body. He slowly kneeled next to her, gently closed her eyes, and brushed the hair out of her face. He poked and prodded as he tried to make the grimace a little more peaceful. Amelia’s face was contrary to his wishes as in life, and couldn’t quite get with the program.

“Guy, she used you. She never cared that you cared for her. She only loved that you loved her.”

Guy nodded silently, tears streamed down his red cheeks. He continued to straighten up the body.

“You shouldn’t speak wrong of the dead.”

“Oh baby, I speak wrong of the dead all the time. It comes with the business.”