Green Vine Cemetery.
Mr. Pavaro's grave had ended up beside Ms. Annie's after all.
This was Mrs. Lake's arrangement.
After the burial and filling in the grave, Alfred took a carving knife and crouched in front of Ms. Annie's headstone first, carving a line on it:
"Thank you for letting me see the tenderness that came from the sea."
After finishing, Alfred turned and carved beneath Mr. Pavaro's headstone:
"Thank you for letting me see true light."
The funeral had still been a simple affair, so there had been no way to commission custom headstones. They could only carve the words on at the last minute.
Mrs. Lake observed a long silence before the two headstones. Then she turned and smiled at Kallen, signaling that she was finished.
Kallen offered no further mourning. Everything he wanted to say had been carved by Alfred.
On the way back, Kallen drove the hearse, taking Mrs. Lake back to the Funeral Society, while Alfred followed in the car.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Mrs. Lake looked at the night scenery outside and said, "Everything seems to have settled down. The moment I saw the earth filling the grave, it was as though life had gotten back on track."
"Yes, back on track. Funerals are, in themselves, a way for the living to put things in order."
"You're very familiar with funerals. I can tell. Oh, I mean the funeral procedures."
"Yes."
"Will you run this Funeral Society from now on?"
"Yes."
"That's good. That's good. Actually, I know I'm not very good at running a business. I'm always so quick to lose my temper."
"That friend of mine said his wife used to be very gentle. He always felt guilty that his neglect had made her temper worse and worse."
A smile appeared