Axel pointed toward an empty row near his grandfather. Far, far away from his father.
Amanda exhaled a quiet sigh when she heard Axel, though she managed a supportive smile at Evelyn and didn't protest.
Evelyn could see the apology in her gaze. She leans closer to Amanda and whispers, "I'm fine... Don't worry."
Then, she placed her hand in Axel's and rose.
His grip was warm, firm, and grounding. Each step he guided her through felt like walking out of a suffocating cloud.
When they finally took their seats, close enough for her to lean on his shoulder if she wished.
Conversations slowly dwindled.
And then, the funeral began.
A somber hush descended over the entire space as the officiant stepped forward.
The sound of soft crying mingled with the low hum of grief. The weight of loss settled over everyone like a heavy veil.
Evelyn's hands remained clasped tightly in her lap.
