Chapter 4

The wind whipped dust across the rural landscape.I had to squint against it.

Before me lay a raw mound of earth-no stone, no name. Only a weathered wooden stand held the box I'd filled with soil from our apartment's dying flowerbed.

A cheap Bluetooth speaker screeched out the latest viral pop song. In front of the grave, a handful of young women in sequined skirts gyrated in a crude, listless imitation of a dance.

A crowd of local villagers had gathered at a safe distance, drawn by the noise. They stood in a silent semicircle, pointing and murmuring among themselves.

I stood witness to Daniel's demanded "celebration."

Just then, a taxi sped up.

The door opened. A middle-aged woman, looking travel-ravaged and pale, stumbled out. It was Sarah. Daniel's sister.

She had clearly just arrived from the airport, her face etched with the fatigue of a long flight and an expression of disbelieving panic. Her gaze swept over the dancing women, the gawking villagers, finally landing on the solitary grave and the wooden box on the table.

"Mom?" she cried out hoarsely, her legs buckling. She collapsed directly in front of the dirt grave, her shoulders trembling violently, a choked sob escaping her throat. "Mom!"

I was about to step forward when another car arrived.

Daniel got out, accompanied by Felicity and my son, Leo.

The moment I saw them, my pupils narrowed.

All three of them were dressed in garish, bright red.

As soon as Felicity got out of the car, she raised her phone, excitedly pointing it at the dancing women, taking photos and videos, clucking approvingly.

Daniel put an arm around her shoulder, a smile on his face as he said loudly, "This is more like it! A bit of liveliness is good, the old lady would have loved it."

I walked up to them and said, "This is a funeral. Dressed like this, isn't it inappropriate?"

Daniel immediately pulled Felicity behind him, as if shielding a precious treasure, and glared at me impatiently. "Clara, are you done yet? It's just a memorial service! Don't be so old-fashioned. Felicity and Snowball are here specifically to lighten the mood."

He paused, his tone growing even more self-righteous. "Besides, your mom's dead. What does she know?"

Sarah, who had collapsed to her knees by the grave, snapped her head up at his words. Her face was a mess of tears. She stared at her brother, as if he's a stranger.

Daniel finally noticed her. He moved forward, trying to pull her up. "Sarah, what's all this? This is Clara's mother's-"

He didn't finish his sentence.

CRACK!

A raw, open-handed slap exploded across his cheek.

Sarah staggered to her feet, her whole body trembling violently. She jabbed a shaking finger toward the raw mound of earth. "Daniel! Open your eyes! Look! Who do you think is in there? That's Mom! Your mother! And you...you give her this? You let these performers dance at her grave? You wear red? You… you heartless monster!"

The slap snapped Daniel's head sideways, a red mark blazing across his cheek.

He held his face, his eyes shifting from shock to utter confusion.

He suddenly turned to me, lips trembling with a silent question.

I took a deep breath, walked to my just-arrived parents, and calmly gestured toward the absurd scene.

"Mom, Dad. This is the funeral Daniel arranged. For his mother."