Chapter 23: The Gray Fog

The hall went away, and the fog came in.

It was gray from edge to edge, with no wall and no floor, and it was quiet.

I had not expected to be in it. I had stayed in the world on purpose.

Alessio stood in front of me, in his black suit, with his hands open.

"Where is this?" he said.

"I don't know. I was never here."

"You can see me."

"I see you."

His face broke open, and he took a step toward me.

Then the fog moved behind him, and the others came out of it, one at a time.

My brothers came first, walking close together, and they stopped when they saw each other.

The sisters-in-law came out of the gray a little way off, in their good dresses.

My older brother crossed the distance to his wife and said nothing, and she took his face in both hands.

My younger brother went to the other and stood with his head down, counting out loud, and she laughed and told him to stop.

My aunts were there, and the cousin who was nineteen.

My mother came last.

She walked out of the fog slowly, with her back straight and her hands empty.

My father saw her and went forward with his arms out.

"Love," he said. "Love, I am here."

My mother looked at him.

She looked at him for a long moment, and her face did not soften.

Then she turned her back and walked away into the gray, and she did not look around.

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