After the Speech

People trickle out of the temple, hugging each other and trying to offer the last of their kind words.

My ex-colleague, Evan, tries to go in for what he thinks is a comforting hug. But to me it feels like one in a long list of attempts to get closer to me, to bond, to create something where there is nothing. And this is the worst possible moment.

Mom and the two weird women hang around for a while, but I don’t pay attention to what they say.

And pretty soon, I’m all alone.