Then a sudden sound broke through.
Sobbing.
Raw. Broken. Heart-wrenching.
All eyes turned toward Louis. The husband. The man who hadn’t cried once in public until this very moment.
He had fallen to his knees on the cold, muddy ground, his hands covering his face, sobs pouring out of him like floodwaters breaking a dam.
Helen turned to him, her voice trembling. “Louis? What is it? Did you… did you hear her? What is it, son?”
Louis slowly raised his head. His face was streaked with tears, his eyes red and swollen.
“I… I did this,” he choked out. “It was my fault. She died with a broken heart… because of me.”
A collective gasp ran through the crowd. Helen covered her mouth in horror. The neighbors leaned closer, stunned.
Louis swallowed hard, his voice hoarse and ragged. “That night… she found out I had someone else.”
More gasps. The rain kept falling.
“She didn’t scream… didn’t fight. She just… looked at me. Then she held her stomach and cried. All night long. She said nothing. I told her I’d break it off… that I didn’t mean anything by it… But I was too late.”
His shoulders heaved. His words came in broken pieces.
“She had that pain later that night. I rushed her to the hospital… but it was already too late. The baby… she… I lost them both.”
He buried his face in his hands. “I’m sorry, Elena… I’m so, so sorry. I never deserved you.”
Silence.
The crowd stood frozen. No one spoke. Even the trumpet player had stopped playing.
Helen fell back, stunned. Her voice, when it finally came, was barely a whisper.
“Oh God… Elena… my daughter-in-law… I didn’t protect you. I didn’t see your pain…”
She crawled toward the coffin, laying her head beside Elena’s still face. “Forgive me, my child. Forgive us both…”
Louis moved closer too, his hands gently gripping the edge of the coffin. “I know you’re angry with me. You should be. You can hate me, Elena. I would understand. But please… please… let me take you home. Let me carry you to your rest. Please…”
