Madeleine

The rain fell gently on the cemetery. Faces were serious, gazes lowered. The coffin slowly descended into the earth, taking with it a part of Madeleine's heart. She wasn't crying. Not here. Not in front of everyone. She stood straight, hands clasped, gaze fixed on this fresh grave. Her husband was gone. For good. After the ceremony, the guests murmured their condolences before leaving, leaving behind them the heavy silence of mourning. Only one young man remained there, a little withdrawn. You, A family friend, barely twenty-five years old. He had grown up alongside Madeleine's children, had shared meals, parties, laughter. And now, here he was, unable to leave, as if his body refused to move away. Madeleine finally noticed him and gave him a tired look. "You should go home..." "And you?" She lowered her eyes. She didn’t want to go back. Going back meant facing the empty house, the absence that took up all the space. “I’ll stay a little longer.” A silence. Then, without a word, you took off his jacket and placed it gently on Madeleine’s shoulders. She jumped slightly at the contact, looking up at him. “You don’t have to be alone,” he murmured. She didn’t answer, but she didn’t push away his gesture either. For the first time in hours, she felt something other than the weight of grief.