ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN.

THREE DAYs LATER.

We received a call from the coroner's office yesterday afternoon indicating that we may come through early this morning to pick up Aunt Mae.

All they requested was that we bring something unique to place her ashes in.

I informed Alessandro and told him that I intended to go into town to look for something special.

He took me by the hand and led me to the room we were sharing, and he opened the closet door, extracting a paper bag that sat on the top shelf.

“What's this?” I asked him with big round eyes as he passed the paper bag to me.

“Open it and find out.” He said with his voice faintly trembling.

I took the bag from his outstretched hands and a gasp fell from my lips as I retrieved what was inside the paper bag.

“Is this for Aunt Mae?”

“It is.” He smiled, licking his lips. “I knew you'd want something special, so I got the box specially made yesterday. Zeke picked it up as you took an afternoon nap.”

I placed the box down beside me, jumping up to my feet,