The priest’s voice rose for the final prayer, and Matteo gently released me, guiding me closer to the grave. I stepped forward, my legs trembling, and stared down at the casket. My vision blurred with tears, but I could still see it. The stark reality of it.“I’m sorry,” I whispered, the words choking me. My fingers gripped the edge of the rose I held, its thorns biting into my skin—a fitting pain. I deserved it.“I love you,” I said, louder this time, though it felt like shouting into an abyss. The wind carried my words, but I knew they would never reach him. Not now.I let the rose fall, watching as it landed on the smooth wood, its crimson petals stark against the dark rain-soaked surface. My heart twisted as the first shovelful of earth fell, a dull thud that felt like it echoed in my soul.Then, I looked up, and I remembered Mama.“He’s alone.” Salty tears dripped on my lips. “Watch over him, too, okay?”I took my fingers to my head and my chest and drew the cross to my shoulders
Last Updated : 2025-04-13 Read more