And, of course, it was much shorter-now hanging only just past her shoulders instead of the longer waist length cascade it had been ever since I’d met her many years ago. The uncharacteristic coif certainly didn’t keep me from thinking she was the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes upon, but the current picture I saw with those eyes was definitely different from the one I remembered whenever they were closed.

Of course, we had all experienced radical change in the past month, both physical and emotional-some worse than others, and some far more permanent. With time, the physical issues would heal, become accepted as the norm, or return to their original states of being. The emotional changes were the wild card because exactly how the deeper alterations to our psyches would manifest still remained to be seen. For better or worse, we would just have to ride them out.

At the moment, my wife was keeping quiet amidst the halting conversation, and a dismal air still surrounded her just as it did all of us. Her sadness, however, was a bit more obvious as she was unconsciously broadcasting it with everything from her expression to her posture. At least the flow of tears had stopped, so I knew she was coping well enough that I didn’t need to worry about her too much for the moment. Still, I suspected her current state was influenced by far more than just the funeral. I knew it definitely was for me.

I turned my gaze back to my friend and said, “There were quite a few more cops here than I expected, considering.”

“Yeah, I know,” he grunted. “Me too. Turns out a bunch of ‘em even took vacation or comp time ta’ be here.”

“That says a lot.”

“Yeah, it does.”

“Are you going to the house, then?” Felicity finally interjected, her voice soft.

“Prob’ly a little later,” he said, as he looked over at her with a quick nod and then glanced at his watch. “I told Constance’s parents I’d take ‘em ta’ lunch.”