Most were Carl's friends and former students. One left a paper lunch bag beside the coffin. Another left a blue birdhouse.
I thought I had given a lonely man 10 days of belonging.
I didn't yet understand what he'd given me.
I thought I had given a lonely man 10 days of belonging.
***
That evening, someone knocked on my door.
The man outside wore a charcoal coat and carried a leather case.
"Selena?"
"Yes."
"My name is Mr. Baron. I was Carl's lawyer."
I stepped aside.
"My name is Mr. Baron. I was Carl's lawyer."
He remained on the porch.
"When I met him a few days ago, Carl made me promise not to come back until after his funeral. I knew he didn't have much time left... but I never imagined that would be our last conversation."
"Why?"
Mr. Baron opened the case and removed a sealed envelope.
"He said you needed to grieve the man you knew before learning who he had been."
