Ellen couldn’t stop watching the footage. Each time, her attention drifted from the shadows to the hands and the way they brushed the soil smooth, arranged the toy neatly, and paused as though whispering something. The movements were carefully precise. Whoever it was, they seemed to approach the grave with tenderness.
She found herself memorizing those gestures, pausing the video several times. It could be someone who cared deeply. But the realization frightened, rather than comforting her. Why did this stranger seem to mourn more gently than she could? And why did it feel, somehow, like love?