Everyone was surprised. Mrs. Helen turned around, her voice broken:
“Louis… what are you doing… Did you hear what Elena said?”
Louis raised his head, his face was covered in tears, his eyes were red, his voice was broken, choked:
“It was my fault… I made her leave in pain…”
The whole yard was silent, only the sound of heavy rain could be heard.
Louis sobbed, looking at his wife’s tear-stained face:
“That day… she found out I had someone else… She didn’t say anything, just held her stomach and cried all night. I promised to break up, but… but she was so shocked… That night, she had a terrible stomachache… I took her to the hospital but it was too late… I’m sorry… I was wrong… Elena…”
The sound of crying echoed throughout the yard. Mrs.
Helen trembled, her voice breaking in the rain:
“Oh my god… my child… Why are you suffering like this… My daughter-in-law… I’m sorry for not being able to protect you…”
Louis leaned his head on his wife’s coffin, his hands gripping the wooden edge tightly. He choked, his voice faltering:
“Louis… I’m sorry… I know I was wrong… You can be angry with me, you can hate me… But please… forgive me… Let me take you to your final resting place…”
Suddenly, the coffin shook slightly. The shaman nodded: “She has let go.”
The eight young men put their hands down again.
This time, they lifted it gently, and the coffin was lifted up easily. The mournful sound of the trumpet sounded, sending off a woman with an unfortunate fate. Everyone bowed their heads silently to make way.
Louis knelt down on the cold ground, tears mixed with the rain.
In his heart, each apology echoed painfully. He knew that for the rest of his life, no matter how much he cried, how much he apologized… he could not correct his mistakes.
And for the rest of his life, in his restless dreams, the image of Elena shedding tears would haunt him, as if reminding him: there are wounds that, no matter how much he apologized… could not heal.
