Robert approached the house warily. It seemed to him that the house was as dark and solemn as the day that she had died. Outside, the garden, that had once been the envy of the neighbors, was tall and dead. Only the weeds survived.

He didn’t bother knocking and let himself in. The interior was quiet as cemetary. Robert walked with bated breath, afraid of destroying the suffocating silence. He wandered from door to door until finding each one unlocked but it was only when he reached the basement that he found Mark asleep at his desk.

Robert didn’t want to wake him but at the first squeal of a stair, Mark jolted awake. “Who’s there? Rachel is that you?”

Mark’s expectant eyes drooped sorrowfully as he recognized Robert. “Oh, it’s you.”

“I’m sorry. The door was open and we were worried.”

“I see.”

“It’s been a while now and we need you. Perhaps it’s time to remarry?”

“No.”

“No?”

“I wouldn’t expect you to understand, Robert, but you needn’t worry about me. Tell everyone that I’ll be growing my own.”