"He ain't comin' home," he says. "And he said he was gonna, but William says he did good an' he says that you did good too, because you got on the train like you was supposed to do."
"Mark," his mother warns quietly.
"But then William says that we was supposed t'get money and we haven't yet --"
"Mark," and her tone is sharper this time, hiding the grief. "Please, be quiet. We need to let the Reverend finish." Once Mark has sat back down, she looks at Ben.
"You need to leave," she says quietly.
A beat.
"Please, Ben."
Dan curls his fingers into fists at his sides when Mark speaks, keeping quiet, and trying not to speak. He wants to speak. Wants to tell his boys that things will be alright. Wants to hold Alice again. Wants to...do so many things.
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"He ain't comin' home," he says. "And he said he was gonna, but William says he did good an' he says that you did good too, because you got on the train like you was supposed to do."
"Mark," his mother warns quietly.
"But then William says that we was supposed t'get money and we haven't yet --"
"Mark," and her tone is sharper this time, hiding the grief. "Please, be quiet. We need to let the Reverend finish." Once Mark has sat back down, she looks at Ben.
"You need to leave," she says quietly.
A beat.
"Please, Ben."
Dan curls his fingers into fists at his sides when Mark speaks, keeping quiet, and trying not to speak. He wants to speak. Wants to tell his boys that things will be alright. Wants to hold Alice again. Wants to...do so many things.
He can't.
They're burying him, today.