Beyond That, the Sea

by Laura Spence-Ash

Then Mrs. G’s face slides back to her usual calm self, a protection of sorts, Beatrix knows. She’s learned that everyone wears a mask.

There’s something behind her eyes, something unreadable, but something he almost understands. Sorrow, loneliness, loss. This is what grief must look like.

So much stuff, Millie says, looking at all the boxes piled on top of one another. It’s all that’s left at the end, isn’t it?