The room buzzed with shock and confusion, whispers spreading like wildfire through the congregation. I felt a rising tide of panic and disbelief. My mother, who had fainted, was now being attended to by my aunt, who was frantically fanning her face with a church bulletin. My siblings, scattered among the pews, looked as bewildered as I felt.
I turned to the funeral director, who was standing at the back of the church, his face ashen. His mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. He was clearly as shocked as the rest of us, which did little to calm my growing sense of dread.
