Today is a sunny day. School has just been over, yet the heat was already unbearable. On the news, reporters reported multiple bushfires in California. Meteorologists warned about an imminent heat wave across the east side of the nation. Another petition of those environmentalists before the White House, asking the government to take further action in reducing the CO2 emission at the next Paris Convention. Another topic was born Reddit, asking the question of how humankind would meet its doom and probably pointing out how horrible human race is to its homeland.

But for the majority of the world, people don’t care. They already had enough trouble in their workplaces, in their houses and the expectations to care for those frivolous things. And who can blame them? Out of a thousand, eight had just passed out. Out of a thousand, nineteen cries of newborns was heard. And out of that vast place that the people there don’t know people here, a happy birthday song is sung as well as tears were shed for those buried underground or cremated.

Understatement is an overrated word. None can truly understand the real meaning of grief. But yet, here they stand, griefing about Wang’s death. The sun is bright with no hinted of clouds in the sky. The hot breeze of summer swept the family graveyard, making a few to clutch for their hats. The children, the innocent ones, laugh out as they played hide and seek, completely unnoticed of the sadness and the unspeakable weight of the coffin that is slowly descending into the brown earth. Clutching a small heap of sand in hands, the grown-up slowly approaches the pit. It was a normal pit, where the corpse and the coffin are thrown in, waiting for its inevitable decomposition in a decade or more. But to them, to the Liu’s family, it was not a normal grave. When placing in, the person will cut his or her communication with the mortal realm, devoid of all links to their loved ones. And despite the patriarch of the family said that his father would be with his grandfather and his great-grandfather, Zhang knew it was not cased. The answer did not suffice to how his mother reacts to his father’s death, despite her knowledge about the family’s custom. He could still remember his mother when she received the news of her husband’s death, the poor soul fainted. The next things that he knew were how his mother cried against another woman’s chest, practically pouring her soul out for the strange woman.

And now, after two weeks, she was still heartbroken by her husband’s death. The figure in black pained him, urging him to tell his mom that everything is going to be alright. To promise her that he will do anything to make his father proud, to live up his name. To provide her with a place to lie upon. But deep down, Zhang knew it would never be true. By her side, he saw a strange figure that he had forced to be familiarized with these few days. Her name was Talia if he was unmistaken, a Bengali by blood and a rightful citizen of United and States. Her English was extraordinary, only using of what they called “Southern England” accent. Her posture was well trained, crossed legs when seated, straightened back even when talking casually with mom, used this certain spoons/ forks/ knives for this very course. In fact, pointed out if he is wrong, but Zhang thinks it is possible that mom’s interest and practice of having three separate courses spark from this very individual. This person, this alien, is so strange to him. And mom, the person that Zhang thought he knew very well of, who is she? Is she the person that went straight from home after work? Is she the person that likes Yao Beina, or just a woman that likes this music in order to fit with her lover? And is the love she used to tell so proudly of belonging to father or this stranger?

Zhang knew how much understanding he needs to give to his mother during these crisis states. But he doesn’t know how long he could maintain to be deaf and blind. What was his mother thinking? Bring a complete stranger and having no links to the family coming here. His hand clasps against each other, feeling the shapes of bones protrude from his white gloves. Just like every other male of the family, Zhang wears a white suit today. The sunlight reflected from his suit highlighted the uncomfortable sense of feeling he is currently having. In some strange and backward logic, his father’s death felt less insignificant compared to the strange figure’s that his mother’s head is resting on.

“Zhang Yi Liu. The oldest son of the Liu’s family.”

The shout from the monk draws Zhang’ s attention back to his father. Coming out from the line, Zhang slowly approached his father’s grave. His eyes, with the aid of the thick glasses, slowly absorbing the details of the grave. There were only four significant things to be noticed from the grave. First, the black marble and the inscription on its surface. Secondly, the father’s picture and his soft smile. Thirdly, the white numbers 24.6.1978- 1.6.2017. Finally, a quote. Although there are more to say about his father grave, Zhang’s attention could be unplaced on his father’s resting place. Somehow, his mother sobbing came to a stop during his kowtowing. Quickly completing his kowtowing along with his uncles, another two head families patriarchs, Zhang back out from the queue and letting others to pay their respect. His heart weighted to how Talia clutches her hand in Jasmine's trembling hands. Her tears had come to stop somehow only trouble Zhang's mind furthermore, knowing well that it was an accomplishment from a complete stranger.

The rest of the ceremony was quick. And before he knew it, the ceremony was over. The sun was in the middle of the sky. The child waves of laughter had come to a stop. And far away, his mother was being guided to her car by Talia. His mother is more relieved now, seemingly collecting some parts of her heart after the incidents. But still, the scars run deep and hard to mend. Her husband’s death was too much for her heart to take another step. But no matter how hard he tried, Zhang could not sweep the image of Talia stopped his mother from crying. He knew understanding for his mother’s current state is required. But just how much before that stranger take her away from him?