Reining In (The Network) Read Online Free PDF Page A

children. Didn’t his wife die very young?”
    Eavesdropping on the whispers throughout the crowd reminded me that a good many people come to funerals not out of sorrow or respect, but more out of curiosity and sometimes guilt. It only made me more miserable. Why were these people even here?
    “I didn’t know he knew so many people. I thought most of his family had passed away years ago?”
    “I think they are mostly friend’s of the granddaughter. People that work for her, actually. She runs some big corporation. Valdis, I think it’s called. I don’t know, some weird Russian name.” Scandinavian, actually. Mack’s idea of a joke. It literally meant Goddess of the Dead. Funny, Mack, really funny. Well, yeah, I guess it was, at the time. Everything seemed a lot funnier back then.
    My mind continued to wander, as several people continued to get up and make their speeches. It wasn’t until Mack got up to speak, that I managed to step back out of the haze and back into reality. He had that affect on a lot of people. His strong but gentle voice was hypnotic to some. He made them want to listen, even if they didn’t agree with what he had to say. Of course, Mack had a way with words, too, and there were very few people he couldn’t win over, given the opportunity.
    Mack cleared his throat as he reached the podium. He looked tired, spent. I hadn’t noticed the dark circles under his eyes earlier, when he had picked me up. God, I was so insensitive sometimes. Of course he was hurting too. Raymond and Mack had actually been very close. They were fishing buddies, golf partners and would share an occasional beer or two, when Raymond was up to it.
    Here I was, feeling sorry for myself; making Mack take care of me. Why hadn’t it occurred to me that maybe he needed some time to grieve too?
    “Raymond Darling was a good man,” Mack's voice faltered a little, but he kept going. “He was like family; not just to me, but to everyone who knew him. Raymond always saw the bright side of things, and was never happy until he made everyone around him see it too. Even when his health started to fail, Raymond had a positive outlook. Many times he told me he had lived a full life, and that he was ready to be with his dear wife Lillian once again. He had no regrets.”
    At the mention of Lillian a stifled sob caught my attention and I looked over to see Beverly, Raymond's lady friend, silently crying to herself. Another pang of guilt. How many people at their age find love again? Raymond's death had probably broken her heart. She never got a chance to explore their relationship.
    I watched Beverly for a while, missing most of Mack's speech, only turning my attention back to him as he finished up.
    “Raymond Darling will be missed, but I like to think that he will also be celebrated. He did not leave a hole, but instead filled a gap. Those who knew him are better for it. Those who loved him will forever feel the impact of his love. Forever.”
    I wiped away the tears that had fallen. He was right about one thing. Raymond had filled a void that I had felt for thousands of years. My humanity had been restored the moment he entered my life. Nothing would ever be the same without him. But he taught me how to live again. I had to find a way to get past this if I was going to honor him. The question was how?
    The burial was rushed, as the rain still came down steadily. There was a reception, afterwards, which Mack made me attend. I knew many of the people there, of course, as a large number of them were from the network. But there were just as many that I did not know.
    Raymond made friends easily, and I started to realize that he really did have a life outside our friendship. They introduced themselves to me throughout the evening. Some were old acquaintances; others he had met in recent years. All relayed stories of his quick wit and boundless energy. I couldn’t help but smile at a few of the more extraordinary stories.
    The members of