Chapter 156. Surprise Visit

I thought I'd be strong enough to endure the funeral until the end, but I was wrong. I feel emotionally drained, physically exhausted, and also so damn confused after seeing Tony, even from afar. For a moment, I thought he was coming to greet me, to talk to me, but he never did.

Which was a good thing. I don't know if I am ready to face him yet. I don't know if I'll ever be.

Talking to everyone I haven't seen in a long time was also a bit stressful, with them offering their condolences, asking me how I have been, and trying to keep me updated on their lives. 

Halfway through it, I couldn't take it anymore, so I simply left to get some fresh air, and ended up walking home without even realizing it.

My childhood home, a big brick house in a residential neighborhood in Staten Island, comes into view as I turn the corner, my heels echoing on the pavement beneath me. It looks the same as I remember it being when I was here the last time, always neat and