The Cool Room by Clifford Beck - HTML preview

Chapter 31

Their client was prepared by early evening, and tomorrow’s service would go on as scheduled. Frank agreed that Jonathan and Emily should conduct the service, as he was in no condition to expose himself to the grief he was also experiencing. Dorothy’s remains were still in the cooler, but now there was the question of who would prepare her. Before leaving, Emily insisted that Frank should not go through the trauma of embalming his wife’s body, no matter how personal the experience might be. Jonathan was, of course, in complete agreement. Leaving the funeral home, they drove to their respective homes with great concern for Frank’s state of mind. He always seemed to be an emotionally strong person, but death has a habit of testing one’s strength. Some people fail that test and sink beneath the waves of emotional pain. A few never rise to the surface.