“I’m not complaining,” Paul said, “but we came a long way for this. Are you not planning on trying to see her?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t just come for her. I came to go to the funeral, and we’ve done that.”

“Okay, then. It’s your call.”

They stayed a couple of hours as the place filled up. Paul got a lesson from a group of fraternity brothers on how to play Big Buck Hunter and ended up, as usual, with a bunch of new best friends. Three rounds in, Harry was drunk enough to text Caitlin, saying how he’d been to the funeral, and wished he’d had a chance to say hello. To his surprise, she texted back right away.

I thought I saw you at the back. Come to Kildare’s Pub tonight if you’re up for it. It’s a gathering of all our high school friends. I’ll be there at nine but can’t promise I’ll stay more than one drink.

Harry wrote that he’d be there, and he told Paul to make him go, no matter what. They left the Library at dusk and went back to the motel and changed. Then they walked back toward downtown, getting dinner at a family-run Italian restaurant. They made it to Kildare’s at just around nine thirty. It was a typical faux Irish pub: dark red walls, unvarnished wood floor, the Dropkick Murphys playing on the speakers. There was a separate alcove on the opposite side of the bar, and it was crammed with young people, some still in funeral wear, suits and black dresses. Harry’s stomach hurt at the thought of navigating his way into the crowd to try to find Caitlin, but he knew he should do it. He went with Paul to the bar for a beer and, just before he was about to order, saw Caitlin, in jeans and a black sweater, come out from the crowd, scanning the room. She spotted Harry and came right over.

“You came,” she said, and something about the way she was standing stopped Harry from trying to hug her.

“I did. This is my friend Paul Roman.”

Paul turned from the bar, and took Caitlin’s hand in his, leaning in and saying something Harry couldn’t hear over the music. Caitlin smiled, showing a lot of gum.

“I’m leaving, actually,” Caitlin said. “Harry, can you walk me home?”

Chapter 34

Now

They walked past a succession of crowded bars and restaurants, then hooked left onto a residential side street.

“It’s about two miles. You sure you don’t mind?”

“Not at all.”

“I couldn’t stand being there. Everyone’s saying all the right things, but it still just feels like life is going on without her. Which it is.”

“The funeral Mass was nice. I’d never been to one.”