What did she mean?

Mrs. Yi wasn’t worried about Gray. He was happy—that was enough for her. Every youth had a long way to go; Gray would be no exception. A good, simple young man like him should have a good future. Maybe Aunt Ma was a little pessimistic. Her worries about Gray came from caring, Mrs. Yi knew.

“How time flies!” Mrs. Yi sighed.

Aunt Ma invited Mrs. Yi to drop in at her home.

“It’s cold inside. Let’s sit in the yard.”

Aunt Ma brought out two cups of sesame bean tea.

“Yesterday when I took medicine to his grave, he didn’t say anything. Is he mad at me?”

“I think he must be content to see you come, and there’s no need to say anything.”

Aunt Ma was relieved to hear that.

The courtyard was spacious. Sitting there, one could see a large expanse of sky. Mrs. Yi hadn’t noticed this before. No wonder Uncle Ma had sat here every day: his mind must have wandered around the world, just as he had wandered about in the woods through the reflection of the mirror on top of the wall. Uncle Ma, you surely knew how to enjoy yourself in life. Mrs. Yi believed big-hearted people were blessed, and Uncle Ma was one of them.

“He has moved to a better place, and left me here alone.”

“It’s good here, too, isn’t it?”

“It’s all right here, but he’s gone.”

“You can find another good man to take his place.”

Aunt Ma giggled as if considering that possibility.

Mrs. Yi saw a long row of seven-leaf flowers standing next to the wall like guards. After she stared at them for a while, her eyes reddened with tears.

“I know he can’t return, and I’d like to find another man, but where—?”

Mrs. Yi knew Aunt Ma wanted to say, “Where is there a man as good as he was?”

“You’ll have to find out. There’s a big world out there.”

As Aunt Ma walked her out of the courtyard, she heard Uncle Ma murmuring.

“Listen, isn’t he talking?” Mrs. Yi whispered to Aunt Ma.

“That’s because you’re here.” Aunt Ma’s voice was even softer.

Mrs. Yi went to visit her next patient, Aunt Yossi, who was suffering from bone cancer. Mrs. Yi treated her conservatively with herbal medicine. She was trying not to give her morphine too soon.

“Aunt Yossi, are you home?”

“Oh, here’s my niece! Come on in, please.”

Aunt Yossi liked thinking of Mrs. Yi as her own niece. Recently she had often consulted with Mrs. Yi about her will. She thought Mrs. Yi was the only one she could trust. Yesterday afternoon, Ginger, her second daughter-in-law, told her that Mrs. Yi wanted to use their free-standing lean-to for storing herbs. She laughed and said loudly, “I built the lean-to, and I haven’t used it much. It would be perfect for Mrs. Yi to use!” Her daughter-in-law was dumbstruck and hurriedly backtracked: “I was just making a wild guess.” The old woman immediately said, “It’s all right. That reminds me. I need to find someone right away to draw up my will. I want Mrs. Yi to have the lean-to after I die. You are a thoughtful person. You have such a good heart. You’ll always have a good life.” When she said this, the daughter-in-law began to cry, saying, “Mom, please don’t die.”