They, on the boat, turned around towards the shore and saw about twenty fishing boats, paddle boards and kayaks, with candles burning on the windless night and the boats lit up, keeping the distance of respect and paying a silent tribute. The illumination backdropped by the rocks and the beach, a silent moment of adoration for Lomita Tracy Nairn.

*

A silent goodbye.

The love sent, the body disappeared to join the Sea of Cortez and the humpback whales.

*

At the moment of submersion two whales breached within feet of the boat.

The world was in tune with a divine spirit and moved with it.

A trio of whales slapped their tails on the surface of the water, sending an echo rebounding back from the shore.

Ever looked back to the beach and saw the fire burning on the beach, beyond the floating tribute, beyond, to the lights of the house where he would live.

He marked the burial spot in his mind for all time. Lomita would forever be close, be seen, be there.

Manita crossed herself, the moment was over, and again in silence the boat made its way back to shore.

Goodbye.

Each of them whispered in their own way.

On their return Jeff deposited the coffin onto the fire and took his leave, climbing into his truck. The priest departed with a wave, leaving Manita and Ever, who with the intimacy of a hug sent Pedro on his way back up the twenty-four steps to the house, the boat having been beached to be dealt with on a new day.

*

Ever took a shot of tequila.

He lay back on the sand feeling the fire and watching the coffin burn, lose its shape and take away its association with death. He was feeling the moon and feeling the stars. He was a wound feeling everything. He didn’t want to leave the beach; he didn’t want to break the connection with the sea and where she was.

He pondered with his God on whether a person who had done what she had done, and what he had done in thought, could ever consider themselves not to be evil.

Then why was there a divinity at her death?

*

‘Well done.’

He said to Manita when she wished him goodnight. After what had seemed an age sitting on the beach together. They had had a long journey of it all and he still had no idea what Manita felt about the whole thing. He supposed he would never know; their lives would no longer be forced together.

They would live apart having experienced so much together.

That night went with diazepam and tequila into a dream of haze, part spent on the beach and part in the bamboo rocker outside his room and then his phone rang.

Again.

*

A FaceTime ring.

A serious ring. It was Clarissa. It was the fourth time she had called him and he was unable to bring himself to pick up.