13 Mink Street

Chapter 65: Meeting God

Deputy Director Malmer arrived at the Immers residence with his Wofford camera. He photographed the two welfare cases, and then left cheerfully with a notebook that had a tip tucked inside, courtesy of Mason.

“So what do we do next?” Aunt Winnie asked the others.

Karon spoke up, “Since someone unknown has already paid, we should proceed accordingly. Helping the deceased receive a better burial isn’t anything immoral.”

He pointed at the male magician’s body. “Him, we send him for cremation.”

In truth, the magician’s corpse would have been better suited as dog feed, but abandoning a body in the city was not only unethical, it could easily lead to serious consequences. That was why every civilization eventually developed rituals and customs for handling the dead. Religion had come later. The earliest motivations had been far simpler: improperly handled corpses polluted the environment and could even create plagues.

Since the man was already dead, burning him would suffice.

Karon then pointed to Mandira. “As for her, since someone is willing to pay, Aunt Winnie can use one of the reasonably priced coffins from the basement for her use. Uncle Mason will also need to pull some strings to reserve a burial plot right away.”

He continued calmly, “Since the payer is anonymous, there’s no need to hold a memorial service. Her identity remains unclear, so no relatives would attend anyway. Oh, and the letter mentioned her name: Mandira. Uncle Mason, remember to engrave that on her headstone.”

After saying all this, Karon ignored the fact that Tiz was still standing right there in his priest’s robes, and deliberately mimicked the old man’s tone, “In short, everything should be done according to the client’s needs.”

Aunt Winnie nodded. “Alright.” She then called out, “Alfred, Ron, go to the basement and bring up the orange-red coffin for her burial.”

The family usually kept two or three inexpensive coffins on hand. Luxury coffins were only custom orders.

Mason added, “I’ll call Paul and have him bring the hearse to take the man for cremation. We’ll take her to the cemetery ourselves.”

As for pulling strings, he said nothing. He didn’t see that as a problem.

About half an hour later, Paul arrived in the Immers family’s old modified hearse.

“Sir. Master. Young Master,” Paul greeted them in the same manner as usual.

“Sir. Master. Young Master,” Paul’s father-in-law echoed, having come along with him. Paul’s father-in-law had once worked at a coffin factory. He was a simple, honest old man.

Paul and his father-in-law worked together to load the magician’s body into the hearse, and then drove off.

Welfare cases brought little profit to the Immers family, but for crematoriums which operated on thin margins, they were not something that could be refused.

After that, Alfred and Ron loaded Mandira’s coffin into the hearse.

“Karon, you’re going too?” Mason asked in surprise.

“Yes.”

“Alright then.”

The hearse set off for the cemetery. Mason efficiently handled everything necessary, securing a burial plot at the lowest possible price.

During the burial, he muttered in confusion, wondering why his father hadn’t come along. Under normal circumstances, regardless of the amount paid for a burial, Tiz would always preside as the priest leading the final rites.

Karon understood why Tiz was absent; It was because Karon was there in the old man’s place.

After the soil was filled in, Karon placed his hand on the headstone. From now on, you can rest. You won’t be cold anymore.

Afterward, they returned home in the hearse. At the gate, Karon noticed a black Thiel sedan parked there. It was a relatively inexpensive model.

Mink Street had no designated parking spaces. With the spaced out villas and townhouses, cars casually parked in front of the various homes without blocking traffic. Each house’s frontage was effectively its own private parking area. Another car at the gate usually meant visitors.

Mason spat on the ground when he saw it. “Bah.”

Clearly, he knew who was inside.

Upon entering the living room, Karon understood as well. The visitor was Aunt Winnie’s ex-husband, and Clarice’s biological father.

Tiz had always taken the family’s education seriously. Karon’s deceased biological father had stepped onto the church path early on, entering the clergy, and had been a graduate of a prestigious church university.

Mason and Aunt Winnie had both studied finance, and been top students in their business schools.

Mason had once had a brilliant career in finance, until he had overplayed his hand, losing even his own house as collateral. He had returned to Mink Street in disgrace, along with his family.

Aunt Winnie had met her ex-husband in college. They fell in love quickly and she helped him start up a small garment factory. According to Aunt Mary, the initial funds had come from Aunt Winnie’s own savings. Despite the woman’s credentials, she had spent years working as the factory’s accountant to support her husband’s business.

The ending of their marriage had been unremarkable. Officially, it was due to incompatibility, but the truth was that her husband had been unfaithful and been caught. Aunt Winnie, with her fierce personality, had chosen to leave with nothing in order to secure custody of Clarice, and returned to her parents’ home.

Now, in the living room, a cold-faced Aunt Winnie sat on a sofa.

A middle-aged man, dressed flamboyantly and reeking of affected charm, knelt beside the sofa, crying and begging. Clothing often revealed character, provided it was deliberately chosen.

Mason’s attire, managed entirely by Aunt Mary, presented a steady and dignified impression. He was the picture of domestic stability.

Alfred’s endless rotation of suits reflected refinement, obsession, and narcissism.

This ex-uncle-in-law’s clothing was simply out of place. It showed no sense of maturity to match his age, only an insistence on looking flashy and stylish.

Humans are social animals, and society imposes labels. For men, being called handsome at Karon’s age was praise, but past thirty, being praised only for one’s looks indicated that there was little more worth mentioning. It became a somewhat mocking compliment.

“Parker, get out. Get out!” Aunt Winnie shouted. Seeing her brother and nephew return, she could no longer tolerate her ex’s presence.

“I won’t leave! I regret everything, Winnie. I realize now you’re the one I truly love. I can’t live without you. And Clarice, I’m her father. A child can’t grow up without a father’s love.”

“You’re in debt, aren’t you?” Mason sneered. “A friend told me that your factory’s already got a lien on it; That’s why you came crawling back. You’re hoping my sister will bankroll you again.”

“No! Mason, how can you say that? I didn’t come here for money. Recent events have made me realize that I can’t live without Winnie and my daughter. I’ve made mistakes, but I’ve changed. I’ll be better. I’ll be a shoulder for Winnie and a proper father for Clarice.”

“You’re shameless,” Aunt Winnie spat, standing and pointing at him.

“I don’t want a father like you,” Clarice announced. She had appeared in the doorway, Mina and Lent beside her. All three had just returned from school.

“Clarice, my dear daughter! I love you. Come, let Father hug you.” Parker stepped toward her.

Clarice’s disgust was unmistakable. She even outright cursed the man, “Why don’t you just die?”

For a child to say such a thing meant that her hatred and disappointment had reached their limit. Clarice knew just how many nights her mother had cried after returning home. Long ago, Aunt Winnie had defied Tiz for love and had married Parker. After the marriage failed, she returned for the sake of her daughter’s future.

Unlike Mason, who had shamelessly proclaimed his filial devotion while moving his family back in, Aunt Winnie was more traditional and felt much greater internal pressure.

Clarice had been old enough to remember the divorce. She remembered her father’s mistress humiliating her mother, and her father smiling when her mother said she only wanted her daughter and no property.

At home, Clarice had envied Mina and Lent for having such a good father. Mason might have failed professionally, but at home, he was a good father and elder. Karon agreed with that assessment.

Hearing his daughter cursed him, Karon saw anger flicker across Parker’s eyes, but he maintained his act and tried to grab Clarice.

She hid behind Karon. He did not move.

When Parker tried to shove Karon aside, Alfred stepped forward. He seized Parker’s wrist. The man struggled, but couldn’t break free.

“Parker, get out! Don’t ever appear before me or Clarice again. You make us sick,” Aunt Winnie roared, pointing at the door.

“Out,” Karon ordered.

Alfred lifted Parker as if he was a chicken and carried the man outside, setting him down by the gate, but going no further than that with his actions.

After all, the man was former family. As a radio host who specialized in emotional talk shows, Alfred understood such boundaries well.

Ron never spoke or even moved. If Parker hadn’t approached Karon, Alfred would also have remained still. Family matters were not for outsiders.

Parker slunk back to his car. As he started it, his lips formed silent curses, “Shameless whore! Ungrateful bastard!”

Alfred could read lips. He repeated the words later. Karon nodded.

***

Aunt Winnie carried two sweaters to the third floor and knocked on her father’s study door. “Come in.”

She stayed inside for half an hour. When she emerged, her eyes were red from crying. Still, she smiled as she cleaned her tears. After speaking and apologizing, she had received her father’s forgiveness.

No. He had always forgiven her. She had finally stopped blaming herself..

After she went downstairs, Karon left his room. Pu’er lay on the windowsill. “The Immers family values affection and family. Tiz does. Your parents did. Mason and Mary do. Only Winnie, poor Winnie.”

She paused. “But Karon, I believe in you. You’ll treat Eunice well, won’t you?”

As the girl’s old grandaunt, Pu’er was worried. Seeing that Karon didn’t respond, Pu’er hurriedly added, “She’s a smart girl. No, maybe I’d rather she were foolish, so she’d fall for your looks and just follow you blindly. Sometimes, being too smart is worrying.”

“You can go talk to Alfred,” Karon said.

“Why?”

“Have him invite you to be a guest on a radio show to analyze relationships. The audience won’t know the guest is a cat.”

“I’ve never married. I’ve never even dated.”

“That’s why you’ll sound convincing.”

“I feel mocked, but you’re right.” Pu’er hopped down. “I’ll go find that radio demonkin.”

She trotted off, only to quickly return. “Oh. He’s not home.”

“You can prepare tonight. My desk has paper and a pen.”

“Excellent.” She entered Karon’s room and sat motionless on the paper, staring out the window at a forty-five-degree angle.

Karon knocked. Pu’er replied, “Don’t disturb me. I’m harnessing inspiration.”

“Hm?”

“If the feeling isn’t right, anything I write will come out soulless.”

“Alright. Do your best.” Karon closed the door for Pu’er, so that anything happening outside the room wouldn’t disturb her train of thought. He then walked to Tiz’s study and knocked.

“Come in.”

When Karon entered, he saw Tiz wearing a white sweater. “Oh wow, did Aunt Mary buy that for you? The color and cut suit you perfectly. The designer should be on the cover of a fashion magazine.”

Tiz glanced at him. “Your aunt knitted it.”

“Huh? Aunt Winnie knitted it? That’s unexpected. I think she’s being unfair, she should knit one for her nephew too.”

Tiz knew that Karon was already aware of who had made the sweater. Karon also knew that Tiz knew he knew. Similar exchanges frequently took place between the two, with Karon deliberately throwing out an exaggerated compliment, which Tiz would casually shut down with a single sentence.

Karon knew Tiz enjoyed this sort of rhythmic exchange. Pu’er had once said that the way Karon spoke was almost identical to how Tiz had spoken in his youth. Since his grandfather liked it, Karon was happy to play along. It was filial piety, after all.

“Winnie apologized to me,” Tiz said. “For insisting on being with that man back then.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for,” Karon replied. “You would never blame her. But saying it out loud probably helped her let go of it herself.”

“Yes,” Tiz nodded. “Before marriage, Winnie was actually quite cheerful.”

Pu’er had previously mentioned that the woman had once defied her family for love.

“Grandpa, Parker came today,” Karon said, stating the obvious. He knew that so long as Tiz was home, nothing that happened in the house escaped him.

“I know,” Tiz said. “I simply didn’t want to see him.”

He looked at Karon, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. Grandfather and grandson were far too similar, and their conversations rarely tolerated unnecessary detours. The teasing at the start was just a warm-up. Sometimes, even nonsense had its uses.

“I’ve always thought that this was Winnie’s own matter,” Tiz continued. “No matter what, he is someone she once chose; her former husband, and Clarice’s biological father.”

“Aunt Winnie said she never wants to see him again,” Karon said. “Clarice asked today why he hasn’t died yet.”

“That’s anger speaking,” Tiz calmly observed. “You should understand that words spoken in anger don’t always count.”

Karon shook his head. “Grandpa, I’m not very smart. I tend to believe people. When they say something, I take it seriously.”

“We don’t have the right to dictate someone else’s life choices,” Tiz asked.

“Grandpa, aren’t you angry?” Karon asked.

One night, Tiz had personally led Karon to eliminate Mr. Morf, Editor-in-chief Humir, and others. Karon had never believed Tiz was a gentle man; His gentleness was reserved for his family alone. The fact that Parker remained alive was, in itself, a stroke of luck.

“Of course I’m angry,” Tiz said. “But I still believe that, as a father, I shouldn’t act too extremely.”

“But not counting today, you only have five days left.”

“What happens between him and Winnie should be decided by Winnie and Clarice themselves. Perhaps a year from now, five years from now, or even after Clarice grows up, gets married, even has children of her own, her feelings might change.”

“You promised me you won’t die in five days, but I’m curious if you yourself believe you’ll live long enough to see Clarice married, or even to hold your great-grandchild.”

Tiz raised a finger and pointed upward. “Even if Clarice never forgives her father, his sins should be judged by the gods above, not by us venting our resentment under the name of family.”

“Yes, Grandpa,” Karon said, nodding firmly. “You’re absolutely right.”

Then he added, “Which is why I’ve already sent Alfred to escort him upstairs for a meeting with them.”