Almost everyone turned to stare as Paulina walked, walked very fast, to the back of the church.
Joe got up and went after her.
"Please, God," he prayed inwardly, "keep Paulina calm. Don't let there be a scene."
Paulina kept walking. She and Joe reached the back of the church at the same time.
Paulina hissed at Josie, Gary, and Rain, "What the Hell are you doing here?"
"Paulina, don't," Joe whispered, putting a hand on her arm.
"Don't tell me don't," Paulina shouted. "I want to know how these people dared to come to our son's
funeral!
"Paulina," Joe pleaded, "please. Not in Church. Not during our son's (he choked) not during our son's funeral Mass."
"Well, if it hadn't been for her, (Paulina pointed to Josie) and her, (she pointed to Rain) there wouldn't be a funeral Mass
for our son!"
Fr. Austin Malone, on the altar, prayed silently for guidance. Never before had he encountered such a situation.
"Lord," he whispered, "show me what to do."
"This is a funeral," Josie said, a bit angrily. "It's not a private party. Rain just wanted to..."
Gary, realizing how inappropriate Josie's remark was, said quietly, "Josie."
Just her name, and that was enough.
"I shouldn't have said that. Please forgive me."
"I don't forgive you," Paulina replied. "Not for what you said, and especially not for leaving your gun out. Joe," she added,
"should have fired you!"
"That wouldn't have brought Dante back, Blue Eyes."
And then, suddenly, Rain got up from the pew.
She hurried up to the front of the church, and stood where Paulina had been standing.
"Please," Rain said, "there's something I want to say."