Kris Cooper stepped forward, bending to place his hands on her shoulders. "Your uncle wouldn't want to see you upset. Cheer up!"
Regaining her composure, Vera Wave stood up and leaned against him. She took his handkerchief to wipe her nose, and her tone brightened. "Dad, this is Kris. I picked a good son-in-law, didn't I?"
Running his fingers through her hair, Kris Cooper looked at the photograph on the tombstone—a man who had also once been a distinguished figure. "Uncle Wave, rest assured, I'll take good care of Vera and Grandma. You and Auntie can be at peace."
After lingering for a while at the gravesite, Vera Wave pulled out a few small weeds sprouting nearby. Then she stood up and left with Kris Cooper.
Noticing the remaining bouquet in her hand, Kris Cooper asked curiously, "Are you going to visit someone else?"
"I'm going to visit Uncle Leafcastle," Vera Wave replied, leading him down a small path toward another section. "He's also buried here."
