I’ve always been under the assumption that death is a one-time, encompassing event.”

“Why would you ever think that?

There’s more.”

“Of course there is,” Brishen said flatly. It had started badly; it turned worse and hinted at becoming ruinous.

I will stand beside you through all of this,' she said when she could finally speak. “And welcome you home with gladness when it’s over, and you return triumphant.

My dear, treacherous mother,” he breathed. “What have you done?

She had thought he was dead, or at least not totally alive, and you could not still be dating someone you believe had an autopsy, so it was not really cheating.

Death is a part of the process in storm recovery, ... We're not Houston. We can't house thousands of evacuees. We can host this staff and let them do their work.