The paperwork took two hours instead of six.
I knew it was supposed to take six because Sera had warned me the night before. Pack estate processing, she had said, was designed by people who believed that efficiency was a form of disrespect for the dead. Budget the whole day, she had said. Bring a book.
I had brought a book that I ended up not needing.
The woman at the front desk, the one who had recognized my name when I came in, had processed everything with a speed that was so unexpected I actually asked her if she was sure it was complete. She said yes. I asked if there was anything else I needed to sign. She checked the file twice and said no. I stood at the counter for a moment longer than necessary because I was waiting for the catch.
I walked out at half past ten with a folder o
