Nathaniel's father, Matthew, stood in his living room, staring blankly at the wall. His wife, Marie, was crying on the sofa, but he couldn't bring himself to join her. He felt numb as if his body had shut down to protect him from the pain that was threatening to overwhelm him.
He had just received the news that his son Nathaniel had probably died. He had disappeared during the attack on the city, and they couldn't find any information about him, despite having sent many men to search for him. The likely outcome was that he was dead and had trouble restraining himself and avoiding crying in front of his men.