Gabriel had just left an old lady who was alone most of the time. Her husband had died. Her sons had drowned at sea and her daughters were busy with their own families, though they checked on her regularly. She had been overjoyed to see him and they had prayed rosary together and he had given a blessing and some pastoral advice. The cake she had insisted on him eating had been stale though and he was quite sure he was going to be sick tonight. 

He did not have any obligations for the afternoon, and so he had decided to take a long way back and now he was down on the beach, his shoes sinking into the sand with every step as he walked.