Matis was a man of secrets. His own and those of others. If someone ever read a eulogy at his funeral, something he thought a lot about, it would go something like this.

"Not many people knew the real Matis.

He was taken so young, and with him die many secrets and sins.

Some forgiven, some not."

At this point, he imagined that his parents would start to wonder if they were at the right service. They would look around for reassurance. They would see friends, family. They would smile at each other, confused.

"Matis was a lover, not a fighter; he loved often and with great gusto."

Here, his parents and family members would start fidgeting and whispering.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Was it their Matis the priest was talking about? How scandalous.

From behind the counter, he snickered. The lover line was wishful thinking. He thought about it often, making up scenarios about a stranger coming to the print shop and falling in love with him on the spot, proposing and taking him to a beautiful island for their honeymoon - all on the same day. Matis was conservative but efficient, even in his daydreams.

He looked at his distorted reflection in the glass pane separating him from the clients. He was alone in the shop for the moment. He marvelled at how little his reflection revealed who he truly was.

What would he think about such a man had he been on the other side of the counter?

He was dressed in a casual pale blue shirt with jeans and sneakers, the trousers just on the uncomfortable side of tight. He looked the part. Satisfied, he opened one of his shirt's top buttons. While looking at his hands, he noticed some black specks on his nails.

"Sloppy," he thought.

He would have to be more careful with the nail polish next time.

He looked exactly like the Matis, who had gone to church with his parents every Sunday for the last 32 years.

Taken by his reflection, he didn't notice the nun who had been staring at him from outside the shop window for the last couple of minutes.

She couldn't decide if she should go in.

She went for the door, stopped, and finally came in, wincing at the loudness of the bell echoing in the small print shop.

Matis put on his best "customer service" smile and cheerfully welcomed the nun.

She burst into tears.