48. Wailing
Wailing
Helena
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
“For the love of all things holy, don’t you ever sleep?”
Ruth shuffles into the kitchen, her gray curls tumbling over her shoulders, a fluffy pink robe cinched tightly around her waist.
I glance up from my coffee, guilt settling in. “Sorry, did the coffee maker wake you?”
She shakes her head. “No, but your wailing did.”
Heat rushes to my cheeks. “You could hear that?”
Ruth gives me a knowing look as she pours herself a cup and lowers into the chair across from me. “Sweetheart, I hear most everything. Now, tell me, what had you crying out to God at two-fifteen in the morning?”
I stare into my cup, fingers tightening around the ceramic. “I miss him. I was so close. Did you know he let me give him Bible verses to help with his temper?” My voice cracks, shoulders sinking. “ Now it’s been a week, and Eli says he hasn’t even said my name.”
Ruth gives me an encouraging smile. “You think that man can just cut ties and never think of you again? Caroline, he’s adjusting. A lot hit him all at once.”
I shake my head, my chest tight. “What if I really did ruin everything? What if God set me up for failure from the start?”
Ruth studies me over her cup. “Do you truly believe that?”
I need more coffee and something to do with my hands, so I push back from the table. As I refill my cup, I stare at the cabinet, my heart pounding at the thought of saying it out loud. But the words press against my throat, demanding to be freed.
“I do.”
Ruth is beside me in an instant, her hand rubbing slow circles over my back. “Oh, my sweet girl. God doesn’t set us up to fail. He never gives us more than we can handle. He wants all His children to come to Him—including Silas.”
I turn to her, searching her face. “Ruth, tell me the truth. The Everlys. Was it Silas who killed them?”
Her expression tightens. “Caroline?—”
“No,” I retort harshly. “Tell me.”
A beat of silence. Then, she looks me in the eye, something tender and almost apologetic there.
“Yes. It’s been him.”
I exhale slowly, taking my mug with a firm grip, feeling the heat against my skin. I already knew the truth. I just needed to hear it said out loud.
“Why?” I wonder quietly. “What sort of vengeance does he have against that family?”
Ruth gently pries the cup from my fingers and takes my hands, guiding me back to the table.
After a ragged exhale, she begins to lay out the events after the fire. “After you passed, after Silas and Kiran passed, the Hayes family line ended. That’s when Everly made it known he wanted to buy the Hayes property.”