Chapter 9: What Elias Saw

Elias's POV

At one in the morning I found Alasdair in his study with every light off and the city in the window behind him.

Rochelle had fallen asleep on the living room couch an hour earlier, with her shoes still on.

I had put a blanket over her without touching her, which took longer than it should have.

"Chad said something to her today," I said. "About the funeral."

Alasdair didn't turn from the window.

"I know. I saw the clip from the school lawn. I want you to be the one to tell her."

"Tell her what?"

"That we were there." His voice was rough. "That she sat through the service, and we stood in the street, and she never once came out."

I'd carried that day for three years, and I could still see the steps.

It had been raining lightly.

We'd landed that morning from Singapore with the suit bags still creased.

Chad had been waiting outside the church doors in a black coat with his hands folded.

"Rochelle knows you're here," he'd said to Alasdair. "She asked me to say it kindly. She doesn't want you inside."

"I want to hear her say it."

"She can't. Not today, Al. Her mother just died." His eyes had been wet, and I'd believed them. "Don't make her choose in front of everyone."

Alasdair had stood in the rain for an hour, with his hands at his sides.

I'd gone to the window at the side of the church.

Rochelle sat in the front pew in a black dress, with her hair pinned up and her face turned to the aisle.

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