214 Wills novel · Chapter 23 of 24

Chapter 23: Rosehill

Beth let herself in at seven on Monday morning with a bag of pastries and a tight, pale face.

"Sit down," she said to Callie, who was already sitting. "No. Don't get up. I need to say this fast."

I poured coffee and stayed out of it.

Beth put the bag on the table and did not open it.

"Two years ago at the green booth restaurant, my brother said a stupid thing about men who've done time."

"Beth," Callie said.

"And I said amen."

Beth's voice was low and rough.

"I said it because I thought it was funny. I've said it a hundred ways, about people I've never met."

She looked straight at Callie.

"I looked at you in that hospital bed, with a cast on and your hair a mess, and I thought, God, I'm the kind of person she had to hide from."

Callie's eyes filled.

"You didn't know."

"I should have known. I'm an ER nurse. I've held the hands of every kind of person on this earth."

Beth wiped her face with her wrist, hard.

"I was wrong, and I'm sorry. You passed me the bread at my own birthday party while I said it."

Callie pushed her chair back with her good foot.

She stood on the walker, took two steps, and put her arms around my sister.

Beth held on.

I looked at the coffee pot for a while.

"You can make it up to me," Callie said into Beth's shoulder. "Drive us to Rosehill. And don't talk the whole way."

"I'll talk a little."

"A little is fine."

Rosehill Cemetery was cold and bright, with frost still on the grass in the shade.

Beth parked at the gate and went to sit in the car with the radio on low.

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