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“I knew something was wrong when Margaret came home from the prom. She’d been looking forward to it for months. She even made sure her dress matched John’s bow tie and cummerbund. But when she walked in later that night, I saw that she’d been crying. When I asked her what happened, she refused to tell me. I thought she and John got into a fight. That it would blow over in a few days.”
“Gunner, you were there. Do you remember anything?” King asked.
“Hell no.” Gunner grimaced. “I spent the prom drinking with my buddies before sneaking off with Laurel Howard. Sorry, Mrs. Cohen.”
“No worries.” the older woman smirked before she continued, “In the days that followed, Margaret became more withdrawn. I didn’t know what to do. Then John asked Margaret to marry him, and everything changed. She was my happy girl again. For the next couple of weeks, all she could talk about was the wedding and how happy her and John were going to be. The only one not happy about the wedding was Jane. She was very vocal about it too. Jane didn’t understand why they needed to marry before college. She was relentless. She wanted them to wait. John couldn’t take it anymore and threatened his sister. Told her she could either get on board or not bother to come at all.”
“Bet Jane didn’t like that,” Gunner snickered. “Girl always had a temper on her when things didn’t go her way.”
“You are right, Cord. Jane hated it.”
“What happened next?” I asked.
Martha turned to Shug and frowned. “You and Callum happened.”
“I don’t understand,” she whispered, gripping my hand for support.
Martha sighed, shaking her head. “She called me that night. She was so upset. I’d never heard her so distressed. She kept babbling about how she messed everything up. That she ruined everything.”
“Margaret told you she broke off the engagement, didn’t she?” Banks said as Martha nodded.
“Yes. I was shocked. I tried talking to her, but she was so distraught. All she kept saying was that she ruined everything. I thought she was talking about you, Sugar. I didn’t know she was talking about Jane.”
“What do you mean, Martha?” King prodded carefully.
Martha reached into her purse and pulled out an envelope, handing it to Sugar. “I got this last week. That’s why I came today. I owe you a big apology, Sugar. I am so sorry for how I’ve treated you.”
Shug took the envelope, turned it over and gasped.
It was a letter from John.
Taking the envelope from her, I removed the letter and read aloud,
Dear Martha,
It is time you learned the truth of what happened the night Margaret died.
Every family has secrets.
Here is mine.
My sister is gay and had been in love with Margaret for years. While I accepted my sister for who she was, our parents didn’t. They demanded that Jane hide who she was. For a while, Jane did. She lived a lie. It wasn’t until prom that I realized my sister was in love with Margaret. If I had known how evil my sister truly was, I would have protected Margaret better, but I was too late.
The night of the prom, I learned Jane was enraged with Margaret, not only because Margaret refused Jane’s affections, but because Margaret was with me. I never knew the depths of my sister’s anger until I found Margaret in the guidance counselor’s office. Jane laughed as she watched two men assault Margaret.
I am so sorry, Martha.
I would give anything to go back in time and protect Margaret better.
In the end, Margaret was never the same. While I tried to tell her it was not her fault and that I still loved her, Margaret couldn’t move past what happened. When I asked Margaret to marry me, I promised to take her away from Rosewood and never to return. She agreed until a few weeks later when she found out she was pregnant. When she told me, I told her I didn’t care. That I still wanted to marry her, but Margaret refused and ended the engagement. Had I known that she was alone in her car when she called, I would have tried harder, demanded she wait for me.
I am so sorry, Martha.
So very sorry.
I find it funny that because of one vengeful, vindictive bitch, the lives of several people are affected.
Even those not responsible.
