Page 48 of Witness 8

John and Alison whispered in the hallway, but there was no masking the hurt in Alison’s hushed voice.

Ruby couldn’t hear them at first. She didn’t need to. She already knew what was in the letter. After all, it had been Ruby’s idea, stolen, of course, by Petra.

It was a letter to John from the residents’ association of West 74thStreet. It said that they didn’t feel safe with him still living in the street.

They wanted John to move out.

It would only have taken Petra a half-hour to write the letter, but it took another two weeks for it to be signed by every single household.

‘They want us out of our home,’ said Alison, her breaking voice increasing in volume.

‘I’m so sorry,’ said John, over and over again.

Ruby stepped out of the kitchen.

‘Maybe it’s a blessing,’ said Ruby quietly.

‘What do you mean?’ asked John.

‘All this terrible stress you’ve both been under. It’s a nightmare for you, and Tomas. Maybe getting away from it all might be for the best.’

‘Mom? Dad?’ said Tomas.

The young boy stood on the staircase, frozen, watching his parents. Ruby turned and glanced at Alison and John.

They stood at the end of their hallway, holding each other, their backs jerking as they cried. The stain of the murder accusation had bloomed into fire. A hot poker of stigma that seared their flesh, burning the family with shame. Just as Ruby had once felt.

Tomas ran down the last few steps, past Ruby, and grabbed hold of his parents. They knelt and embraced him.

‘Do we have to move?’ asked Tomas.

‘Maybe Ruby’s right. We should get out of the city for a while,’ said Alison. ‘Just get away from everything. Maybe even kill two birds with one stone. Get the construction firm to start the remodeling early. They could work while we’re out of the house.’

John smoothed his son’s hair, cupped his face, said, ‘No, we’re not going to leave our home. I didn’t do anything wrong, son. This is all one big mess, but we’re going to stay here. And we’re going to fix it. Things will get better soon.’

Even though Ruby’s teeth clenched tightly, she forced her lips into a smile.

Mother. Father. Son. All of them holding each other. An invisible tether between them. Even though neither Ruby nor anyone else could see this ethereal connection, she knew what it was.

The love of a family.

Something Ruby had never truly felt. There’d been nothing from her father but fear. And her mother was too damaged.

Love was alien to Ruby. As alien as the smile she now wore. Her expression was of compassion and admiration.

Inside, Ruby was screaming.

The family moved into the lounge, and Ruby backed away.

Down the hall.

As she moved, the whispering became louder.

And louder.

She looked at the floor. And watched her feet stop three feet from the first stair. They turned to face the wall.

Turned to face the painting of the red priest.