Free Purling Road - the Complete Second Season: Episodes 1-10 by M L Gardner Page B

seemed to disturb Felicity, and she began to grunt.
    Arianna dropped the hand holding the knife to her side and let her head fall back. “Dammit.”
    “I’ll get her,” Caleb said.
    At Caleb’s touch, Felicity quieted. He bounced her on his shoulder, pacing with short steps. He heard Arianna resume her chopping with a little less force. Turning to make the length of the living room again, he paused and squinted. Something wasn’t right. In fact, Caleb realized as the hair on the back of his neck raised, something was very, very wrong.
    “Ahna, how long has my mother been sleeping?” he called.
    “Since after breakfast.”
    Caleb inched closer. “Mom?” he said gently, nudging her chair with his toe.
    “Please wait to wake her up,” Arianna called. “Let me get dinner in the oven.”
    He ignored her and reached out taking his mother’s arm that was dangling over the arm of the chair.
    It was stiff.
    He yelled for Arianna.
    She came but didn’t rush. Caleb hastily put Felicity back in her cradle. He turned and pointed with a shaking hand.
    “What?” Arianna glanced between Caleb and Ethel.
    “Check for a pulse.”
    When she hesitated, Caleb rushed forward. He wedged his fingers between her chin and neck. He didn’t need to search for a pulse that wasn’t there. She was cold.
    With his hands on his head, he took a few steps back. “Oh, no,” he whispered.
    Arianna stood, staring, barely breathing herself. The house took on a deafening silence.
    “How long has she been like this?” Caleb asked, his voice breaking. Arianna hadn’t moved the smallest of muscles. “How long?” he screamed.
    Arianna looked over with wide, skittish eyes. “I…I don’t know.”
    Caleb broke down in sobs, not wanting to look at either of them. Savrene and Samuel were in the doorway, looking on with fear and concern. Samuel reached over and took Savrene’s hand.
    “How could you go the whole day and not know she was dead?” he turned and yelled at Arianna. She winced but didn’t take her eyes from Ethel’s body.
    Caleb walked past the twins and braced his hands on the counter, his head hung down. Arianna’s face was a blank slate. She went forward slowly and knelt by the chair, putting her hands on Ethel’s arm. She looked like she was sleeping. It was easy to pretend for just a few more moments that she was. Her eyes closed, her face relaxed, one hand still rested on her favorite book—the one she loved for David to read to her. Arianna had one fluttering thought she was able to grab on to.
    We don’t need that little house now .
    She rested back, sitting on her heels, eyes still on Ethel’s shock of unruly white hair. Finally, a second thought.
    I should cover her up . But she made no move to do so. The sound of a strong man choking against tears in the background echoed around in her mind but did nothing to spur her to go to him. Felicity had worked up to a good wail and it, too, fell on Arianna’s deaf ears. There was only one thought now. It started as a distant whisper and grew more insistent until it filled every corner of her mind. She heard it, understood it, and accepted it.
    I am the most horrible person that ever lived.
     
    ***
     
    Jonathan and Aryl joined Caleb as the sun was setting. He was weaving through the blueberry trees as if he were checking on the budding flowers and the general health of the small orchard, but in reality, he saw nothing. His hands moved automatically, his mind shrouded in sadness.
    “They’re here to take her,” Jon said as he approached, “if you want to say goodbye.”
    Caleb rolled a leaf between his thumb and finger. “I already did.”
    “They want to know when you’d like to have the funeral.”
    Caleb looked over and then up, desperately trying to think. “I don’t know. Soon as they can.”
    “I told them she’s to be buried next to your father. I know that’s what you all wanted,” Aryl said.
    After a delay, Caleb nodded. “Thank you.” He began to