Chapter 23
Avidya
I no longer knew who my mother was. Who I had once thought she was ended up being a lie. I was stunned, to say the least.
Was my whole life a lie?
I knew she hid things from me, from her husband even. I couldn’t blame her for that. I would have done the exact same thing and may do it myself if I end up in the same path as her. Mom had to do something to protect not only me as I grew up but also herself.
“Do you have any idea where she would have gone?” Zachariah repeated since I had yet to answer.
Why would she leave? Did she leave willingly? Is she still alive? Did father kill her like he had threatened a time or two?
“No,” I whispered out, still in shock. My thoughts wouldn’t wrap around the idea that she would do that.
Why was my mother missing, and only so soon after sending me everything that she had? Did my father have something to do with all this? Or was she really ready to get out the life she had now that she knew I was safe?
“A friend’s house?” Carlos asked, his voice calm as he sat at the table, laid back and seeming to not be in any rush to figure out where my mother ran off to. If she did run off.
Carlos had been the one that brought the news that my mother was missing after getting a call from my father. I couldn’t call that man my father any longer. I was sure he was the one behind everything. It could certainly explain why my mother felt she had no other choice, which led to me being taken in the dead night and given away as though I was nothing.
Behind Becca being murdered in cold blood. Behind me not even knowing who I was.
I was surprised that Zachariah even let me know what was going on. I hadn’t expected him to keep his promise. Maybe he wasn’t so bad.
“She wasn’t allowed to have friends,” I said, raising my eyes to meet his briefly. “Only places she went was to the post office, store, and church. Cody never allowed her to go anywhere. And if she happened to, I’m sure he monitored her.”
Heck, I hardly ever got to go anywhere other than school and to Becca’s. I always went to church every Sunday, just like mom. So really, she could have gone anywhere if she really did have contacts outside of the family that Cody wouldn’t ever know about.
“We just had to ask,” Zachariah replied, clearly seeing how worried and upset I was getting.
“Could it have been the same person that killed Becca?” I asked, fearing the answer but also needing to know.
“I can’t say yet,” Carlos replied, shooting a look towards Zachariah before looking at me again. “It’s possible, but I’m not entirely sure who took you. My son won’t give me a name.”
“Because I took care of it,” Zachariah said in a no nonsense way.
“I’d still like a name,” Carlos said, keeping his same tone.
“Don’t even think about asking,” Zachariah stated, already knowing his father was about to ask me. I couldn’t help but drop my head, looking at the tabletop. That was a silent command to keep my mouth shut if asked. A command I would certainly follow as Zachariah’s glare nearly burned his father to ashes.
“Alright,” Carlos said, holding both hands up in the air. “I will get a name sooner or later.” He paused before turning his attention back to me. “Becca’s parents have received help for the burial costs.”
I looked up at him, not sure why he was telling me this. Of course, Zachariah noticed my confusion, as he was quick to answer my unsaid questions.
“It was the least that we could do,” he said gently, laying a hand on my lower back. I could feel his warmth from his simple light touch, and I so desperately wanted to lean into him. “I can take you to her grave site when you are ready.”
“Really?” I asked, raising my eyes to meet his. I knew Cody wouldn’t let me go, even though he would certainly attend such a thing.
“Of course,” Zachariah replied, his eyes softening as he looked me over. “She was your friend, and it’s the least I can do since you have been brought into such a . . . different life within days.”
That was an understatement.
“Okay,” I whispered out, not sure how else to respond.
“Julia will also like to come by this weekend to start planning the wedding,” Carlos said, standing up from his seat.
“We have yet to talk about that,” Zachariah said, squaring his shoulders.
