Page 32 of Scars of Silk

Endless. Bastard. Tears.

William Richards, I glare at the ceiling. I won’t ever forgive you for the mess you’ve made. Without really thinking, I grab my phone and dial Eli.

“Hey.” His voice is tight.

“I’m ringing for moral support, but you sound like you need it more than me.” I dash my hand at yet more bloody tears.

“Jesus, Si. What’s going on?”

“Dad.” I only need to say that one word. Elijah sighs and I remember why we’ve been friends since the day we met.

“Will?”

“Yea—” My answer strangles off mid word.

There’s a stretch of silence, but this is what Eli does; he’s just there. He doesn’t fill the empty with useless words that can’t change anything. He just stays there.

“How’s Faith?” I ask once I’ve got myself together within the depths of our unspoken conversation.

“I’m still at the mews.”

It’s my turn to let out a deep breath. “Elijah, come on.”

“Don’t, Si, this isn’t easy for me.”

“Then go home. Jeez, she must be beside herself.”

Another deep pool of wordless space bubbles between us.

“I’m pretty upset too. She kept a huge secret from me, but it’s not even that I’m upset about. It’s what the secret was about. I’m just hurt she couldn’t trust me.”

“Eli, you and I both can see the damage that Faith hides.”

“Yeah.” He pauses and I wait. “She came here, stood on the doorstep and told me she would fight and that she was getting help.”

“That’s good though, isn’t it?”

“What if she gets help and then decides this isn’t right for her now? What if she thinks she’s better alone?”

“She loves you, and she’s having your baby. I don’t think she will think that.”

“She didn’t want the baby.” His words are a whisper and I strain to hear them. My tears have stopped, but the aching in my chest seems to be deepening by the moment. “She never said, but I knew it. I just didn’t know why. Now I do and I’m damn near petrified of what it’s going to do to her.”

“Is this what Dan was so cut up by?”

“What are you talking about him for?” He bristles a little.

“Oh get over it, Eli. Just get over it, for the sake of you and Faith.”

“Easier said than done.”

“Why?”

“Remember in the summer when I said I was engaged to you?”

“Yes. I remember picking up the glass afterwards.”

“She slept with him.”