She sighs. “They agreed to keep it quiet if I left without a fuss and took up the position with the aid organization they’d found for me. They didn’t want the scandal and were happy to spare the family one in the process.”

“But, Jesus . . . Going to work in orphanages after you’d just given up your own child?” I want to ask how hardened you have to be to be able to do that—to be around all those motherless babies after just abandoning your own—and not have a complete breakdown.

Dee’s voice is devoid of emotion when she replies. “It was meant to be a punishment, Ruth, and I accepted it as such. Doing penance is an integral part of faith, but I wouldn’t expect you to know the first thing about it.”

I mean to say something biting in response but surprise myself with, “I used to watch you when you prayed sometimes, you know. When we were kids. You’d close your eyes and get all still like the bushveld does before a thunderstorm.”

Dee smiles wistfully. “I used to imagine that I was gathering up the four corners of the room and wrapping it around me like a blanket to hide me away from the world.”

“My favorite part was always when the furrows of your forehead would smooth out. Your mouth would turn up and you’d nod once, and that’s when I had to look away because I knew your eyes would open in a second or two and you’d be cross if I was staring at you.”

“I thought you hated my praying.”

“I just hated being left out.” The confession feels too personal and so I quickly add, “Do you still pray?”

She shakes her head and I’m not surprised. The sister who has come back is not the sister who left. I suppose it’s understandable considering everything but for some reason, it makes me sad.

“Are you going to tell me who the father is?”

Dee winces as if I’ve insulted her by suggesting her baby was the result of a sexual dalliance with a man, but it wasn’t a divine conception, I can promise you that. Still, it’s probably a stupid question. I saw her with Riaan van Tonder in the avocado orchard the night before she left and things looked pretty hot and intimate between them. I’d just assumed it was nothing more than heavy petting, but clearly my teenage sister was wilder and more interesting than I ever gave her credit for. Hell, even I was positively virginal when she left home. Okay, one or two blocks west of virginal, but not so far off that it wasn’t within walking distance.

“So, what happened to Daniel?” I ask when it becomes clear that Dee won’t be answering my question about his paternity. “Where’s he now?”