And in the middle of the winter snow, surrounded by young men and women he hardly knew, and with his Heavenly Father mute as a mouse, James felt the comfort of home.

13

13

“It’s OK.” James coaxed Amanda to speak.

She stood near the window looking past the glass and into the pristine, morning snow. She glanced at him, then Mrs. Wexler, and then Duane and Ian.

James wondered if she were nervous because of what she was about to confess or because her mother had told her to come alone. Whatever the cause, Amanda was facing her future.

James glanced at Ian, and then set his gaze briefly on his sister. She looked worried, and for that, James was sorry. He couldn’t ease the pain he knew Mary was going through at discovering her son had been lying to her all these months, but he admired her courage and loyalty. He expected nothing less. Mary had learned from their mom to nurture and love, and she did both with equal power. No matter what happened, she was here for Ian.

Did that make it harder for Amanda?

James cross the room and touched the young girl’s arm. “Please, Amanda.”

She gave him a half-smile, and then looked at Duane. “It was an accident.” She shrugged. “We went to see if Beth-Ann could hang with us, but nobody answered the door. So we go around back to her bedroom window, you know; and Drew’s tossing rocks at it and hollering…you know how he could be sometimes. You hauled him in here enough,” she said to Duane. “But Beth, she just waves us off, and then Mr. Pearce comes to the window and tells us to take off.” She paused for a moment and shared a look with Ian.

He nodded almost imperceptively.

She turned back to Duane. “Drew went nuts. He starts all hollering and posing, yelling at Beth to come out. Yelling at Mr. Pearce that he couldn’t do anything to stop us.” Her brow furrowed.

“We all wanted to leave, but Drew wouldn’t let it go.” Ian picked up the story.

Amanda didn’t seem to mind. She turned her attention to the landscape outside the window. Her body language suggested she was at peace, the horrific burden of keeping the secret gone.

James figured she’d probably replay the events for some time, and have a deep regret that never went away, but with the story out in the open, people would judge or not, and she’d stand up to it, knowing she’d told the truth.