“I know I’m not family, but I’m going to be. I’m going to Houston with Hunt after the house sells. And being family gives me a little leeway to say something, too. I saw a side of your father that none of you saw. Ray and I were still too young to go to school, and Birdie wasn’t even born, but I remember things that I thought were mean.”

Hunt was horrified. “Like what, Ava?”

She shrugged. “Well, for instance…he would eat the last piece of pie in the house and blame it on me or Ray. He took money out of Marjorie’s purse and told me if I told, he’d say it was me. Your daddy was a liar and a manipulator, and none of you need to feel guilty another moment. You were kids, and he used you to suit his needs. All of you were victims. You just never knew it. And Hunt had the answer you needed, and he never knew it. I know one thing for certain, and that is right now your mama’s spirit is so happy that the truth is out…that there’s no more secret to be kept.”

Hunt was shocked. “He did that…even to you?”

Ava shrugged. “It’s how I knew him. He didn’t scare me, and he was hardly ever there when Marjorie was babysitting me. But I didn’t want anything to do with him. And I think it’s time we all went home. Each of you is going to need time to process this. But you need to remember that tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your lives, and you need to find a way to be happy. I know I’m going to spend the rest of my life making sure Hunt is as happy as I know how to make him. And as soon as Hunt has honored his promise to Marjorie, we’re going back to Houston, and you’ll always be welcome visitors.”

“There’s something we need to do before we leave here,” Hunt said, and pulled out that paper he’d found—the one their father made them sign.

“Any one of you happened to have a cigarette lighter on you?” he asked.

“I do,” Junior said. He took it out of his pocket and handed it to Hunt.

Hunt got down on his knees at the shore, wadded up that oath Parnell Knox had made them sign, and set it on fire.

They stood in silence, watching the last bit of the secret going up in smoke.

When there was nothing left of it but ashes, the brothers and sisters shared one last embrace, and then got in their cars and went their separate ways. Birdie caught a ride back with Emma, who took her to get her car, leaving Hunt and Ava to go home on their own.