CHAPTER TWENTY: ARAVAH
Bethany whimpered in pain. Emunah looked at me fiercely. I thought he would strike me. But he turned back to Beth and led her to the couch. I felt like weeping but held back the tears. Even with my new, amazing, harish physiology (well not that new. I'd been Wraeththu for over fifty years now), I still looked like an explosion in a snot factory when I blubbered. I took a deep, hopefully calming, hopefully sufficient breath. Then I began to pace.
"Why do you think that? You really think Kennedy was cruel to me? You never said at the time. Well, whoopee for me if Kenn really had been into spousal abuse. You were always bristly around her. I thought it was 'cause of her part in the never-to-be-mentioned-throwing- Buffy-out-of-the-house thing, ya know? You didn't come to our wedding in Buenos Aires. That hurt. But it's pretty clear why. You. Were. All. Jealousy. Girl"
I stalked over to her and my finger jib-jib-jabbed into her chest. "So 'fess up! You were jealous. Enough of this frakking fantasy about Kennedy the big, old Lesbo Bluebeard. Go on, speak!"
"I-" Beth began.
"Shut up, tiahaar! Don't wanna hear it. Know the real reason I tore you out of Heaven? Because I missed you. Tara and me were happy. I'd have got over your death. We should've taken Dawn and left Sunnydale. Left for good. But no, I summoned Osiris and gave you one more opportunity to fuck up our lives!"
Shahar touched my arm. "That's enough, Ara. We're in danger and have to leave. Do this later."