I decided to continue writing this. I'm sorry I've been away from it for so long, but I'm glad I still had some readers! Thanks!

Chapter three

"Ruthie?" Lucy called to her sister, quietly. It was now mid-afternoon, the sun was shining brightly, and yet Ruthie had closed the shades.

She glanced at her sister. Lucy was a very pretty young woman; she was blonde with sparkling blue eyes. But now that she a four year old daughter, Kate, and expecting another child within a few months, she looked even prettier—even if she was considerably heavier. And yet she looked afraid right now. Ruthie noticed fear in her sister's eyes.

"Yes?" Ruthie asked, trying to sound normal, but noticed the tenseness in her voice.

"Um…I'm going to take Kate to the park. Would you like to come?"

Ruthie shook her head. Lucy nodded, "Okay. If you change your mind…"

"I won't." Lucy nodded again and headed back downstairs. Ruthie sighed, as her stomach growled. Glancing at her nightstand, the clock read four. No wonder I'm so hungry, she thought. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast.

She slowly made her way downstairs, hoping that no one would hear her. She wasn't in the mood to be confronted by anybody.

Unfortunately, she did not have much luck. Kevin Kinkirk, Lucy's husband and her brother-in-law, was eating a sandwich in the kitchen.

Kevin was a police officer; a nice man, a good father, brother and husband, but one thing he was not good about was to mind his own business—especially in cases like this.

Ruthie guessed she and Kevin were a lot alike, at least when Ruthie was younger; but now that she was getting older, she wanted privacy, especially about her personal life.

But Kevin was too nosy to notice this. "So, how are you?" he asked.

"Fine."

"You know, we're worried about you and we know something is going on."

"My boyfriend just shot himself! That's what's going on!"

"But you know something."

"What?"

"Why he killed himself; you know why he left. You're hiding something, Ruthie."

"So what if I know? I don't have to tell. Besides, does it really matter now that he's gone?"

"So why don't you talk about it if it doesn't matter anymore?"

"Because I don't want to," she replied, as she headed back upstairs with a sandwich in her hand.

The back door opened as soon as Ruthie disappeared. "Daddy!" Kate exclaimed, jumping into her father's arms.

"Hey, Katie," he said, kissing his daughter.

"Won't talk?" Lucy asked.

"She won't tell me anything. She spoke, but refuses to tell what she's hiding."

Lucy sighed, "She's probably just shocked about Peter's death. Give her time to heal. She'll talk when she's ready."

"Lucy…Ruthie knows something."

"I know, but still. She's a human, too. We can't force her."

Kevin nodded as he kissed her. "How's the little one?" he asked, gently touching her stomach. She smiled, "Doing fine. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. It's been kicking."

"Lucy, do you want to find out the sex soon?"

"We never did with Kate," Lucy replied. "No, I want it to be a surprise."

"I'm going to be a big sister!" Kate exclaimed happily. Kevin laughed, "Yes, Sweetie, you are."

"What happened at the park?" Kevin asked. "You guys have only been there for half hour."

Before Lucy could reply, there was a big clap of thunder. "Ohh," Kevin groaned.

"Exactly," she replied.

Ruthie heard the thunder, too. She smiled. Perfect for her mood. But all she could feel was misery, loneliness and the tears threatened to fall from her face, but she blinked them back. Crying would not help bring him back. She needed to be strong—to continue life as if Peter had never come into it.

As another clap of thunder sounded, she shivered, the name still coming back into her head. Why did you leave me, Peter?

Ruthie Camden was strong; she could handle anything. But was she sure she could handle Peter's death, and the mysteries behind it?

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