Tobias' POV
"What's going on?" Caleb asks his parents.
"I'm sorry, everyone. Beatrice, uhm, she doesn't feel well" Mrs. Prior says.
"But what is wrong with the poor thing? I thought she would be happy coming back" Shauna's and Lynn's mother asks.
"She is" Mr. Prior says.
"What happened?" Mr. Williams, Caleb's maternal uncle asks.
"Dad, now's not the time" the tall, bulky guy says, who I now realize must be Caleb's other cousin.
"Matt, what is going on?" his father insists.
"Cam, suffice to say it is bad" Mr. Prior says.
"Did something happen to my niece?" Mr. Williams keeps asking. I know I don't know Caleb's sister, but even though they lived apart for so long he always talked nicely about her, even if they act like any other siblings, bickering and fighting. He loves her and was very happy to learn that she would come back home and go to school with us. She is younger so she won't be in any of our classes, but she is the same age as Lynn.
"Dad, please, what happened to my sister?" Caleb asks.
"Beatrice lost a few friends" her mother says vaguely. What's that supposed to mean?
"So, she freaks out because a few shitheads won't talk to her anymore?" Lynn asks.
"Lynn" her mother scolds her.
"It's not like that" Mr. Prior says. "They didn't break up their friendship" he says, still vaguely.
"Uncle Andrew, what the hell does that mean?" Shauna asks exasperated.
"They died" Matt says. Everyone in the room falls silent and stare at him shocked. They died? How? Where was Caleb's sister?
"What?" Shauna, Lynn and a few others ask.
"Let's drop this. Bee needs time to process everything. She needs our help and support. This means no stupid questions. She didn't want to talk about it at all" Matt says.
"I expect everyone to not ask her anything. Beatrice will open up when she's ready" her dad says.
"But Andrew…" Shauna's mom protests.
"No, Ellie. She needs time to heal. I know what I'm talking about. Natalie, I think we need to talk about what will happen next" he says to his wife and she nods.
"We should probably all leave" Shauna's dad says.
"No, please stay and enjoy the food" Mrs. Prior says.
"Cameron, Joe, Matt, please join Natalie and me in the study" Mr. Prior says. "Ellie, will you please take care of our guests?" he asks and she nods.