“I’m sorry,” he kept saying in a tiny voice. “I’ll be good. I won’t be bad anymore. Please don’t hurt my mom. Please.”
My heart cracked open.
I tried to sit up, but before I could say his name, my mother stepped forward and slapped me hard across the face. My head snapped to the side. I tasted blood.
“You evil thing,” she screamed. “You killed your sister’s babies!”
My father followed. His fist came down on my shoulder, then my back. I curled up instinctively, arms over my head, hearing nothing but my own breath and Ryle crying.
“How could you do this to Roxanne?!” my mother shouted again. “You were always jealous! Always cruel.”
Roxanne sobbed loudly, clinging to David. “Please stop,” she cried, shaking. “I don’t want her punished like this. I just wanted peace. I just wanted my babies back.” She cried so hard she could barely stand.
David raised his hand. “Enough.”
They finally stepped back.
Someone shoved a small urn into my trembling hands. It was cold. Too light.
“Do it,” David said. “Scatter the ashes. Apologize properly.”
The wind was strong as I was dragged to the edge. My hands shook so badly I almost dropped it right away. I could barely stand. My legs felt like they might give out.