To feel like you're standing in front of thousands of people whose only focus is you felt guilty. It's easier and it doesn't require commitment, just one bad decision, and a dead body. To thread a scary lonesome path without a way to scream for help, be the bad guy; you won't have a choice, it's you facing your consequences. It's everyone turning their backs on you because you're an outsider. If you want the hours to feel like days, just happen upon a corpse where you least expect it, happen upon a person that used to be a part of the living but now resides with the dead. What agony it is to hold a secret so volatile, a secret that could change the course of your life, anyway it likes, by just whispering into the wrong ear.

"Sounds like you have a lot of built-up anger, my child."

"Resentment, Sadness, Pity... and" She took a deep breath, staring through the carved-out wood. "And I shouldn't talk wildly about it. It's just a story anyway. When I was in school, the teacher said that if you're having a hard time getting through something, it's best to let it out in some other way first. I wrote it down, but that didn't work."

"So now you're here." She heard a loud sigh. "The Lord will show mercy, child, for you have repented."

"But he's never going to pardon me, not for this. I might not have done it but, surely, I participated... and that's just as unforgivable."

"Only he can attest to that."

"That's what I fear." She said, cupping her things with a steady hand. She walked out, glaring at the building.

When Lily got home, she managed to get to the steps quietly.

"Lily? Coming down for dinner?" Said Jacob. She smiled at him for a moment, thankful she didn't spoil his mood.

"Sure." She nodded in a whisper. It would break his nimble heart if he only knew. He would tell her to quit working for the Beckinghams so she didn't want to pressure him with this information. They were both fixed on getting money for their new home, they wanted a family. They both wanted a new start and now this. She had to deal with this, alone.

They sat down to eat, the little lamp on the wall, lighting the black room. She watched out at the swaying trees through the kitchen window.

"Is something wrong?" Jacob glared at her. "They say the storm will pass."

"Maybe." She said.

" Lily?" He lowered his utensils. "Is it the Beckinghams?"

He hit the hammer right on the nail. "The Beckinghams?" She said, feeling careless with her emotions.

"Yeah." He said slowly, confused by her nervousness. "William was here today. If you want we-"

"W-William was here? What was he doing here?"

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"He said you weren't at work today, Lily." Jacob got curious. "Where were you?"

She felt cornered, she didn't understand why he would go to such measures. Going to her house, what was he thinking? Why did he tell Jacob she wasn't there when he was the one who sent her to run a special errand? She wondered if this was a test or a warning. She drew her chair out and stood up. "I'm sorry, Jacob, I've lost my appetite."

"Don't do this." He stood up and got beside her, holding her hand. "It's you and me, remember? What William says or does, you don't have to give in to."

"What? What did he say?" She watched with a scowl.

"He said it to me once before." He sighed, rubbing the back of her hand. "Bad decisions always lead to bad consequences. Lily... What did you do?"

She felt her mind slip for a moment, and found herself terrified of this man. She really didn't know what he was capable of. All she could do was fall into Jacob's arms and cry, Lily knew that her life was now bound by William's call. She heard the sound of thunder clash simultaneously with that of her heart. It was hard to tell him, so hard. He took her upstairs, with the lamp lighting the way then in the middle of the gale, she curled in his arms for warmth and comfort. Over the slapping above like the roof would blow off, they talked with the flickering low light of the lantern.

"Where were you?" He said, serious, staring at the ceiling. He ran his hands down her hair as he waited for an answer. "I need to know, Lily. I'm worried about you. What is happening in that house?"

She took a deep breath, flinching from every flash it made, gripping his chest tighter every time. "I went into the house and things started falling apart. I started falling apart, I kept thinking about Peter and I lashed out at William and Mrs. Beckingham, I didn't mean to. It must've caught him by surprise, maybe Jodi wanted him to remind me of my place." She wept. "I acted really nasty and I hope that you never see that side of me." She stopped, still feeling his hands through her hair. "Jacob."

"It's okay, Lily. These things can have that effect on people, it's what makes us human."

She sighed. "I didn't want to lie to you." It burned her every time she topped one lie with another. "I went to see my father and then I went to see a Priest."

"I didn't realize~" They heard a big rumble, Lily gasped cloaked under Jacob's arms as if it were her mother's.

On the other side of town, Isobel's door pounded over William's drenched call. She finally opened, shocked to see him soaked from head to toe.

"William." She gasped, watching him come in with a broken umbrella. She quickly closed the door and gave him an old towel. "What are you doing here?"

"I needed to see you, Bella."

She had almost given up and him, but seeing him come all this way and through a storm nonetheless, there was something chivalrous about it. This had to be her happily ever after beginning at this moment.

"Since the Wedding, I've been thinking alot about what you said-"

"Oh my." She stood, dumbfounded and surprised. "Really? Are you sure?"

He grinned, rubbing her cheek. "More than ever."

She smiled, ear to ear. "Daddy!" She called and Mr. Stalker came out.

He rubbed his eyes and then gave a jolly laugh. "William." He said. "What a brings ya'? Isn't it a bit rainy?"

Isobel knew what William wanted to say, she glared at him waiting for a nod and he did. "Oh, Daddy!" She shrieked. "William and I," She said shyly. "William and I are in love and I really want your blessings."

"She's right, sir." He hugged her, staring at Mr. Stalker, they were both excited in their own ways. "And I already have plans for our future together." His crude look, wet hair, and devilish eyes were mimicking a scheme in mind as he thought about her, Lily Fisher-Dale. "I'm going to marry your daughter."