The Name We Never Spoke
The little girl looked up at him and whispered, “Tell them about Aunt Ruby.”
My stomach turned. Ruby. Mom’s cousin. The one who handled the books. The one who disappeared right after the fire.
“She was skimming money,” Caleb said. “Mom found out. That night, they fought. Ruby knocked over a candle. The kitchen went up.
I walked in as the flames spread. Mom begged me not to say her name. Said family scandals break families forever.”
The room was silent but for the girl’s breathing.
