Chapter 5

But Martha opened the door, and he caught the haunting smell of Elsie’s fine soaps and perfumes. Without warning, he leaned over the rail, emptying his stomach of its meager contents. He continued to wrench and heave, even when there was nothing left.

Paul heard Martha behind him, hurrying into the kitchen and returning with a rag and a dipper of cool water. “Here. Rinse your mouth out.”

He nodded, grateful for her soft voice and the cold water. Swishing it around his mouth, he tried to wash away the bitter taste of bile, and the bitter memory of his brother. When that didn’t work, he dumped the rest of the liquid over his head, allowing it to run down his face and neck, rinsing away the sweat and dirt.

“What happened?” she asked.

Paul stared at the ground, unable to meet her eyes. “I found him, my brother.” His words were even until the last syllable, his voice cracking under the weight of the word “brother.”

“Oh. Oh, I’m so sorry.”