lies and so did my step-daddy Chester. They put
Grandma Belinda away so no one would learn the
truth, whatever that is, and everyone went along with
it, including your parents. Your mother told me lies
are like termites eating at the moral foundation. If that
were true, you'd all be living in rubble," I said. Cary didn't argue. He nodded, looked horribly
sad and tired. He stared at the floor for a while and
when he finally lifted his head, his eyes were glassy,
tearful.
"I lied too," he said. "I didn't make that hole in
the floor just to watch over Laura when she was
seeing Robert Royce. I made it before. I didn't know many girls and Laura was the softest, prettiest person in my life. Until she started seeing Robert, we did everything together. We never hid anything from each
other.
"One day," he continued, "she started to lock
her door. Everything in her life became so private and
secret. She grew up faster, I suppose, even though we
were twins. I felt left out, alone. I never had many
friends at school. Laura was starting to make more
friends, be invited to things without me. We were
drifting apart. I don't know why I did it," he said. "She
locked me out and I wanted to spy on her, I suppose,
and see what it was that she would do by herself, 'why
she wanted to be alone."
He raised his eyes to me again, this time tears
emerging and trickling down his cheeks.
"I never told anyone this before."
"And you think that was your sin?" I asked
softly.
"It was," he said. He took a deep breath. "I
watched her without her knowing and at her most