Page 126 of Jig's Last Dance

Shaking my head, I stare at the wall and swallow. “About Miranda?”

The air sucks from the room, and he staggers forward, grabbing my arm. “What the fuck did you just say?”

“Did you know? About her and Dad?”

“What? What are you saying?” he rasps, and I shake my head.

“Never mind, I shouldn’t have . . . He hates me.” My voice breaks at the end, and I drop my head, defeated.

“No fucking way. Tell me. What about her?” Ben asks. I glance at him sideways. Why does he sound so weird?

“Ben, . . . she’s dead.”

He staggers back, his face ashen.

I touch his arm. “I’m sorry.”

Shaking me off, he moves away, his head bowed, and I smile sadly. Once again, he’s pushing me away.

“How do you know?”

“I saw pictures. Ben, it was Dad.”

He shakes his head, whips toward me, and grabs my arm once more, shaking me like a rag doll. “Don’t you ever say that again.”

Wide-eyed, I pull away, my arm stinging. “Ben, stop! You’re hurting me.”

“Fuck,” he sobs, shoving me away.

I stumble before grabbing the wall and watch with my heart in my throat as he pulls at his hair.

I’m reminded of Jig the night at the cabin when he found the pictures of Mandy. Rubbing my eyes with the backs of my hands, I ignore the tears I can’t hide. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything, but I needed to know.

“Ben?”

“Enough. You need to go,” he barks, and I laugh.

“Of course. Fuck you.”

Stalking to the door, I grab the knob, the stupid tears I tried to wipe away spilling down my cheeks.

We could’ve processed this together, but once again, Ben is pushing me away. I just wish I knew why.

“It was an accident, Ali.”

Pausing, I lean my head against the wood and close my eyes. “What was?”

“I didn’t mean to do it. It just happened . . .”

My stomach rolls, and I turn to him, meeting his tortured stare. “What are you saying?”

“She tried to go, but I just wanted to talk. When I grabbed for her, she stepped back. She fell. Fuck,” he says, wiping his hands down his face.

“Ben? She fell? Where? I don’t understand.”

The floor below me feels as though it’s shifting, and I grab the wall to regain my feet.

What’s he saying? Oh fuck, please don’t let it be what I know is going to come out of his mouth.

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