Page 12 of Dark Moon Secrets

“I don’t know who Luna is.”

I didn’t even remember seeing Luna’s name on the list of who to invite. Maybe she had been known by a different name.

“Well, if she could’ve been here, she would’ve. I contacted a few of our friends to come.”

That made more sense.

“Thanks. Maria would appreciate that.”

Who was this woman I was farewelling, so cut up to have lost in my life and was now fucking up my future?

I sobbed. Willow embraced me.

“You are strong,” she whispered.

Somehow, I didn’t think she was referring to my physical strength.

Before I could ask her what she meant, she waved her hands over me as if giving me some sort of hippie blessing or something. Then Willow stepped to the side, allowing the others to see me.

Why did they want to see me? It wasn’t like I was her daughter or anything.

A shiver eased through my body, prickling my skin. But this time, I didn’t feel as if it were a warning like the night a week ago when I found Maria dead.

Caleb moved to my side, wrapping his arm around my waist. I immediately felt his warmth counter the coldness growing inside me.

“Are you all right? We can go now if you like.” He squeezed me tightly to him.

I so wanted to say yes, let’s go. It was over. Maria had been buried, and now, I had to work out how to handle the bookstore situation.

But I couldn’t.

It was as if the people casually lining up to see me were there not for Maria but for me.

I trembled as if something I didn’t understand wrapped around me, something that came from within me.

“Tanjie?”

“I have to do this.”

I looked straight ahead, stiffening and finding inner strength for the first time. I had run away from my parents and Maria, and they both ended up dead. Maybe it was time I started to grow up.

Instead of running away, I would stay here and greet these people, ignoring the mystery of why they wanted to see me.

“I’m Tabitha, and you were lucky to get to know Maria.” An older woman stepped forward, taking my hand in hers. Her smile eased the building tension at the thought of meeting these people I knew nothing about.

“She spoke kindly of you,” said an elderly man, clearly Tabitha’s partner. “I’m George Parker, by the way, and I’ve been looking forward… well, I’ve said too much.”

Tabitha had poked her elbow into his ribs, stopping him from talking.

Whatever it was he was going to say spiked my curiosity. I was about to ask him to continue, but Tabitha whisked him away.

They walked away, arms linked, wandering along the line of graves back to the entrance.

Frustration burned through me. Here I was staying, not running away, and no one was being upfront.

This isn’t the time. Patience.

My heart squeezed hard at hearing Maria’s voice, and I leaned forward against the sensation. I thought she’d have left me now that she was buried. Shouldn’t that be what happens? Yet, her voice was just as straightforward as ever in my head.

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