Gray Skies

Chapter Thirty-Four: Forgiveness

Chapter Thirty-Four:Forgiveness

                Deniah left Jessica and Fred at the table and walked out the back of the cabin to the river. Matthew had disappeared out the front and Deniah knew he was in the barn. She wondered if he was going to make a run for it but knew it would be pointless if he dared to try. If Gray Skies wanted him then Gray Skies would catch him.  

                Deniah was just as confused and lost as Matthew and Gray Skies seemed to be. Did her brother deserve death? If he had come back the same man he’d been before the accident then Deniah would say a thousand times yes! But he wasn’t that man any longer and Deniah did not believe he deserved to face death for what he had done.

                Her brother was a changed man, a married man, a man who finally had a future without violence and whiskey and Deniah wanted him to have that future… .even if it was somewhere other than here.

                Deniah stared down at the river, watching the current race by as the minnows and crawfish scurried about their days among the rocks and waves. A honeybee buzzed around her head for several seconds before sauntering off toward the flower bush across the water and Deniah wondered why life could not be so simple for people. Why did people complicate things so?

                A pair of strong arms slipped around her waist and Deniah closed her eyes and leaned into Gray Skies’ embrace. She could not be angry with him no matter how hard she tried. She loved him too greatly. The two remained silent for a long while until Deniah found the courage to speak,

                “Have you reached a decision?” she questioned. “Is my brother to live or die?”

                Gray Skies sighed and rested his chin on her red hair, “Fire Hair, I would do nothing to put distance between us and that is something you know to be true. You are my very breath and without you I would be nothing. I have spoken to Bear Claw, he came to me while I thought and agonized over the decision I had to make. I worried that allowing your brother to live dishonored the memory of my own brother but he made me see that it is not so. Matthew is your brother, he is part of you and you love him, because of that I will not do what duty says I must. Your brother will live and, if it is your wish, he can have a cabin on the other side of the valley and remain close to you.”

                Deniah turned to face him with doubt, “You are sure of this? Because not long ago you were so angry that you could not speak and you appeared ready to rip Matthew limb from limb.”

                Gray Skies traced her cheek with his finger and she could not help but tremble beneath his touch, “That was anger born of confusion. My confusion has been cleared and so has my anger.” His lips twitched, “Do you wish me to change my mind?”

                “Hush!” Deniah exclaimed and then she laughed happily and threw her arms around his neck, “Thank you for being such a forgiving and loving man, Gray.”

                “I only want your happiness, Fire Hair. My one goal in this life is to ensure you are happy every day until I leave it.”