The Sinclair Brothers ✔️

(51) Ghost

Carolynn cried. A lot.

She also slept. A lot.

She didn't cook dinner. She didn't clean. She didn't do laundry. She didn't do anything.

Will tried to rope in the havoc but he was failing at doing all of Carolynn's day to day items of her routine and also keep his wife together in one piece.

Jonah sneaked into Makennah's room at night and slept on the floor. She heard him hiccup-crying for a few minutes before he passed out. She pretended not to hear him. She figured he just didn't want to be alone.

Makennah hadn't seen Nick of Josh in over twenty-four hours. She knew they were hiding away in the house somewhere. One time, Matt found Makennah in the kitchen late at night. She was baking some Nestle Tollhouse pre-made cookies and he came down to eat some of the cookie dough batter. She apologized for his loss. He shrugged it off and made a plate of cookies to share with his brothers. That was the single most meaningful interaction she had with any Sinclair for the whole day.

Because the house felt lonely, Makennah picked up a shift at work. She hadn't seen the inside of those four walls of the restaurant since the incident in the back parking lot. Jill called and texted her more than once to check in and make sure she was okay. She kept under lock and key the secret about what happened. Since Makennah had basically completely healed, there wasn't even any evidence of what happened.

Makennah didn't dwell on the subject for too long, but she did wonder whatever happened to Lucas that night after they left. Did he get up and leave? Did anyone call the police? Did anyone find him? Did he tell anyone what happened?

All unanswered questions. Curiosities she would never know.

Fortunately, the restaurant was alive with customers. Almost every single table was full and it remained that way for the entire evening. She picked up the closing shift so she would be there all night.

When things started to slow down, Makennah snacked on some cookies that she packed for herself and waited for another table. They were just about to close when a hostess hunted her down.

"Hey, Mack. There's a woman who requested you. Table eleven," she said.

"She requested me?" Makennah asked.

"Yeah, I don't think I've ever seen her before though. Repeat customer?"

Makennah shrugged and brushed her hands off on her apron. "I don't think so. I'll check it out. Thanks." This wasn't exactly her cup of tea considering they were about to close in half an hour, but whatever. All part of the restaurant business.

Collected a set of silverware, Makennah cautiously circled the restaurant to table eleven. From afar, she didn't recognize the older woman. Even as she got closer, Makennah swore she had never seen her before. However, there was something naggingly familiar about her. She couldn't place her finger on it.

She pasted on a smile and sidled up next to the small two person booth. "Hi, welcome in. My name's Makennah. I'll be your server. Can I start you off with something to drink?"

The older woman folded her hands graciously in her lap and tilted her hand back to look at Makennah. The awkward silence lingered with thick tension that she could have cut with a knife. Maybe the woman didn't hear her?

"Makennah," she finally said, as if saying her name for the first time and trying it on for size. "It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Elizabeth Rothair. I'm Carolynn's mother."

With this information, the puzzle pieces finally clicked together. The resemblance was remarkable in a most stunning, classical beauty kind of way. Although the old woman sported deep wrinkles and laugh lines, her beauty was unmistakable, and the match to Carolynn, her daughter, was undeniable.