Chapter 59 Guilt

(Sybil’s POV)

I stood in the funeral home, where all of my relatives, some of whom I hadn’t seen since I was very young, were milling about. I could also see Charlie’s friends scattered throughout the room.

Charlie looked so peaceful in his coffin. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought that he was just asleep.

Finally, he was free from all of the suffering that his illness had caused him. He could no longer feel pain, but I could. My heart was broken at the knowledge that my beloved brother, the one person who had loved me unconditionally, was gone from my life forever.

“This is all your fault, Sybil.” My mother was suddenly standing beside me, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue as she gazed down at Charlie. I hadn’t even heard her approaching me. It was as though she had just materialized out of thin air.

“How is it my fault?” I asked. “Charlie had ALS. We all knew that this would happen sooner or later, and that there was nothing that could be done to prevent his death.”