"Of course, I knew her well, and she was better than that stupid man who brought her home."
Uchel stilled and stared at his aunt.
"What do you mean, brought back home." Rayen put her hand to her mouth as if she had said something that she shouldn't. Uchel tried to push closer, but Ocello held him back. "What do you mean? Did my father come with my mother back to Bena?" Uchel yelled, his anger unable to be held back.
"That's right. He did, not that he survived for long. And she was already in labor by the time they got here." Uchel's knees collapsed and he fell against Ocello. I stared at the woman before me. She had kept this secret for years, but…
"Why doesn't anyone else know that?" I asked.
"Fat lot of good it does, his mother still died." I stared at the woman in disbelief.
"She was married to the man who brought her home and he died? The marriage mark was broken upon death?" I asked looking at Ocello for confirmation.
"It does," he said.
