Whispers Turn to Whimpers: Could He Ever Change?

"Ah! Please help me! It hurts so much!"

Amidst the agonizing cries for help, a crowd gathered, swelling in number.

Sherilyn Gomez stood frozen at the top of the staircase on the second floor, her gaze shifting from the tumbling figure of Caroline Bennett below to her hands, utterly bewildered.

"How did this happen?" she murmured.

Why did Caroline suddenly fall?

"What's going on here?" someone asked.

It was the Johnson family's annual feast, attended by numerous guests. The arriving crowd encircled Caroline, who lay at the bottom of the stairs.

"What happened? How did she fall?"

"She, she..." Despite her pain, Caroline looked up toward the top of the stairs. It suddenly dawned on everyone.

"Sherilyn pushed her!"

"Oh my God! Sherilyn, no matter how much you dislike Caroline, you can't go this far! She's pregnant, for heaven's sake!" "Exactly! That's too much."

the accusations, Sherilyn went pale as she shook

to explain that she hadn't pushed Caroline. But no one was willing

aside!" A deep, authoritative voice sliced through the crowd, arriving a bit

Gilbert Johnson, Sherilyn's husband of barely

Sherilyn brightened up, hoping

sharply, his gaze as piercing as a knife, landing squarely on her. "What have

her head.

face scrunched up in disgust and hate. "You think Caroline jumped by herself, huh? Do you think nobody knows you've been picking on her all this time? Do I need

harsh and unloving tone left Sherilyn

her

Sylvia Johnson, the family's matriarch, also arrived. "What

blood!" Suddenly,

of red began

terrified, clung to Gilbert, sobbing,

afraid." Even as he said it, Gilbert's face was ashen, panic setting in. "We must

fierce glare at Sherilyn,

finishing his words, Gilbert turned

important thing then was Caroline and

glanced at Sherilyn, frowning and shaking her head, words failing her, "Sherilyn,

opened her mouth