Atonement Library Novels & Stories

In the room next door, they had opened a bottle of champagne, laughing and celebrating in advance for securing the deal that would make the company go public on the stock market. Tanner shot me a look of dissatisfaction and scolded me for snapping at his secretary. "Why are you yelling at her? What did she say wrong?" I stared at him in shock while tears blurred my vision. My strange behavior seemed to have startled Tanner. He uncharacteristically wrapped his arm around my shoulder and comforted me in a low voice, "Kathy, you need to trust that your sacrifice will be worth it. After the company goes public, I'll make it up to you."

Maybe I really was the rotten kid as they said. "Where's Emily?" James asked. "I brought her birthday gifts from ten to 18." Robert and Susan finally remembered me. They jumped up to head to the cemetery. James frowned. "What is going on?" Robert went quiet, but Susan shrugged it off. "Every year on the crash day, we make her kneel at your grave. She's stubborn, so we left her there for a couple extra days." "What? How could you do that?" James's face twisted with shock and pity. "Did you call her?"

He felt a shiver then rolled over onto his side and shut his eyes again. Barnstone, Willis & Meyers, Marvin (2003) The Songs of Solomon, Song 1, p. 359. The Gnostic Bible: Shambhala Publications, Inc. Boston, MA.

I laughed like a lunatic, even as tears streamed down my face. How laughable that it took me until this very moment to realize that everything had been one massive, naked deception! "Atone?!" I pointed my finger right at her, screaming at the top of my lungs. "The ones who actually sinned and need to atone are you! Aria, I will never forgive you as long as I live! I hate you!" Guilt washed over Aria's eyes. She averted her gaze, not daring to look at me. Right then, Tom cradled his hand, tears welling up in his eyes. "Aria, my finger... I think a rat bit it. It hurts so bad."