Why Is She Crying?

Sunday morning started out well. Ky prepared for church. He was glad he didn't have to miss another Sunday because of the case he was working. And because she was speaking today, it would give him time to observe her. Watch for tells he couldn't find in the short time he'd spent in her car. He went up to the kitchen. Taya was already in the dining room eating a bowl of oatmeal. Ky pulled out another Poptart sleeve and an orange. He peeled the orange. Then he sat across from Taya. She didn't look very awake.

"Good morning, Taya," he said.

"Morning, Kyle," she replied, not looking up from her bowl.

"Did you not sleep well last night?"

"Slept as well as I always do."

"Do you suffer from insomnia?"

"I wish." She rubbed her eyes then finished her oatmeal.

She washed her dishes. She dried her hands. Then she lifted a bag off the couch and left the house. Ky stared after her. It was only eight ten. Why was she leaving now? He listened as she climbed into her car. She didn't start it. Ky finished his Poptarts and threw his wrapper away. Then he shouldered his bag and left the house. Taya started her car then. He climbed into the passenger seat. She waited until he had put his seat belt on to set the car in gear. She drove the five minutes around the corner to the church. Taya parked her car. She turned it off. She sighed as she sat back in her seat.

"Are you sure you are doing alright?" Ky asked.

"Yeah," she replied.

Taya climbed out of the car. She pulled her bag out of the back. Ky climbed out as well. He closed the door before Taya locked it. They walked in together, but Taya walked down the hall instead of walking into the chapel. Ky entered the chapel and put the earwig in. He caught the clicking of keys. She was texting someone. He should've reviewed Ian's instructions on how to pair his phone with hers. He'd try to do that first thing when they got back. He continued to listen. Her phone rang. She replied. Then she entered the chapel and took a seat on the stand.

She sat with her head bowed and her eyes closed. Only when members of the Bishopric approached her, did she open her eyes and bring her head up. She greeted each of them with a smile and handshake. She shook hands with the brother who sat beside her. Then she let her head bow and her eyes close once more. Taya remained that way until the first counselor stood to begin the meeting. When they sang the hymns, Ky could hear Taya's voice most clearly because of the mic on her bracelet. She sang very well.

All throughout the meeting, Ky puzzled over her. He was still finding it hard to read her. Even when she spoke, he couldn't read her. There was nothing he could glean from her stance. Nothing he could get out of her voice. But what puzzled him further was the distinct thought that accompanied the feel of The Spirit confirming truth to him.

'She is not involved.'

Usually that was all Ky needed to walk away from something that had grabbed his attention. But there was more to Taya. More he wanted to know before he dropped her puzzle. The rest of the church services went well. He met Taya out by her car. They climbed in together. Taya started her car, but didn't leave the parking lot just yet. She waited until the parking lot had emptied quite a bit before she left. And she didn't turn for home either.

"Where are we going?" Ky asked.

"You'll see."

She drove her car out to Point Defiance. To the bridges look out. Ky watched as she turned off her car and climbed out. She approached the railing and leaned against it. After a moment, Ky climbed out and joined her. He, too, leaned against the railing. He looked across the water to the Narrow's Bridge. Taya's expression was thoughtful.

"How often do you come here, Taya?" Ky asked softly.

"Every Sunday."

"Any particular reason?"

"To clear my head."

Ky sensed there was another reason, but Taya didn't speak it. She remained leaned against the railing for another twenty minutes before slowly turning to return to her car. Ky followed her. They climbed in and Taya drove them back to the house. Taya went down to her room. He caught a glimpse of her room as she dropped her bag on the blue love seat that sat against the wall they shared. He stepped out of sight as Taya kicked her shoes off. He set his own bag down and Taya returned upstairs. He started to change into more comfortable clothing when he heard the piano.

He could hear it through the ceiling as well as through the earwig. It was loud enough in the earwig it was like standing right next to it. Taya played? Ky finished changing then went upstairs. He stopped in the doorway between the kitchen in the dining room. Taya had pulled the glass doors between the dining room and the front room closed, but she was playing. She played several hymns. Then she pulled a music book out of the bench she sat on. She opened the book and set it in front of her. Ky waited until she started playing again to cross the dining room into the front room.

The piano sounded a lot louder in the front room than it had in the kitchen. Ky made sure to shut the doors again once he had passed through. He stood behind Taya while she finished playing the several page long song.

"You play very well," Ky said.

"Thank you," she replied, turning several more pages.

"How long have you been playing?"

"Eight years." Taya set her fingers against the ivory once more and started playing the next song.

"You play as well as you sing," he said a little louder so she would hear him above the music.

Taya nodded, but didn't stop playing.

"Were you ever in a choir?"

She shook her head.

"Have you ever considered it?"

Again she shook her head.

"Why not? I think you'd be great."

Taya just shook her head and continued to play.

Ky was further puzzled. Why didn't she want to share her talent of singing? Did she even really share her talent to play? He lightly rested his hands on Taya's shoulders. She stood, shoving the bench into his shins, as she stopped playing. Ky let go as he stumbled and Taya left for her room. He sat on the floor moments before Taya shut her bedroom door—hard. The lock on her door clicked in place. Then Taya cried. Her breath shook. He could hear the charms on her bracelet shifting. She was shaking. Ky tried to breath through the pain in his shins while trying to figure out why Taya was crying.

Angry, sure. But crying? Had he startled her when he had touched her? If he had, she had mastered being able to relax instead of tensing like most people did. The charms on Taya's bracelet stopped moving. Her tears muffled. He was not doing a very good job with his puzzle. Slowly he lifted his pant legs to inspect his shins. Torn skin. Bleeding a little. And with how hard she had hit him, he would be lucky if he didn't bruise. Ky pulled his pant legs back down as Mirva emerged from her bedroom. She approached the front room when she saw him sitting on the floor.

"Are you alright, Ky?" she asked.

"Fine," he said, trying not to groan.

"Where's Taya?"

"In her room." Ky shifted to get back to his feet.

Mirva looked confused. "Did something happen between you two?"

"I startled her."

She nodded. "How was church?"

"Good. Taya's talk on Christ was well done."

"Wonderful. Did she take you up to see the Narrows Bridge before coming back?"

"She did."

Mirva nodded then started for the kitchen.

"Hey, Mirva?"

"Yes?" she asked, pausing in the other doorway.

"Do you know why Taya stops there each Sunday?"

"Personal inventory."

"Okay."

That felt more likely than what Taya had told him. He made himself a sandwich. Taya's tears softened to silence. He updated his file on Taya. He did his best to follow Ian's instructions on how to pair her phone to his, but it wasn't working. He tried several times before he saw Ian's note that the phone had to be in use for it to pair. He heard nothing more from Taya—through the wall or earwig. Ky put his phone away. He added his questions to the long list he already had. She had openly—genuinely—answered his questions. But if the anger he had assumed was not the reason for her tears then he had come across something that Taya held under tight guard.