Maxwell's sudden question, "Leah is dead?" gave him away.
"You know the kid?" Reyona asked immediately.
When he said nothing, she looked from him to Toria. "He knew her, right?" she asked with conviction in her tone.
"Rey, let's just go back, okay? Someone would handle these kids. It doesn't have to be you."
"What are you two keeping from me?" Reyona asked suddenly.
"Nothing," Toria said immediately.
Reyona turned to look at Maxwell.
The determination in her eyes was enough to let him know she wouldn't take no for an answer.
"I know the kid," he answered.
"And?" Reyona prompted.
He gave her an inquiring look.
"What else are you not telling me?"
"Nothing of importance," Maxwell responded.
Reyona wanted to press further, but the girl's earlier statement was of more importance than whatever he and Toria must keep to themselves.
To Allysyn, she said, "Calm down, okay? I will find out the truth." Her last statement was meant for the children and the adults who were treating her like she was a kid.
Despite Maxwell and Toria's protests, Reyona ignored them and dialled Thomas's number.
It was switched off.
She looked at the girl, who was calmer now. "You came from Ruth's place?"
Allysyn nodded.
"We are going there," Reyona declared with no emotion in her tone.
"Reyona, you shouldn't do this. You don't owe him anything. You don't owe any of them anything. Let's just go back, okay?"
"And leave them to wander around with such a burden on their minds?" Reyona asked her sister dispassionately. "I expect better from you, Toria. I am not about to run into Thomas's arms. I am only going to help children that need help."
To Maxwell, she said, "I assume you know Ruth's place too. Will you take us there, or will I have to get a cab? By the way, where are my cars?" She asked automatically.
"They are kept safe at a storage facility until this place is better," Maxwell answered.
"Arranged by you, I suppose?" Reyona stated rather than asked.
"Yes," Maxwell responded.
"Typical," Reyona muttered as she declined Toria's help and turned the wheelchair around.
The children eagerly followed her.
Toria gestured at Maxwell that he should do something to stop this madness, but Maxwell only shook his head and went to the driver's side as the nurse opened the door for the children, and then she helped Reyona in.
He could see that Reyona was determined to go, no matter what.
She was already angry with them because she knew they were keeping things from her; annoying her further was not his goal.
Maxwell was also curious about what the kids had said.
Could it be true?
The girl had said something about a hospital, though.
That must mean there was a record of whatever happened.
Maxwell quickly sent a message before driving off, leaving the confused men to continue their interrupted work.
The drop of a pin would have been heard in the ensuing silence in the car as they headed to Ruth Lanoth's place.
After asking for the children's names, Reyona remained silent, with her face turned towards the window as Maxwell drove.
Maxwell tried to catch her gaze many times, but she didn't turn away from the window.
He wished he knew what was going through her mind at that point.
She had learned that her husband had children through the documents and clips that Gibson produced.
But to see those children now would be like ripping open a bleeding wound once again.
Maxwell wondered if she could see the resemblance of their father on the children's faces
Especially the eldest, who looked like a carbon copy of Thomas except for a few features.
Maxwell could only imagine the torture she was going through all over again.
Something she must have felt when she learned about them the first time.
Maxwell had not witnessed her pain the first time, but he was here now.
Weirdly, he wished he could get any reaction at all from her.
Something to give away what she was thinking or feeling at that moment, yet there she was, seated as still as she could be, doing what someone in her situation shouldn't even be doing.
Which woman would choose to help the fruits of her husband's fidelity?
Maxwell shook his head inwardly as he answered himself.
"It is no surprise that she is growing on me," he thought as he entered McColins Avenue.
People could be seen standing around in front of houses.
They all looked apprehensive while a group of men were walking about.
Maxwell could see the girl sink lower in the backseat, where she and her brother were seated between Reyona and the nurse.
More crowds gathered in front of the house close to Ruth Lanoth's house.
People were gathered in circles, and they were loudly deliberating about something.
"It is too soon! I tell you, they would ask us to..."
The man talking was interrupted as people turned at the sound of the approaching car.
They all went silent as the car approached Ruth's house.
Those who were far away moved closer to see who it was.
People recognised Reyona even before she opened the door.
"Look, it is the daughter-in-law. I thought they were divorced already!"
"How did she hear already?"
"Do you think she came to pay her last respects?"
"Who is that handsome man? Do you think she…?"
"Look, there is a wheelchair! What happened to her? Why is misfortune befalling this family?"
"Will she ask about the..."
By this time, Reyona had settled into the wheelchair, and she gestured to the kids.
Before they even got down, those who were closer to the door and could see the kids in the back exclaimed.
"They are here! Mary, come and see. We don't have to go to the police station again!"
"Sweet Mary, Mother of God!" A woman's high-pitched, excited voice could be heard as she rushed from the closest house ahead of an ample-sized man.
The woman burst into tears when Junior pointed at her and declared, "See Mary! Mary is nice but she is one of the liars!"