HOW TO KILL A NIGHTINGALE

.epilogue.

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it."

- "To Kill A Mockingbird"; Harper Lee

Three Years Later

Dinner was spectacular, as per usual.

Liam reminded himself to thank Ms. Forcible for the continuous assault of fine dining experiences every meal — be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner. As he sat there at the table, staring blankly as the baked sea bass on his plate, his fork lazily flaking the fish so achingly slow and almost torturously, he contemplated as well on how life was in his self-exile after three years.

His sister, Sophia, was the only one who knew the place beside a cliff, the only one who knew that there was an unpaved path that diverged from the main road, ran through the forest, and opened into an old manor that he and his sister inherited, having belonged previously to their mother, Karen. Sophia visited once a week with news from Brookshire and London. The way Liam saw it, his sister was more than capable of running the company but he felt guilty that she went off working hard while he cowered in the old, rusting house, lounging about all day, for mistakes he knew he was already forgiven from.

As his thoughts lingered on his sister, Liam's gaze travelled from the aesthetically murdered fish on his plate and towards the folded peach-coloured letter by the side of his arm. He then remembered that Sophia was coming for a visit, probably telling him more details on that scandalous affair inside the company.

Finishing his meal right before Ms. Forcible — a short, lanky but sweet old woman with silver hair who served as his mother's nanny when she was younger — knocked on the door and took the plate away, Liam's thoughts were still on the letter.

"Miss Sophia just called," said Ms. Forcible. "She said that she's on her way."

"Anything else she said?" asked Liam, for he knew that his sister was one to linger on and chat during a phone call.

"Yes, actually," replied Ms. Forcible. "She said something about a surprise."

Liam's eyebrow cocked upwards. "A surprise?"

Ms. Forcible just smiled as she exited the room. "Sophia asked me not to tell you what it is. She said she wanted to see the look on your face."

After the door had closed, Liam was still staring at the door. Ms. Forcible never conspired in on a plan — especially not one where Sophia was involved, and it intrigued him very much as to what his sister was planning. In the light of recent events, some of which were heart-breaking, Sophia had been constantly annoying Liam to the death about returning to Brookshire. Of course, Liam refused.

Eyeing the letter again, he grabbed it and finally read what was in it. Naturally, it was another letter from Niall delivered by Sophia a week ago and it was only at that moment that Liam mustered up the courage to read it as the other ones were far too tempting already.

Dear Liam,

Your sister had been trying to persuade me to ask you to return to Brookshire. I will honour your wish though and I won't even try to do so as she asked so please continue reading this letter. I just wanted to say hi and ask how you're doing, even though you never reply.

Liam chuckled lowly. Perhaps he should apologise for that, but then again it wouldn't be much of an exile if he did reply.

The truth is, the reason why I wrote to you hopelessly again is to inform you of things that have happened while you are away. Though I know Sophia has been telling you things. I figured it'd be better if I told it to you as well.