Chapter Forty Two

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense as Salie's words hung in the air. I could feel the weight of her accusation, and I turned to look at Rueben, hoping to see some reassurance in his eyes. But instead, he seemed frozen, his face a mask of shock and disbelief.

Before I could say anything to defend him, my mother cleared her throat, breaking the silence. She looked at Salie with a stern expression, her voice filled with authority.

"Salie, that's enough," she said firmly. "We don't know the full story, and it's not our place to judge. Let's give Rueben a chance to explain himself."

Salie looked down, her face flushed with embarrassment. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, her voice barely audible. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble."

I reached over and squeezed Salie's hand, trying to offer her some comfort. "It's okay," I whispered. "Let's just hear what Rueben has to say."

Rueben took a deep breath, his eyes still filled with shock. "I understand why you might have doubts," he said