Her Brother's Keeper by Beth Wiseman

first few weeks following her brother’s death, she needed someone to be accountable. Over time, Charlotte’s therapist had worked hard to try to convince her that Ethan was ultimately responsible for his own life. But Charlotte still struggled to accept that.
    â€œSo, is anything buried there?” Charlotte pointed to the cross.
    Hannah stood up. “ Ya . A few special things that both Ethan and I treasured. It was all I had, and I needed a place to come to mourn.”
    As the sun settled behind some clouds, Hannah took a few steps to her left, sat down in the grass, then laid back. “Ethan and I used to lay here and find pictures in the clouds.” She looked up at Charlotte and grinned. “That must sound silly, but have you ever done that?”
    Plenty of times. With Ethan. She nodded.
    â€œLet’s find pictures now.” She patted the green grass beside her.
    Charlotte let out a small grunt. “I was a kid when I did it. I mean . . .” She thought about Ethan lying on the grass staring up at the clouds. “Okay.” Easing herself onto the ground, she felt a bit ridiculous and thought briefly about ants and other creepy crawlies, but the smell and feel of the freshly cut grass instantly took her back to happier times, before things had gone bad between her parents. She was glad that she could recall those few good memories.
    â€œWhat do you see?” Hannah folded her hands across her stomach and crossed her ankles.
    Charlotte felt like she was six years old again. “I don’t know.” Clouds. Dark clouds.
    They were both quiet as the sun continued to fade, but Charlotte turned toward Hannah when she heard her crying. With her face covered, Hannah said, “Every time I come here, I look toward the sky for some sort of sign that Ethan went to heaven. I beg God to let me know that my Ethan is there with Him. But I see nothing. Not even pictures anymore.”
    Charlotte held her breath as an overwhelming need to comfort Hannah wrapped around her, but instead she just closed her eyes, knowing she wasn’t going to see any formations in the clouds either. No answers. No visions. And no one to comfort her.
    They were both quiet again, until Hannah sniffled and said, “Do you believe that Ethan is in heaven?”
    Charlotte snapped her head to the side until she was eye to eye with Hannah. “If there is a heaven, Ethan is there.”
    There was no mistaking the confused expression on Hannah’s face. “What do you mean, Mary? If there is a heaven?”
    Charlotte was so tired of lying. It took way more energy than telling the truth, and one tiny web of lies was turning into a thick nest of betrayal. “Don’t you ever wonder? Don’t you ever doubt or question if there really is . . . a place we go after we die?”
    Hannah didn’t look like she was breathing as she stared at Charlotte. “ Nee . Not once have I wondered about that.”
    â€œThen why are you questioning if Ethan is there?”
    Hannah’s chest rose and fell as she drew in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “Because some people don’t think you will go to heaven if you take your own life.” She turned to Charlotte again. “And I can’t imagine being in heaven without Ethan.”
    Charlotte didn’t know what to say so she refocused on the clouds as they shifted across the sky, and eventually Hannah did too.
    After a few minutes, she could see a picture forming, as if an artist with a brush was creating a painting right in front of her. When she realized what it was, she put a hand over her mouth so she wouldn’t gasp, but she couldn’t control the tears filling her eyes. She bolted upright, shaken, but never more thankful. Ethan is in heaven. There must be a heaven. Charlotte wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but Hannah would want to know what she saw and how Charlotte could be so sure Ethan was with God. Then her