Evidence of Life - By Barbara Taylor Sissel Page 0,105
movie. What was it?”
“Fatal Attraction?” Jake said.
“That’s the one,” Charlie said.
Standing next to them on the porch, Abby said, “A movie isn’t real.”
The officer who took her and Jake’s statements said that he’d contacted Hank, and that Hank had said Sondra had shown up one day out of the blue around a month ago. According to what Hank told the police, he had no idea his wife had fixated on Nick and then on Abby. He hadn’t known she’d bought a gun. He’d said there were psychiatric issues.
It took the police little more than a week to conclude their investigation. Someone from the department called and explained to Abby that, from the information they were able to gather, it appeared Sondra had for many years struggled with being bipolar. She had a history of going off her medication, and when she came to Abby’s house, she was in all likelihood suffering the effects of some kind of psychotic break.
Abby wasn’t comforted. She felt raw inside and panicky. She kept thinking of Sondra’s last phone call, the one where she’d asked: Are you happy now? Abby hadn’t understood then why Sondra had asked that question, but she did now. She thought if Sondra were here she would ask her the same thing: Are you happy now?
* * *
Jake went back to school on the Tuesday after the incident. Abby helped him pack his car, and she couldn’t stop fussing over him. It worried her that he wasn’t taking enough time to process the trauma they’d both endured.
He insisted he was fine. “Really, Mom. It’s you I’m worried about.”
“No,” she protested, and she was annoyed. She was sick of being worried over.
“I’m just glad you didn’t pull the trigger on that gun.”
“I would have, if Sondra had made one move toward you.” Even as she spoke, Abby realized it was true, that she would have done whatever it took to save Jake or herself.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “You’re tough, Mom, you know it? You’ll make it. We both will.” He sounded so confident. Abby hoped he was right.
* * *
She wanted to talk to Hank, and in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, she picked up the phone a half dozen times to call him. She wasn’t sure of her motive, whether she meant to question him or to berate him, and in any case, something stopped her. Some higher part of herself, and in one corner of her brain, one sane, lovely corner, she was grateful for that. Finally, she purchased a card and wrote a brief note expressing her sympathy for him and for Caitlin. Abby’s mother said that was sufficient, that Abby didn’t owe Hank one thing.
“Not even forgiveness, Mama?” Abby asked, smiling.
“Oh, Abigail.” Her mother sighed. “Only saints can walk on water, you know.”
* * *
It was after dinner on the Saturday following Thanksgiving; Jake had gone down the street to play basketball with friends, and Abby was headed into the den to read when the phone rang, and for a moment, she froze. Her stomach churned, but then she shook herself, half in irritation. Her mother had told her she needed time to mend, but Abby wondered how much.
Glancing at the Caller ID, her breath caught. “Katie....” she said when she answered, and the name was carried on a sigh that was partly sad, but mostly love and gratitude and relief.
“Oh, Abby, your mama said I should give you a bit longer, but I just couldn’t wait another second. I’ve been worried sick about you. Are you and Jake all right? Truly, I mean—” Kate’s voice hitched.
Abby carried the cordless receiver to the table in the breakfast nook and sat down. She said they were fine and asked how Kate knew.
“Dennis heard what happened and called me. He was going to come there, he was so concerned.”
Abby’s heart paused. “Really?” she said and slid her finger along the table’s edge. Whatever anger she had felt against him, or embarrassment or whatever it had been, those feelings had evaporated now. She wondered if she would ever have the opportunity to tell him; she wondered if it mattered to him at all.
“I can’t believe Sondra was stalking you, too.”
“I thought it was Nadine. They drive the same color car.”
Kate said, “It’s terrible, but I’m glad Sondra’s dead.”
“You’re in good company,” Abby said. “Even Mama is having a hard time.”
“I’m just so sorry about everything. I should have told you about seeing Nick. If I had—”