A Season of Angels Page 0,73

heart that this wasn't a sick joke her mind was playing on her.

From the moment she'd received the call claiming Jeff was alive, Jody had dreaded contacting her mother-in-law. She carefully bided her time and waited until Timmy was down for the night. Even then it had taken Jody another half hour to fortify her courage enough to reach for the phone. She didn't know where she'd find the grit to face Jeff's mother when she was in one of these moods.

"Hello, Gloria," Jody said calmly, knowing she'd probably woken her mother-in-law from a sound sleep.

"Jody," she said groggily, "is that you?" Not giving her time to answer, she immediately continued. "I'm so pleased you called me back. I know this news is as much of a shock to you as it is me, but - "

"Gloria," Jody cut in calmly, unwilling to listen to any more. Her only chance of reaching Jeff's mother was when she sounded composed and confident. "Jeff is dead."

Someone had played the cruelest of hoaxes on them. "Who phoned you?" Jody demanded, and a telltale wobble came into her voice, betraying her slipping poise.

"I didn't get his name," Gloria explained. "You see, I was so excited that I wasn't thinking clearly, but he sounded very professional. He gave me details."

"What sort of details?" It was clear this line of questioning was flustering Jeff's mother all the more, but for the sake of them all Jody had to get to the bottom of this.

"I can't really tell you right this minute."

"Did he say where he was calling from?" Jody asked more calmly this time.

"Oh, yes, he was in Germany. Such a nice young man. You see, the call woke me in the middle of the night. I didn't believe him at first and then the more he talked the more I realized he was telling the truth. Jeff is alive. In my heart I always knew he was and now it's coming to pass."

"But wouldn't the authorities have contacted me?" Jody asked.

"I . . . don't know, dear. Maybe it has something to do with the divorce."

"But surely they'd want me to know. After all, Timmy is Jeff's son."

"I can't answer your questions, Jody. All I know is what they said."

"And what was that?"

"I should have written everything down, but I was too excited, and I'm on this new heart medication that makes my mind go all fuzzy at times."

Jody's grip on the phone relaxed. "Was this one of those times, Mom?" she asked softly.

"Oh, no, this was all very real. I thought to call you right away, but - "

"But you didn't," Jody concluded when the older woman hesitated.

"No," she admitted reluctantly.

"And why didn't you?"

"Because," Gloria said, following a heartfelt sigh, "I knew you wouldn't believe me, and I was afraid we would end up arguing and I do so hate the thought of us disagreeing. You and Timmy are the only family I have left."

Left. The details were quickly tallying in Jody's mind. Her mother-in-law was taking a new heart medication, one that, at times, confused her and she'd been woken abruptly from a sound sleep. The episode was probably a very lifelike dream. Not entirely sure the phone call had happened herself, Gloria had delayed contacting Jody until the following evening.

Because she'd been so desperate to believe her son was alive, Jeff's mother had clung to the dream, building it in her mind, until she'd convinced herself it was authentic.

"Have you heard from anyone since?" Jody asked softly.

"No. You think I should have, don't you?"

"It doesn't matter what I think. What do you believe?"

Speaking on the phone had always been an inadequate means of communication as far as Jody was concerned. She heard the faint intake of breath that came from her mother-in-law and knew Gloria was weeping softly. How Jody wished she could be there to wrap her arms around her and comfort her.

Jody had needed consolation herself the night before when Gloria had first phoned and there'd been a strong pair of arms to hold her. It had helped tremendously.

"How's Timmy?" her mother-in-law asked in an apparent effort to change the subject. "I bet he's getting excited for Christmas."

"Timmy's great." Jody couldn't talk about her rambunctious son and not smile. "We chopped down a Christmas tree this weekend."

"All by yourselves?"

Jody hesitated, unsure if she should mention Glen or not. This didn't seem to be the appropriate time to drop the news that she was dating again, although heaven knew it was