She wasn’t sure how many of those feelings could be attributed to Rosie’s news.
“I feel fine.” That was as much of a lie as letting Rosie think Nick was in bed with her. “It’s Rosie’s life, and she should do what she wants to do.”
“What about Christmas? I know how important it is to you.”
“We’ll still be having Christmas, just not at Honeysuckle Cottage. The wedding is planned for Christmas Eve.” She didn’t quite manage to keep the wobble from her voice.
“Are you going to go?”
“What sort of a question is that? You seriously think I wouldn’t attend my daughter’s wedding?”
“I hadn’t given it any thought at all until two minutes ago when you first mentioned it. I know how you love Christmas at the cottage, and how much you hate flying. I know pretty much everything about you.”
She thought about the file she’d left open on the kitchen table.
He didn’t know everything.
“If my daughter is getting married in Aspen, then that’s where I’ll be, too.”
“How? I’ve never managed to get you on a plane. Not even for our honeymoon.”
“I’ll find a way.” She could do a fear of flying course, but that felt like a ridiculous waste of money. Alcohol would be cheaper. She didn’t often drink, so a couple of gin and tonics should do it. “We can sort out details later. She wants you to call her back so that she can tell you in person.”
There was a pause. “Where does she think I am? What did you tell her?”
“That you were out walking because you couldn’t sleep.”
His sigh echoed down the phone like an accusation. “This has gone on long enough. We should tell them, Mags.” He sounded tired. “They’re not children anymore. They deserve to know the truth.”
“We’ll tell them when the time is right, and that time isn’t when your youngest daughter calls all excited to tell you she’s getting married.”
“All right, but we tell her before we arrive in Colorado. We’ll call her together next week. We’ve been living apart for months now. It’s time to tell both girls that it’s over.”
Over.
Maggie felt her throat thicken and her chest hurt.
It was because it was the middle of the night. Things always seemed worse at three in the morning.
“I’d rather tell Katie in person, but she’s elusive at the moment. Have you heard from her lately?”
“No, but that isn’t unusual. You two have this mother-daughter thing going on. You’re the one she always calls.”
But Katie hadn’t called. She hadn’t called in a while.
Did that mean she was busy, or that something was wrong?
“I’ll try calling her again. She usually does nothing but sleep and eat over Christmas. Traveling to Aspen might be difficult for her.”
Difficult for all of them.
A sister who didn’t believe in marriage, and parents who were divorcing.
What sort of a wedding was this going to be?
Katie
“That’s it, Sally. All done.” Katie removed her surgical gloves and stood up. The stitches were neat and she was satisfied she’d done the best possible job. There would be a scar, but Katie knew that with or without a scar Sally would never forget tonight. “Is there someone we can call for you?”
The woman shook her head. There was bruising and swelling on her left cheek and disillusionment in her eyes. “I never thought this would happen to me.”
Katie sat down again. Her shoulder ached from sitting in one position for too long and she rolled it discreetly to try to ease the discomfort. “It can happen to anyone. It’s not about you. It’s about him. It’s not your fault.” It was important to say the words, even though she knew she probably wouldn’t be believed.
“I feel stupid. I keep thinking I must have missed something. We’ve been together for two years. Married for four months. He’s never done anything like this before. I love him. I thought he loved me. We met when I started a new job and he swept me off my feet. He seemed perfect.”
Katie shivered. “Perfect” wasn’t normal. What human being was perfect? “I’m sorry.”
“There were no signs. No clues.”
“Perfect” might have been a sign. Or maybe she was jaded.
Over the years she’d worked in the emergency department, she’d seen it all. Children who were abused. Women who were abused and, yes, men who were abused. She’d seen people who knifed each other, people who drove too fast and paid the price, people who drank and then climbed behind the wheel and took a life. There were