The Dark Side - Danielle Steel Page 0,35

her own suffering as a child helped her understand the children she worked with. She knew about human suffering more than anyone he’d ever met, including some of his clients.

She asked him to take on three new court cases for them, during her reorganization. She wanted to see some of the offending parents brought to justice, and wanted him to be the advocate for the injured children, guiding them through the process. He was brilliant at what he did, and incredibly compassionate with the children.

The board meeting that came after Zoe’s months and final weeks of revision was electric, it was so exciting. Even he hadn’t realized how much she was doing, how lofty her goals were, and her ultimate vision for the children. She was organizing an alliance with a school, to ensure that their clients had a real education, which would prepare them for a better life in the future. Several people cried at the board meeting, they were so moved by what she was doing, and how powerfully she was implementing her plans for the shelter and how eloquently she expressed them. Austin was proud to be a part of it, and to be her husband. At the end of the board meeting, he looked at her, and remembered his mother’s concerns about the reason for Jaime’s frequent injuries, and if there was some hidden psychological reason in Zoe for them. He realized now that wasn’t even remotely possible. She was the most extraordinary woman he had ever known. She was the kindest, best, most honorable woman he knew and the champion of abused children. His mother had no idea how remarkable she was. Whatever his mother’s concerns were, he realized fully now that they were absurd. Zoe was as close as it got on earth to being a saint. And he was the luckiest man on earth to be married to her, and Jaime the luckiest little girl on earth to have her as her mother. Austin had total faith in Zoe as a woman, a wife, and a mother.

Chapter 7

For Jaime’s first birthday party, they had had a small family celebration. It was really more for the parents anyway, Austin and Zoe had decided. So they had a cake for her with two candles in it, one “to grow on,” and Connie and George had come by for a slice of cake and to wish them well.

But for Jaime’s second birthday, Zoe decided to go all out. She invited Austin’s parents, his brothers, and their wives and children. Her father and Pam were going to be in town to see his agent, and they had promised to come by. Their children weren’t going to be with them. Christopher had graduated from UCLA the previous year, and had an internship with a graphic designer in London. He was an artist like his father. And Ashley was a senior at Northwestern. Beth had come to meet Jaime once, but admitted to Zoe that it was painful for her. It brought back too many memories to be close to a child that age. She saw children every day in the ICU where she worked, but that was different. This was too close to home, and the memories it brought back were too much for her. And Zoe didn’t go to San Francisco for the same reasons. They were each part of a painful past that both of them had put to rest. It was easier just talking on the phone, and on Skype occasionally. Zoe and her father had overcome the painful past and never talked about it. Pam had helped him deal with it. Zoe was able to have a superficial relationship with her father, and saw him when he came to New York on business. And he had promised to be there on Jaime’s birthday, which coincided with his meetings with his agent and publisher.

Cathy Clark had become Zoe’s closest female friend and was coming too. She enjoyed both Austin and Zoe, and wished there were more parents like them in her practice. They were so caring and concerned, and doted on their daughter. It was always a pleasure for Cathy to spend time with them, and Jaime was an adorable little girl and the image of her mother.

She had stopped getting hurt every five minutes in the last six months and was steady on her feet now, although constantly in motion. Fiona was still with them and kept a firm eye on her. She