You Don't Want To Know - By Lisa Jackson Page 0,98

disapproval.

“Disgusting habit.”

“Come on, Mom, you smoked for years.” Khloe set a few more cups into the sink, and when Virginia seemed about to argue, she added, “For years. Virginia Slims, I remember.”

“That was years ago, before I knew better!” Virginia said, obviously in a bad mood at being called out.

“Well, I still don’t.” Ian, placing a hand on the small of Graciela’s back to steer her toward the back porch, gave them all a quick wave. “I’ll be back in half an hour. Just gonna drop Graciela off and stop at the Food-O-Mart.”

Ava was carrying her cup toward the front stairs when she saw Dr. McPherson and her husband standing close, heads together and whispering. She carefully backed up behind a wall, then stopped to listen but could only hear a few words.

“. . . about Noah . . . I know . . . ,” the doctor said.

Wyatt’s response was muffled completely, as his back was to the doorway.

“. . . some kind . . . breakthrough . . . Kelvin . . . I’m sure . . . patience. . . with Ava . . .”

Again Wyatt’s response was unclear. Sick of eavesdropping, Ava rounded the corner and found them still close together, Wyatt’s hand on the doctor’s shoulder as he leaned closer to hear her.

Ava had had enough.

“So . . . what’s the diagnosis?” she asked, walking into the hallway. Wyatt looked up sharply over his shoulder and his expression darkened. “I heard my name, so I assume you were discussing my ‘condition. ’ ”

“It’s true,” Wyatt admitted, straightening. “I was asking about you.”

“Isn’t that highly illegal?” she asked, and Evelyn McPherson actually blushed. “Isn’t there something about physician/patient confidentiality? You’re a psychologist; I think that covers you, too,” she said to Dr. McPherson before her gaze moved to her husband. “And you’re a lawyer, so you know it, too. So, what’s going on here?”

The cords on Wyatt’s neck stood out a bit. “I don’t like what you’re insinuating.”

“Yeah? After you suggested I get an attorney before talking with the police? After you and Evelyn here are all over each other whenever you’re alone?”

“Ava, no,” Evelyn said, shocked.

“Don’t,” Wyatt warned, but Ava was done with all the game-playing, the pretenses, the damned lies.

“You’re saying,” Ava said to the doctor, “that you aren’t having an affair with my husband.”

The woman took a step back and shook her head. “No. Never.”

Ava raised a skeptical eyebrow.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Wyatt burst out. “Are you out of your fucking mind?” He appeared absolutely scandalized by the suggestion. “I’m only with Evelyn because she was recommended, had worked with you at St. Brendan’s. I thought hiring her would help you! Don’t turn it around on us.”

“On us,” Ava repeated. “Why does it feel like two on one here, that you two are ganging up on me?”

Evelyn said, “I would never . . .” Her words sounded heartfelt, but her eyes gave her away when she looked to Wyatt for support.

“Maybe I don’t need you any longer,” Ava suggested.

“In my professional opinion, you’re improving due to your sessions.”

“I’m not so sure,” Ava said curtly.

Wyatt stepped in. “Of course you are.” He grabbed Ava’s free hand and rotated it, palm up, to show the ugly lines running up and down her wrists. “Look what you did. After Noah left. You were so bereaved, so messed up.” His eyes held hers. “Don’t slip away again. Keep seeing Dr. McPherson.” His fingers dug into her arm in his repressed fury.

But the psychologist had regained some of her equilibrium. “If you would prefer another therapist, I could recommend someone. Elliot Sterns is very good—”

“No!” Wyatt was adamant. He dropped Ava’s wrist. “You stay. You’ve been helping her. She needs you.”

“I think that’s my call,” Ava said.

Evelyn was nodding. “It is.”

Wyatt glanced from one woman to the other, then said to his wife, “Dr. McPherson is just placating you right now, trying not to upset you, but the truth of the matter is that I’m your guardian, Ava.”

“What?” she asked, nearly choking.

He plowed stiff, agitated fingers through his hair. “After the suicide attempt, I had papers drawn. Don’t you remember?”

Vaguely, in the back of her mind, she recalled a meeting with a judge, but she’d been out of it, hadn’t really understood what was going on.

“Dr. McPherson stays, Ava,” Wyatt said with a renewed authority. “Unless you want to see yourself back at the hospital.”

Ava set the teacup down on a side table with shaking