Excerpt: Chapter 22

I box up the Bateman. Tears dry on my face. Why was I crying? It’s beautiful, yet I hate everything about it. Leland bought the limited edition the day after he’d spent the entire weekend with one of his floozies. Not that I cared who he slept with, but the idea he bought something for me then decided to place it in his study still stings.

I stood at the door after dinner, watching him unbox it. The process was quite involved. He had to take care not to damage the frame while carefully separating the boards along each corner and then at the back. I’d offered to help, but he said he could do it by himself. Besides, it was a surprise. Something special he’d seen that he knew I would love.

Balancing it against the back of his chair, so the picture was faced away from me, he took down the heavy mirror from the mantel and set it on the far wall where it was sure to lean without sliding.

“I think this will look better in the foyer, and this will be perfect right there.” He gestured towards the spot above the fireplace. Then he lifted the painting, set it in place, and said, “Isn’t it magnificent?”

“Yes. Are you supposed to place valuable paintings above fireplaces? Won’t the heat ruin it?”

He rolled his eyes and laughed, as if what he said next was meant as teasing. “Sally, it’s probably better if you don’t think too hard. It can’t be good for you.”

I hated the print from that moment on.

Under the terrace lights, snow falls so heavily that a wall of whiteness separates me from the dark world outside. The ground-hugging fog looks frozen in place. Though the air around me smells like lilacs, lilies, and pasta spices, I know breathing deeply outside would be painful.

There is a strange hush as my false teeth masticate the last of my dinner. No, I’m wrong—the refrigerator has cut in, and its hum is thunderous inside my head. A wrenching, ugly noise comes from my throat. Tears fill my eyes, and I search the room as if somewhere in this space there is a reason to hang on. I’m a fighter, aren’t I?

I want to be.

My tired eyes close. I survived my children’s deaths, I can survive this desolation.

My chest heaves. Death is preferable to being pathetic.

A faint bleep interrupts my thoughts. I open my eyes. I look over my left shoulder and squint up at the surveillance monitor. A figure stands under the light inside the entrance to my front door. He looks up at the camera. It’s Killian.

My shoulders feel heavy. I wonder what he could want.

The sound of the doorbell blasts through the kitchen. My hands cover my ears. If I ignore him, possibly he’ll go away.

Three more blasts.

I draw myself up from the table; my legs feel as if they’re full of water. Splish, splash. I grab the plastic microwave dish and drop it in the garbage bin as I shuffle past. No sense presenting evidence that I’m too uninspired to prepare a real meal.

Here is the schedule for Joylene’s upcoming tour:

Oct 17 – Mojito With a Twist – Review & Interview

                A Creative Mind – Excerpt

                La Vita On The Sea – Review, Excerpt, Feature

                What Is That Book About – Excerpt

Oct. 18 – Rockin Book Reviews – Review

                 Mello and June, It’s a Book Thang! – Feature

Oct. 19 – Medeia Sharif – Review

                 The Owlery – Interview

                Just Reviews – Review

Oct. 20 – Patricia Stoltey, Author – Guest Post

                  Quesarasera Book Blog – Review

                 Just Us Books – Excerpt

Oct. 21 – The Silver Dagger Scriptorium – Review, Excerpt

                  Hearts & Scribbles – Excerpt

                 Julie Flanders – Excerpt

Oct. 24 – Thoughts in Progress – Review

Oct. 25 – Hank Quense’s Blog – Excerpt

                 Sandra’s Blog – Excerpt

Oct. 26 – Books and Spoons – Review, Excerpt

                 JoJo The Bookaholic – Feature

Oct. 27 – Mel’s Shelves – Excerpt

Oct. 28 – Careann’s Musings – Excerpt

Oct. 31 – All the Doodles ‘n Scribbles – Interview

Nov. 1 – Ali – The Dragon Slayer – Excerpt

                Writer’s Gambit – Interview

Nov. 2 – A Bluestocking’s Place – Excerpt

Nov. 3 – Deal Sharing Aunt – Review

Nov. 4 – Writing in Wonderland – Feature, Excerpt

Nov, 7 – Murees Dupé – Feature, Excerpt

                Storybook Reviews – Excerpt

               Writing, Reading, and the Pursuit of Dreams – Review

Nov. 8 – A Holland Reads – Feature

Nov. 9 – Author Annette Drake – Interview

               The Five Year Project – Interview

              Crystal Collier, Author – Feature

Nov. 10 – Bookworm 1102 – Excerpt

Nov. 11 – The Book’s The Thing – Guest Post

Nov. 14 – Christine Rains – Writer– Excerpt

                  Bish Denham – Excerpt

Nov. 15 – Rosie Amber – Review

Nov. 16 – Bookjunkie’s Book Blog – Excerpt

Nov. 17 – The Girl With Book Lungs – Excerpt

Nov. 18 – Celtic Lady’s Reviews – Review

Nov. 19 – Brooke Blogs – Review, Excerpt

Early Reviews – Stuart Aken