Read Online Accidental Happiness by Jean Reynolds Page - Free Book Online

would have never happened that way. But that hardly mattered anymore. Of all the scenarios she played out in her mind, she never envisioned that Ben would be the one missing in the picture.
    “Hey, there.” The nurse smiled at her as she came off the third-floor elevator. “We’ve got a little girl who’s ready to get out of here.”
    “How is she?”
    “She’s good,” the nurse answered. “Her energy comes and goes with the pills, but overall, she’s bounced back like a champ. Kids are amazing.”
    Angel sat cross-legged on the bed. Her curly brown hair fell around her face as she looked down at the mound of Tootsie Rolls piled in front of her.
    “Where’d you get those?”
    “An old lady two doors down the hall got a basket of stuff. She gave me the bag of Tootsie Rolls that was in it ’cause she said they pull her dentures out.”
    “Sounds like you did her a favor.”
    Angel’s arm was in a sling. Her eyes had a slightly loopy look, probably from the painkillers, but she looked awake, happy with her stash of candy. They said she’d have a scar that would get smaller and smaller with time. She would have to do exercises to get her arm strength back after keeping it in a sling for the wound to heal. Overall, they were lucky. Might as well choose the bright side. It could have been a lot worse.
    “You have lunch with that lady who shot me?” Angel asked. The question alone sounded like a recipe for therapy, but Angel’s tone made it as normal as toast.
    “Gina,” Reese said. “She was married to Benjamin.” Reese stopped when she heard herself use the past tense, glanced at Angel to see if she noticed. She hadn’t. “She feels really bad about hurting you. We’ve talked about this. It was an accident. You understand that, don’t you?”
    “I know.” Angel sounded unconcerned.
    “We scared her when we stepped on her boat. She thought we were people who might hurt her. She understands who we are now. I think you’ll like her.”
    “I know, Mom. You told me all that this morning. Besides, Ben said I’d like her too.” Angel opened a piece of candy and put it in her mouth. She’d gotten pretty good at handling the wrappers with one hand. Through a mouthful of candy she muttered, “She doesn’t look like her picture.”
    Reese tried to remember if she’d shown Angel any pictures. Or had it been Benjamin?
    “She’s pretty, isn’t she?” Reese said, all the while thinking ahead. She had to get around to the truth, the news about Ben.
    “I guess so. When’s Ben coming?”
    Reese ordered the words in her head, the phrasing. But nothing made saying it seem simple.
    “What’s wrong?” Even Angel could tell that she was stalling.
    Reese sat on the edge of the bed, picked up a piece of candy, took it out of the wrapper, but just held it. She suddenly felt she might not be able to swallow if it was in her mouth.
    “Honey,” she began. “I just had a long talk with Gina. We’re going back to the boat with her this afternoon. But Benjamin’s not there.”
    “Where is he? At his house?”
    Reese listened to the sounds out in the hall, listened for something that would take the moment from her. But nothing did.
    “Benjamin had an accident. Gina just told me about it. He’s, well . . . baby, he died. About three months ago. He’s not here anymore.”
    She didn’t know what to expect from her daughter. She sat, waited, braced for tears, questions, whatever would come.
    “Where did he go?”
    The question sounded so fragile. It stopped Reese. Angel knew about death. It was an odd thing to ask. Maybe the pills made it hard for her to understand.
    “I don’t know, Angel,” she said. “I guess he’s in heaven.”
    “So God’s looking after him, then.” Angel’s voice sounded faraway.
    “What?”
    “That’s what happens, right?” Angel picked up a loose candy wrapper, moved it around with her fingers. “They change into spirits and God takes care of them.”
    “Yeah,