Read Online Good Intentions by Joy Fielding - Free Book Online

the museum-like display of modern abstract art. “White surroundings accentuate the art better.”
    “You’re happy?” Kathryn asked.
    “Very.”
    “I’m glad.”
    Renee sat down beside her sister, afraid to ask the next question, knowing she had no choice.
    “Why did you do it, Kathy? I know how much you loved Arnie but …”
    “You don’t know,” Kathryn said, her voice flat.
    “What do you mean?” It was the second time she had asked that.
    A look of alarm raced through Kathryn’s eyes. “You don’t know how much I loved him,” she said, recovering quickly. “He was my whole life.”
    “He was a large part of your life, but he wasn’t everything.”
    “He was everything,” Kathryn corrected. “I was barely eighteen years old when I married Arnie. I was a kid. He was almost old enough to be my father. Do you remember how furious Daddy was?”
    Renee nodded. Their father’s fury was not easily forgotten.
    “Arnie was my whole life. He did everything for me. He took care of everything. I never had to make a decision. I never had to make arrangements. Arnie always made sure that everything was taken care of. And we did everything together. For almost twenty years. Twenty years! And then one night, he got up from the dinner table. I’d made this spicy meat loaf. Arnie didn’t like it because he didn’t like spicy food, but I thought this recipe sounded pretty safe, and so I tried it. And he didn’t like it all that much, but he ate it. And then he stood up, and he suddenly keeled over. That was it. He just dropped to the floor. I screamed. I rushed over to him. At first I thought he was joking, you know, kidding around, because I made the meat loaf too spicy, but then I turned him over and saw his face, and I knew right away that he was dead.”
    “Kathy, that was three months ago. We’ve been through all this. I’m not sure it’s good for you to keep dwelling on it.”
    “What am I supposed to do, Renee? What else is there for me to do with my life?”
    “You have to get on with it. You’re young; you’re beautiful. Life can be so wonderful. You have to give it another chance. It’s what Arnie would have wanted.”
    “Arnie would want me with him.”
    “No,” Renee said vehemently, grabbing her sister’s hands and watching her wince. “I’m sorry,” she said quickly, releasing Kathryn’s hands and feeling them tremble. “But Arnie would not want this. He would want you to be happy and to get as much out of the rest of your life as you can …”
    “No.” Kathryn shook her head and closed her eyes.
    Renee felt momentarily as she had earlier in the afternoon when talking to Lynn Schuster, as if there were parts of the conversation missing, key facts being withheld. “Kathryn,” she said slowly, “is there something you’re not telling me?”
    Kathryn opened her eyes, a look of fear passing quickly through them. “No, of course not.”
    “Why are you badgering her?” came a voice from behind them. Kathryn’s body snapped to immediate attention, turning toward the sound. Renee remained slumped forward on the sofa. She didn’t have to turn around to know who it was.
    “Kathryn,” she said quietly, “this is Philip’s daughter, Debbie. Debbie, my sister, Kathryn.”
    “We won’t shake hands,” Debbie said, walking into the center of the room and motioning toward Kathryn’s bandages.
    “I didn’t think anybody was home. I called out when we came in. I guess you didn’t hear me.”
    “I heard you. I didn’t realize it was a summons.”
    “Of course it wasn’t a summons,” Renee began, then stopped. What was the point?
    “So, how does it feel to slit your wrists?” Debbie asked.
    “Debbie!”
    “No, that’s all right,” Kathryn said quickly. “I don’t mind talking about it.”
    “She wants to talk about it,” Debbie said defiantly, dropping down into the middle of the white carpet between the white sofa and the white chair, and folding her legs under