speculation about her own children, but they instinctively knew it went deeper than that. It was the tiny child, hidden in each painting, in the grass, in a tree, one never knew where it would appear, that made her famous. Her landscapes were stunning, emotional, even angry at times, but it was the child that pulled the eye, made the viewer wonder. It was a mystery, and who didn’t love to solve a mystery?
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make it personal,” Mel said. “I want to hear your story, not ask questions you’re unable to answer.”
Anna patted her friend’s hand. “I understand. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you the truth so long ago. But truth has a way of getting buried under layers of time. The longer you say nothing, the harder it is to dig it up and reveal it.”
Mel didn’t say anything. She just patted Anna’s hand and gave her such a look of compassion that tears sprang to Anna’s eyes. She swiped them away, embarrassed. She hated being emotional in public.
They left the table and walked outside.
“I’m going to leave Rob.”
Mel stopped dead and gaped, a perfect imitation of her earlier response. “Not fair, Anna. You’re not allowed to shock me twice in one conversation.”
“Sorry,” Anna mumbled. “I guess I felt if I didn’t just shoot it out, I wouldn’t say it at all.” She hitched her purse higher on her shoulder and glanced around to be sure they were alone.
“Why now?” Mel asked. “Not that I don’t agree that you should leave him, but why now? It’s been what, nearly ten years?”
“Nine years, ten months, twelve days.” Anna shuddered. It sounded like a prison term.
“Wow.” Mel rocked back on her heels and studied Anna like she was a stranger. “That’s interesting.”
“What?”
“It’s just interesting how you say it. My thought is that you should have left him a long time ago. Maybe you shouldn’t even have married him.”
“Maybe I should have married Chris like he wanted me to,” Anna mumbled.
“Chris?” Mel asked. “Do tell.”
Anna dropped her gaze as the door to the cafe opened and Carrie Stewart, the mayor’s wife, walked out.
“Hi Anna, hi Mel,” Carrie said.
“Hi Carrie,” Mel and Anna said together.
There was a pause, but Anna kept her head lowered. She didn’t want to see the speculative gleam in Carrie’s eyes. She felt it was her duty to know everyone’s business. For the sake of keeping things in order, of course. Anna watched Carrie’s suede pumps step out of her range of vision before she looked up. “Can we go for a walk?”
Mel took her arm and led her across Wallace Street to the city park. They stepped onto the path and Mel asked, “You need to tell me about this Chris. And what brought this on, your decision to tell me the truth?”
“Honestly?”
“Of course.”
“The red dress.”
Chapter 8
Anna stopped at the Blue Moose Café for her morning coffee and then walked down Wallace St. to her office at the Hope Standard . Several co-workers were gathered around Paul in the front office, whispering. Her heart sank and a cold sweat broke out across her back. The whole town would be talking about the gala for a long time to come. At least it wouldn’t be in the newspaper. Cliff would never allow that.
Paul turned with a guilty smile. “Hey, good morning, Anna.”
“Morning Paul, Carla, Monica,” Anna said and lifted her coffee cup in a half-hearted greeting. Whenever she was around those two women, she could feel her energy run out and puddle on the floor around her. They spent more time gossiping and causing problems than they did actually working. They were probably the cause of half of the domestic issues in town.
When Anna reached her cubicle, she dropped her purse, set the coffee on the desk and reached for the power button on her iMac. She had to finish editing the story due
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make it personal,” Mel said. “I want to hear your story, not ask questions you’re unable to answer.”
Anna patted her friend’s hand. “I understand. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you the truth so long ago. But truth has a way of getting buried under layers of time. The longer you say nothing, the harder it is to dig it up and reveal it.”
Mel didn’t say anything. She just patted Anna’s hand and gave her such a look of compassion that tears sprang to Anna’s eyes. She swiped them away, embarrassed. She hated being emotional in public.
They left the table and walked outside.
“I’m going to leave Rob.”
Mel stopped dead and gaped, a perfect imitation of her earlier response. “Not fair, Anna. You’re not allowed to shock me twice in one conversation.”
“Sorry,” Anna mumbled. “I guess I felt if I didn’t just shoot it out, I wouldn’t say it at all.” She hitched her purse higher on her shoulder and glanced around to be sure they were alone.
“Why now?” Mel asked. “Not that I don’t agree that you should leave him, but why now? It’s been what, nearly ten years?”
“Nine years, ten months, twelve days.” Anna shuddered. It sounded like a prison term.
“Wow.” Mel rocked back on her heels and studied Anna like she was a stranger. “That’s interesting.”
“What?”
“It’s just interesting how you say it. My thought is that you should have left him a long time ago. Maybe you shouldn’t even have married him.”
“Maybe I should have married Chris like he wanted me to,” Anna mumbled.
“Chris?” Mel asked. “Do tell.”
Anna dropped her gaze as the door to the cafe opened and Carrie Stewart, the mayor’s wife, walked out.
“Hi Anna, hi Mel,” Carrie said.
“Hi Carrie,” Mel and Anna said together.
There was a pause, but Anna kept her head lowered. She didn’t want to see the speculative gleam in Carrie’s eyes. She felt it was her duty to know everyone’s business. For the sake of keeping things in order, of course. Anna watched Carrie’s suede pumps step out of her range of vision before she looked up. “Can we go for a walk?”
Mel took her arm and led her across Wallace Street to the city park. They stepped onto the path and Mel asked, “You need to tell me about this Chris. And what brought this on, your decision to tell me the truth?”
“Honestly?”
“Of course.”
“The red dress.”
Chapter 8
Anna stopped at the Blue Moose Café for her morning coffee and then walked down Wallace St. to her office at the Hope Standard . Several co-workers were gathered around Paul in the front office, whispering. Her heart sank and a cold sweat broke out across her back. The whole town would be talking about the gala for a long time to come. At least it wouldn’t be in the newspaper. Cliff would never allow that.
Paul turned with a guilty smile. “Hey, good morning, Anna.”
“Morning Paul, Carla, Monica,” Anna said and lifted her coffee cup in a half-hearted greeting. Whenever she was around those two women, she could feel her energy run out and puddle on the floor around her. They spent more time gossiping and causing problems than they did actually working. They were probably the cause of half of the domestic issues in town.
When Anna reached her cubicle, she dropped her purse, set the coffee on the desk and reached for the power button on her iMac. She had to finish editing the story due
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