Read Online Peggy Holloway - Judith McCain 04 - Jupiter Returns by Peggy Holloway - Free Book Online

computer but she started pounding on the keys and Brad told his dad to take her away.
    I enjoyed the time I spent in the kitchen that night with Mimi, Tracy , and Rosa. We prepared a roasted duck dinner and told the men they would have to cook out on the grill the next night.
    John wa s here to help with the case, but I was glad he had brought the whole family.
    Our house was so large it still didn’t feel crowded. After dinner, Tracy called a meeting with John and me. Jennifer and Brad went upstairs with Jesse. Mimi and Rosa went to watch a runway show on TV showing the latest fashions. Mark went into his study to get some paperwork done.
    We three went into the back yard and sat at the picnic table.
    “Well, Judith, it looks like you’re still on the case , since your new client mother was a victim of Jupiter. I need to know if you can handle this part of it.”
    “ Yes,I can do it Tracy. And besides, Bettina is beginning to trust me and to open up to me. It would be unfair to her to have another therapist at this point.”
    She studied me, “Okay, it’s against my better judgment, but to be honest, we’re both emotionally involved. I loved Ben too. I just hope we can keep a clear head.”
    “I’ll make it part of my job to keep an eye on both of you for a ny signs of loss of objectivity,” John said. “Actually, I’m emotionally involved too, since Ben was my dear friend. We’ll have to keep a watch on each other.”
    We hugged and went back into the house. I joined Mimi and Rosa in the den and watched the rest of the runway show with them. Mimi was making notes and I knew she was going to get some of those outfits.
    “Did you either one of you see anything you wanted,?” Mimi asked. “I’m taking orders.”
    Rosa and I looked at each other and grinned and suddenly I burst into tears. Grief seems to come in waves and spring up when least expected. But I was remembering my first trip to Houston.
    Julia and I had been sixteen and had just found each other and Mimi. We had gone to Houston for Christmas. Mimi had invited Mark and Tracy, Rosa and John, and Ben. Mimi had taken Rosa, Julia and I to the Galleria and tried to give us a roll of money to shop with.
    This was before I had broken Ben’s heart, before I had strung him along, and used him. The guilt was a large part of my grief and I needed to talk to Dr. Anna.
    As soon as I started crying, Mimi turned off the TV and she and Rosa sat beside me and hugged me.
    I told them about the memories I was having, “I think part of the problem is that I can’t forgive myself for the way I treated Ben. I thought I would have the rest of our lives to make it up to him.” I hugged both of them back and stood up, “I’m going to go up to my room and call Dr. Anna.”
    “I guess I need a shoulder, Dr. Anna.” I said when she answered the phone.
    “It’s here for you, Judith” Dr. Anna said. “I think you know what you need to do.”
    “Yes, I need to forgive myself and move on, but I can’t”
    “You will when you’re ready. In the meantime you’ll cope with the pain. Are you sleeping all right?”
    “Off and on, I guess I get enough sleep. I have a new case that I’m excited about and my patient has more trouble than I do. That has helped me a lot.”
    “Judith, is there a psychiatrist there that you trust who can prescribe a temporary sleeping medication for you?”
    “Yes, there’s Doctor Alvarez who bought my practice. I trusted him with my former patients so, yes, I trust him for meds.”
    “Well, hang in there Judith. I wish I could fix it so you wouldn’t have to go through this but you know I can’t. How’s Julia, by the way?”
    “She’s going to marry her professor. I haven’t met him yet, but from what Julia says, you would like him, Dr. Anna. He is an older man, but kind. He teaches art history at UNO. I haven’t told her about Jupiter escaping but she has the FBI following her. Hopefully she won’t see them.”
    She laughed,