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Authors: Janet Dailey
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weight of guilt.
“You, too, Shari.” Whit pointed her in the direction of the stairs, prodding her along. “I’ll let your friends know about the situation and give them a key so they can stay here as long as they like.”
“Yes,” she murmured because she had forgotten all about Beth and Doré. With the news about her mother, their vacation plans were thrown to the winds.
Once Shari was alone in her room, shock seemed to take over. She stood in its center, looking at nothing, forgetting even why she was there. A few minutes later, Beth came in to help her pack and laid out a set of clothes for Shari to wear. With the help of her friend, Shari managed to be dressed and packed by the time Whit came to her room.
“Are you positive you’re going to be all right, Shari?” Beth asked anxiously as Whit picked up the suitcase to carry it downstairs. “I’ll come with you.”
“No.” Shari smiled wanly at the generous offer. “You and Doré stay here and enjoy your vacation. I’ll be okay.”
“I’ll look after her,” Whit promised, tucking a hand under her arm to usher Shari out of the door.
Doré was waiting at the head of the stairs. Their earlier disagreement was forgotten as she hugged Shari and tried to offer words of encouragement and hope.But it was the expression of friendship more than what she said that Shari remembered.
It was a silent trio that climbed into Whit’s car parked outside the condominium. Earlier that day, Shari had dreaded the thought of returning to Gold Leaf, but she couldn’t get there fast enough now.
She sat in the passenger seat in front with Whit, and Rory hid in the shadowed darkness of the back. Her younger brother hadn’t said a word since he’d asked the one question about their mother’s condition. It seemed to take forever on the winding roads before they left the mountains behind and began driving on the high plateau of the piedmont region.
“How much longer?” Shari finally put the question to Whit, unable to contain the impatience born of anxiety any longer.
“Another hour—hopefully less if the traffic stays light,” he answered shortly.
A moan came from the backseat, a kind of protest to the time still ahead of them without any news. “None of this would have happened if I’d left Mom a note,” Rory declared in a voice heavy with self-recrimination. “I was so busy thinking about myself, I didn’t give a thought about what this would do to her.”
“I’m guilty, too.” Shari wouldn’t let him take the full blame.
“It’s spilt milk now,” Whit inserted curtly. “It isn’t going to help Elizabeth to have you two wallowing in guilt when she sees you.”
No matter how wise it was, it was difficult advice to accept. “She’s too young to have something like this happen to her,” Shari protested.
“It’s happened,” Whit stated as proof she wasn’t too young.
His lack of sympathy with their guilt ended any further conversation before it began. If Whit hadn’t been there, Shari was certain she and Rory would have talked themselves into a state of abject misery.
The golden glow of daybreak was on the eastern horizon when they neared their destination. Shari expected Whit to drive directly to the hospital. She was confused when he took the turnoff to the family home.
“Aren’t you taking us to the hospital?” she frowned.
“No. We’re going home first and find out what the situation is,” he stated in that tone of authority that didn’t listen to arguments contrary to his decision.
“But we can find out there,” Rory leaned forward to protest.
“Before either of you see your mother, you’re going to shower and clean up.” His gaze skimmed Shari’s pale and drawn features with a critical eye. “There’s no need for her to be worrying about your health.”
Neither of them argued with that. They were already weighed down with enough guilt not to want more. Besides, Gold Leaf wasn’t far away now, so they’d be
“You, too, Shari.” Whit pointed her in the direction of the stairs, prodding her along. “I’ll let your friends know about the situation and give them a key so they can stay here as long as they like.”
“Yes,” she murmured because she had forgotten all about Beth and Doré. With the news about her mother, their vacation plans were thrown to the winds.
Once Shari was alone in her room, shock seemed to take over. She stood in its center, looking at nothing, forgetting even why she was there. A few minutes later, Beth came in to help her pack and laid out a set of clothes for Shari to wear. With the help of her friend, Shari managed to be dressed and packed by the time Whit came to her room.
“Are you positive you’re going to be all right, Shari?” Beth asked anxiously as Whit picked up the suitcase to carry it downstairs. “I’ll come with you.”
“No.” Shari smiled wanly at the generous offer. “You and Doré stay here and enjoy your vacation. I’ll be okay.”
“I’ll look after her,” Whit promised, tucking a hand under her arm to usher Shari out of the door.
Doré was waiting at the head of the stairs. Their earlier disagreement was forgotten as she hugged Shari and tried to offer words of encouragement and hope.But it was the expression of friendship more than what she said that Shari remembered.
It was a silent trio that climbed into Whit’s car parked outside the condominium. Earlier that day, Shari had dreaded the thought of returning to Gold Leaf, but she couldn’t get there fast enough now.
She sat in the passenger seat in front with Whit, and Rory hid in the shadowed darkness of the back. Her younger brother hadn’t said a word since he’d asked the one question about their mother’s condition. It seemed to take forever on the winding roads before they left the mountains behind and began driving on the high plateau of the piedmont region.
“How much longer?” Shari finally put the question to Whit, unable to contain the impatience born of anxiety any longer.
“Another hour—hopefully less if the traffic stays light,” he answered shortly.
A moan came from the backseat, a kind of protest to the time still ahead of them without any news. “None of this would have happened if I’d left Mom a note,” Rory declared in a voice heavy with self-recrimination. “I was so busy thinking about myself, I didn’t give a thought about what this would do to her.”
“I’m guilty, too.” Shari wouldn’t let him take the full blame.
“It’s spilt milk now,” Whit inserted curtly. “It isn’t going to help Elizabeth to have you two wallowing in guilt when she sees you.”
No matter how wise it was, it was difficult advice to accept. “She’s too young to have something like this happen to her,” Shari protested.
“It’s happened,” Whit stated as proof she wasn’t too young.
His lack of sympathy with their guilt ended any further conversation before it began. If Whit hadn’t been there, Shari was certain she and Rory would have talked themselves into a state of abject misery.
The golden glow of daybreak was on the eastern horizon when they neared their destination. Shari expected Whit to drive directly to the hospital. She was confused when he took the turnoff to the family home.
“Aren’t you taking us to the hospital?” she frowned.
“No. We’re going home first and find out what the situation is,” he stated in that tone of authority that didn’t listen to arguments contrary to his decision.
“But we can find out there,” Rory leaned forward to protest.
“Before either of you see your mother, you’re going to shower and clean up.” His gaze skimmed Shari’s pale and drawn features with a critical eye. “There’s no need for her to be worrying about your health.”
Neither of them argued with that. They were already weighed down with enough guilt not to want more. Besides, Gold Leaf wasn’t far away now, so they’d be
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