Read Online The Third Angel by Alice Hoffman - Free Book Online Page A

like lace now, beautifully destroyed. “She's the one I love. You knew that.”
    He lay there quietly. Maddy thought she heard him crying.
    â€œWe had a huge tree in our backyard,” Maddy whispered. “If you climbed it you could reach the sky. We tied bells and bows around it to call the birds to us. But they only answered the sound of Allie's voice. They never even heard me.”
    â€œRight.” Paul's eyes were still closed, but he was nearly smiling. “There's my girl. Entertain me. I knew I could count on you for that. I knew you could tell a good story. Tell me more about her.”

    W HEN SHE RETURNED to the Lion Park, Maddy was informed that she had a guest. Her mother was waiting for her in the restaurant. Maddy wanted to go upstairs and lie down; instead she went to join her mother.
    Lucy had ordered a glass of white wine even though what she really wanted was a whisky. A plate of melted ice was beside her glass. The temperature had risen. The hotel was air-conditioned in its public rooms, but it was still stuffy. She remembered that about it.
    â€œThe place looks the same. Just older.”
    For the past several nights, Lucy had walked past the hotel. This was where she first began to understand that a person could lose herself if she wasn't careful.
    â€œI came here because I remembered you talking about it,” Maddy said. “And you had the ashtray. I thought it was going to be nicer.”
    â€œIt was the first time I'd been to London. The first time I'd been anywhere, really. I was here for a wedding then, too. I see they still have the old stone lion.”
    â€œSo tell me, Mother, was I the last person in the world to know Paul was so ill?”
    â€œHe's a very private man. And he was in terrible shape. Allie told me she didn't want to go ahead with the marriage before his diagnosis, but she stood by him. That's the way she is.”
    â€œFake?”
    â€œLoyal.”
    â€œRight. It's always Allie. The good one, the loyal one. She always gets everything.”
    Lucy laughed until she saw that her daughter was serious. “What she has is a terminally ill man.”
    â€œI could help,” Maddy said. “I could do my part and see him through.”
    Lucy reached across the table and took her daughter's hand. Maddy had always believed her mother never loved her, not the way she loved Allie. The proof of it was when Maddy went into her mother's bedroom one day to find the shades pulled down and all the lights shut off. Lucy's eyes were closed. She sensed someone in the room, and she had opened her eyes and was startled to see Maddy standing by the door. Her mother said, I can't, just like that, and Maddy had run. She was sure of what it meant: I can't take care of you. I can't love you. Now she wondered if perhaps she'd been mistaken. Maybe her mother had meant, I can't have you see me this way. I love you far too much for that.
    â€œThere's nothing to take care of, Maddy. It's over. This is their business. This man is going to be Allie's husband, whether or not he's dying. She's the only one who can see him through.”
    Maddy pulled away and covered her face. Her hands smelled like hospital soap, clean and sharp. She certainly didn't want her mother to see her cry. Lucy ordered another glass of wine. This was the daughter who didn't feel anything; the one she could never reach.
    â€œYou can't make someone love you, you know. I learned that with your father. I didn't want him if he didn't want me. I saw what that could do to a person.”
    â€œI did something terrible,” Maddy said. “I can't ever be forgiven.”
    â€œTrust me,” Lucy said. “You can.”
    After Maddy went up to her room to lie down, Lucy remained at the bar. She called for a whisky and soda. She knew she hadn't been a very good mother, especially to Maddy. She thought it would be better if she kept her distance. Her daughters wouldn't miss her so terribly