said quietly, and didn’t press him further about it. “She’s lucky to be alive. Is there anything I can do?” she asked, sounding wistful for a minute. She would have liked to be there for him in a crisis like this. She liked Lily, and Bill, but she was also aware that he never let her into the inner sanctum of his life, and he was even less likely to now when Lily needed him so much. There hadn’t been much room for her before, and there would be even less now. It was just the way he was. Lily was the center of his universe, and Penny was just a place he visited from time to time.
Marriage or even living with a man had never been her goal. And too much time with anyone, or intimacy, made her uncomfortable as well. Her career was easier to manage than a man who might take over her life and try to control her. Like Bill, she had fought hard to improve her life and establish her business. Her own security and independence were more important to her than close personal bonds. But when she heard the sadness in his voice, she was sorry he wouldn’t let her be there for him. Still, she wasn’t surprised. That wasn’t the kind of relationship they’d shared, which was strictly meant for good times, and nothing else.
“I’ll let you know if there’s anything,” he said kindly. “For now, she just has to get strong and heal. She came through the surgery very well, but it was only yesterday. I’ll call you when I can,” he promised, but she doubted that he would. She could hear it in his voice. She was on the outside now, and always had been, except for the occasional nights they spent together when Lily was out, or on trips. Bill Thomas had very successfully compartmentalized his life and guarded his heart from anyone but his daughter.
“I’ll talk to you soon. Give Lily my love,” she said as they hung up. She sent her love to Lily, but had never offered it to him, nor did he want it for himself. They had no commitment to each other, and had preferred it that way. And for an odd moment after they ended the call, Penny had the feeling that he had just said goodbye to her and their relationship. She wasn’t sure, but she could sense that he wanted no distractions now from his helping Lily to recover. And Bill had the same feeling as he sat looking out the window in Squaw Valley, at the chairlift that had broken two days before and changed their lives. The entire area had been cordoned off, and a large part of the mountain was closed and would stay that way for some time until they solved the mystery of what had happened and why.
Lily developed a fever that night, which wasn’t unusual after surgery, and Ben called Jessie to report it to her. They had just come back from the funeral parlor, where the entire medical community of Squaw Valley, and several others, had come to pay their respects to Tim. Parents of their children’s friends were there, men who had played tennis and softball with Tim when he had time. There were people Jessie didn’t even know he knew, and others who only knew her. She was shocked by how many showed up, and she felt drained when she got home and Ben called. And her children looked miserable too. The casket with their father in it had been there, but at Jessie’s request, it was closed. It would have been too much to see Tim lying there. She was sure that she would have lost control and become hysterical if it were open, and she didn’t want her children having the memory of him that way. What Jimmy had seen that night after the collision was bad enough, and he was still talking about the blood coming from his father’s ear, which Jessie knew was from the head injury that he had sustained and that had killed him.
“I’ll come in,” Jessie said with a sigh when Ben called her about Lily’s fever. It was fairly high, and something to watch, but not unusual in the circumstances, but Jessie wanted to see her anyway to be sure. She was responsible and diligent even now, no matter
Marriage or even living with a man had never been her goal. And too much time with anyone, or intimacy, made her uncomfortable as well. Her career was easier to manage than a man who might take over her life and try to control her. Like Bill, she had fought hard to improve her life and establish her business. Her own security and independence were more important to her than close personal bonds. But when she heard the sadness in his voice, she was sorry he wouldn’t let her be there for him. Still, she wasn’t surprised. That wasn’t the kind of relationship they’d shared, which was strictly meant for good times, and nothing else.
“I’ll let you know if there’s anything,” he said kindly. “For now, she just has to get strong and heal. She came through the surgery very well, but it was only yesterday. I’ll call you when I can,” he promised, but she doubted that he would. She could hear it in his voice. She was on the outside now, and always had been, except for the occasional nights they spent together when Lily was out, or on trips. Bill Thomas had very successfully compartmentalized his life and guarded his heart from anyone but his daughter.
“I’ll talk to you soon. Give Lily my love,” she said as they hung up. She sent her love to Lily, but had never offered it to him, nor did he want it for himself. They had no commitment to each other, and had preferred it that way. And for an odd moment after they ended the call, Penny had the feeling that he had just said goodbye to her and their relationship. She wasn’t sure, but she could sense that he wanted no distractions now from his helping Lily to recover. And Bill had the same feeling as he sat looking out the window in Squaw Valley, at the chairlift that had broken two days before and changed their lives. The entire area had been cordoned off, and a large part of the mountain was closed and would stay that way for some time until they solved the mystery of what had happened and why.
Lily developed a fever that night, which wasn’t unusual after surgery, and Ben called Jessie to report it to her. They had just come back from the funeral parlor, where the entire medical community of Squaw Valley, and several others, had come to pay their respects to Tim. Parents of their children’s friends were there, men who had played tennis and softball with Tim when he had time. There were people Jessie didn’t even know he knew, and others who only knew her. She was shocked by how many showed up, and she felt drained when she got home and Ben called. And her children looked miserable too. The casket with their father in it had been there, but at Jessie’s request, it was closed. It would have been too much to see Tim lying there. She was sure that she would have lost control and become hysterical if it were open, and she didn’t want her children having the memory of him that way. What Jimmy had seen that night after the collision was bad enough, and he was still talking about the blood coming from his father’s ear, which Jessie knew was from the head injury that he had sustained and that had killed him.
“I’ll come in,” Jessie said with a sigh when Ben called her about Lily’s fever. It was fairly high, and something to watch, but not unusual in the circumstances, but Jessie wanted to see her anyway to be sure. She was responsible and diligent even now, no matter
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