Part 34 (1/2)
With a heavy exhale, I finally picked up the pen and scrawled my name on the admitting form, effectively placing my wife in the hospital's hands for the next two weeks. I had a definite feeling that my notebook computer was going to be logging some serious hours because I was going to have work to do, but I also didn't plan on straying far from this place if I could help it.
”By the way,” I offered as I slid the papers along the countertop toward her. ”My mother-in-law should be here any minute.”
”Do you feel like that is going to be a problem?” she asked.
”No, not necessarily. The reason I mentioned it, though, is that I was on the phone with her a little while ago, and she started acting weird when I brought up the sister issue. In fact, she is purposely coming down without the rest of the family and ended the conversation with something like 'we need to talk'.”
”Really?” she asked, her tone thoughtful. ”Do you think there might be some family history that Felicity has somehow repressed?”
”Maybe. I don't know,” I said with a shake of my head. ”Or maybe some she never knew about at all. All I can say is Maggie is a fairly unflappable type unless she thinks something dire has happened, but she started getting seriously flaky the minute I told her about the DNA tests. In fact, the sister thing was obviously what prompted that last ominous comment about needing to talk, so there's something that's been hidden away in a closet somewhere. I'm sure of that.”
”So, is that all she said?”
”Yeah, I'm afraid it was.”
”Well, even if there is some sort of revelation regarding a female sibling, I do not believe it will be a panacea for Felicity's mental state. She has been through far too much.”
”It might help, though, right?”
”It might,” she said with a nod. ”But, then again, depending on what is divulged, it could be harmful instead.”
”Not what I wanted to hear, Helen.”
”You would prefer that I lie?”
”I didn't say that.”
”Then stop complaining.”
”Yeah, right, and you believe that miracle will happen when?”
She offered a thin smile. ”Never.”
”Uh-huh. Well, at any rate if we're talking about a living, adult sibling, then I'm sure the police would be interested too.”
”Undoubtedly, given what you have told me.”
”Either way, I thought maybe I would see if she'd be willing to talk to both of us when she arrives.”
”That certainly would not hurt.”
”To be honest, I'm not sure if she will, but I'm going to try to talk her into it. Just do me a favor?”
”What is that?”
”If she agrees, try not to mention anything about the Lwa possession or anything else that went on last night, okay? It probably wouldn't be a real good thing to lay on her.”
She gave me a knowing nod. I knew that from my own sessions with her, at the very least, she was fully aware of the score when it came to my in-laws.
”I believe that information would be covered under doctor-patient confidentiality anyway, Rowan,” she said. ”You need not worry.”
”I honestly hadn't ever expected to be having this conversation,” Maggie said, s.h.i.+fting in her chair. She had calmed considerably since the phone call, but I could tell there was still a nervous streak underscoring her tone.
Looking at my mother-in-law, it was easy to see from which parent Felicity had inherited her looks. Maggie was slight, just like my wife, and sported a shoulder-length coif of chestnut hair, although it was rapidly giving itself over to grey. Still, it softly framed her smooth, delicate features and bright eyes to form a pleasing and deceptively youthful visage. In fact, discerning her true age simply by looking at her would be no easy task. A box of hair dye from the corner store would instantly shave off a dozen years. And, though she was still extremely pretty, she had been an absolutely stunning sight in her youth. In fact, I had seen hard evidence of it from old family photos.
”It's okay, Maggie,” I replied. ”I think that pretty much goes for both of us.”
”Yes, I suppose that would be true, then,” she agreed. ”Although for different reasons, I'm sure.”
”If it would make you more comfortable, I will be happy to leave you two alone to talk,” Helen offered.
”No,” Maggie replied hesitantly. ”I think it may be important that you hear this.”
”Yes, I will admit that any insight you can provide is most welcome, however, Rowan can fill me in later if you wish.”
”No. You should hear it from me.” My mother-in-law paused, and her tenuous composure faltered for a moment as she suddenly blurted, ”Is my daughter going to be all right?”
”Yes,” Helen replied. ”She is going to be just fine. She has simply dealt with far too much strife in a very short period of time.”
It was the truth. It was just missing all of the gory details.
”Maggie,” I started. ”I hate to sound impatient, but I'm really looking for answers here, and I got the feeling when we were on the phone that you just might have one or two.”
”It's understandable, Rowan. You've dealt with more than your share of this, and we've given you little support where that is concerned.”
”That's not important right now. I'm hanging in there.”
She grew quiet and looked down at her hands where they were resting in her lap. Her right was absently fiddling with her wedding set, twisting the rings in a circle. Every now and then she would pull them up the length of her finger, almost to the tip, then slide them back on and begin twirling the interlocking gold bands yet again.
”I suppose I should give you a bit of background if this is to make any sense,” she said as she looked up, casting her glance between Helen and me, though her fingers continued to toy with the jewelry of their own volition. ”To begin with, and this you may already know, Rowan, I am an identical twin.”
I nodded. ”Felicity mentioned it, and I think I've seen a picture or two in the photo alb.u.ms.”
”Yes,” she replied. ”She may also have told you that, Caitlin, my twin, pa.s.sed away many years ago. In fact, Felicity was very young.”
I simply nodded.
”Actually, the story the children were told was that their aunt was killed in an accidental car crash, but, that is only partially true.”
She stopped and stared off into s.p.a.ce for a long moment then shot us both an embarra.s.sed glance before lowering her eyes to her lap once again.
She continued. ”That was nineteen seventy-two. One would think I could have come to terms with it by now.”
”If you have been hiding painful details for all this time,” Helen offered, ”then it is unlikely you could actually come to terms with the event, as you have not allowed yourself to do so.”