Part 2 (1/2)

The everything else she was referring to was my depression and subsequent need for therapy.

”I stopped seeing Janet two months ago. Her idea. I'm doing lots better. I still have my moments, but they aren't as bad.”

She stared at me for an instant, then smiled. ”Good, I'm really glad to hear that.” She took another sip of coffee, then reached her free hand up and touched the towel on her head. ”Are you in a hurry? Can you wait a couple minutes for me to blow dry my hair and see how this all came out? I won't be long.”

”Sure, as long as I can have this last piece of strudel.”

”Please-enjoy. At least it won't end up on your hips like it would on mine. G.o.d help me if I ever stop working out. Wolfgang would leave me.” She disappeared back down the hall.

I brought the strudel to my mouth and took a bite. If anything, Linda was getting too thin. She'd never been overweight really, but she did have a softer, more feminine look before Wolfgang came along. Now, her collarbones protruded and her face was much thinner. Despite the changes, she was still a beautiful woman, but she definitely didn't need to lose any more weight. It wouldn't do any good to mention this though. Linda would turn herself inside out if she thought it would please Wolfgang. Her love for him bordered on obsession. I would have to approach the subject of Kelly's letter very carefully or Linda would throw open the gates of h.e.l.l and let the demon's fly.

”Ta-Da,” she said with a flourish of her arms, a smile lighting up her face. ”Do you like?”

I couldn't see a big difference, same blonde chin-length curls, but I hadn't seen her for over a month. ”Oh, it's very pretty, very nice. I like the color.”

”Yes, thank G.o.d. I was worried. I couldn't get an appointment with Audrey until tomorrow and I just had to do something about my roots. It's like they grew an inch in a day.” Linda sat down, began tapping her nails on the table, then frowned. ”I know this might sound a little weird, bringing this up now, but I was wondering, when exactly were you planning to get pregnant? I know you said you weren't going to try right away, but how long were you planning to wait? Have you and Trevor talked about it at all?”

”Sure, we've talked about it, though not in a while. Did something happen? Why are you asking?”

”Nothing happened. I've just been thinking about it lately. And well, you are thirty-four and I'm thirty-two and it just seems like we should be thinking seriously about it if we really want children. I mean, what if we wait too long and can't have them?”

”Are you pregnant?”

”No,” she said, throwing her head back with a laugh. ”No, of course not.” But her smile faded and she began tapping her nails again. ”The truth is, I'm not sure I want children. My life is so full. I just don't know.”

”Well, it's not like you've got to decide tomorrow. But I don't understand. You've always said that you did. I've put off thinking about it because, well, we've only been married a year and the way I've been since-”

”You don't have to explain.”

”Does Wolfgang want children?”

”Oh, I'm sure he does. Not right away, but in the future. A boy probably, you know, someone to carry on the Lehman name. Lehman and Son's Construction. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?” She frowned, crinkling her brow. ”Sorry I brought this up. It just popped into my head. Brain damage from the hair dye probably.” She glanced at the kitchen clock.

I took the hint. ”I guess I should get going.”

”No hurry,” she said, but rose from her chair and took our cups and plates and stacked them in the sink.

”I need to ask you something before I go,” I said, ”though I probably already know the answer.”

”What?”

”Have you been over to the house recently?”

”No, why?”

”I was over there taking a look around and thought things were out of place since I was there last. The ashtray next to Dad's chair was turned around, facing in the wrong direction. There's no way it could have gotten that way on its own. And I was down in the cellar and noticed that the boxes with Kelly's journals seem to be missing too. The one box I did find was almost empty, and I don't think any of them were like that before. Any chance you moved them?”

”No, I haven't been over there. I certainly wouldn't go down in that creepy old cellar anyway. Maybe someone broke in.”

”No, I don't think so. I just thought-”

”We need to sell the house, Gwyn. You have to stop living so much in the past for G.o.d's sake ... reading her journals, wandering around over there. It's not good for you and you know it. I doubt that you tell your therapist even half of what you do. I know you'd rather not hear this, but it's true. We're asking for trouble leaving the house empty like that. And it's dangerous, you hanging out there all the time. Who knows when that Craig creep might come back?”

”I can't get rid of the house, Linda. I can't. Maybe someday. But don't make me decide now. I just can't do it.”

”I don't know why I even bring it up. Well, actually, you brought it up.” She shook her head. ”Stop going over to the house. It worries me. Or stop telling me about it.”

”Okay.”

”I didn't mean that. Just don't go over there. At least not alone.”

Chapter 2.

”Guess who I saw?”

It was Caroline on the phone, her voice mischievous and playful.

”I don't know. Who?” I asked.

”I said you had to guess.”

”Okay. The Great Pumpkin.”

”No-o-o.”

”Witch Hazel.”

”Oh, come on, Gwyn, you're not even trying. You'll never guess.”

”Well, if I'll never guess, why should I try? Okay, give me a second. I see. I see ... a celebrity. Brad Pitt.”

”Not exactly, but just as cute. I saw Josh.”

”You saw Josh? Where?”

”In Aspen. I was over there yesterday hanging out with this guy I know. I guess there's an art fair going on, and Josh is in town checking it out.”

”I know the fair you mean. I thought about going down there myself if I didn't have so much work to finish. Did you talk to him?”

”Yeah, for a while. I ran into him on the street. He asked about you,” Caroline said slyly. ”Said he might give you a call.”

”But he can't. Our phone's unlisted. But you probably gave him the number.”

”Well, he asked for it. It's not like he hasn't known you for most of your life. He would have got it anyway. Besides, I know you would have wanted me to give it to him.”

”It's okay, Caroline. I'm not mad. You're right. I'm glad you gave it to him. So what did he say? Is he in the area for long? Is he coming to Glenwood?”