An Act of Love

An Act of Love by Nancy Thayer Read Free Book Online Page A

Book: An Act of Love by Nancy Thayer Read Free Book Online
Authors: Nancy Thayer
why don’t you come to the hospital tonight. It might cheer her up to see you.”
    “And Bruce,” Owen added, “try to think of anything, no matter how insignificant, that would help us figure out what’s troubling Emily.”
    “Sure.”
    Bruce headed off, up the stairs, leaving Owen and Linda to themselves as they stepped out into the dimming light of early evening.

    Basingstoke, once a colonial village, was now a bedroom community for Boston. The Academy Inn was situated on the main street of the small town of Basingstoke and existed mainly because of Hedden Academy and Basingstoke Hospital. A charming, stately Greek Revival building, its many small rooms were pleasantly decorated. The dining room in the front parlor served a limited menu of delicious food. One of the firstthings the McFarlands learned when Bruce was admitted to Hedden was to reserve months ahead of time for rooms during Parents’ Weekend. Those who didn’t were relegated to one of the many chain hotels situated off Route 93.
    So it was with a satisfying sense of familiarity that the McFarlands checked in and carried their bags through the wide hall to the curving, carpeted front stairs. Their room was pleasantly furnished in reproduction early American. Owen dropped into a wing chair; Linda sank onto the bed, near the bedside table with the telephone.
    After a moment’s silence, she looked at Owen. “Do I have to call Simon?”
    “I think you should.”
    Linda called her ex-husband so rarely that she had to look through the small black address book in her purse in order to find his phone number. She didn’t expect him to be home; he traveled a great deal with his chamber quartet. But his newest wife answered and when Linda told her there was an emergency, she didn’t hesitate but quickly carried the phone to Simon; Linda could hear the other woman’s movements through the house, and then the sound of cello music as she entered Simon’s studio. For an instant Linda was surrounded by that life again, where everything was devoted to Simon’s music.
    “Yes?” As always, his greeting was brusque.
    “Simon, Emily’s in the hospital. In the psychiatric ward. She took some pills today and drank some alcohol, in what we think was a suicide attempt. She’s okay, but they want to keep her there for observation.”
    “You have the information for the health insurance.”
    “Yes, I do. But I also thought I should let you know.” Linda’s throat convulsed.
    “Simon, perhaps it would help her if you came to see her. If you showed her you care—”
    “I can’t. My schedule’s packed.”
    “Perhaps you could call her, then. Would you like the number of the hospital?”
    “No. I don’t think I could help and I don’t have the time.”
    There was nothing more to say but good-bye.
    Settling the receiver back onto the phone cradle, Linda hissed, “I hate him.” A thought struck her. “Do you think Emily hates herself for being, at least genetically, this man’s daughter? Or because he has ignored her all her life, do you think she feels rejected? Oh, I could kill him.”
    “If that’s what’s going on with her,” Owen replied sensibly, “then it’s a good thing she is where she is. She can work it through, get some help.” He rose. “I’m goingdown to the newsstand to buy a newspaper. Need anything?”
    “No, thanks. I’ll just …” What? What could she do now that could be of any use? “I’ll just lie here a while.”
    She settled back onto the pillows, taking deep breaths, trying to calm herself, but her mind was a scattered thing, mercury from a broken thermometer. Was that how her daughter felt? From this vantage point she saw that here and there on the ceiling the paint was curling off. This was oddly comforting. The same was happening to the ceilings on the farm. Humidity, old age. She had always felt at home with imperfection. She’d always admired peculiarities, change, eccentricities, challenges, found them more

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