Family Interrupted by Linda Barrett Read Free Book Online Page B

Kayla.”
    I forced myself not to cry as I held her, inhaled her. “You want to draw? You won’t be bored?” Maddy had a better eye than Kayla, but she wasn’t an undiscovered genius. More to the point, she didn’t have Kayla to gab with. I wondered how her kind little heart could bear it.
    “Nope. I won’t be bored. I need pictures for my stories. Mom says I write great stories.”
    “I sure do think so. Hey, Claire. I hope it’s okay for us to take advantage of all the goodies you’ve got in there.” Anne joined arms with me, and we trekked up the driveway.
    “Of course. In fact, there’s not much being used now. Help yourself.” I sighed a deep, quavering breath and felt Anne’s grip tighten.
    “Easy does it,” she murmured.
    “I’ve had a bad day,” I said. “Just give me a second.” I entered the studio and flipped on the light. I made sure my finished works and work-in-progress were covered with cloths. “All’s clear. Come on in.”
    Maddy headed directly to the kids’ table, dropping her books on the bench and searching out the supply of colored paper. “I need to make a collage for art class,” she began. “And I already know what I’m going to do. Our soccer team. On the field. So I need a big background sheet, and a scissor...”
    She chatted on about her plans for the project, gathering materials—glue, colored paper, popsicle sticks...
    Maddy knew what she wanted to accomplish, and I didn’t make suggestions. I tried never to interfere with the creative process, especially with children.
    “And Kayla will be on the team too,” she said. “Do you have crepe paper? I need yellow for the halo.”
    My stomach tightened, and I glanced at Anne. She shrugged back at me. “It’s healing for her,” she said. “She’s sad when she begins her ‘Kayla projects,’ but she’s smiling when she’s finished. Her efforts seem to be doing some good.”
    “Therapy?”
    “Well, yes. I think you could say that.”
    Anne led me outside. “I know your grief—yours and Jack’s—is unimaginable. And God knows five months is not long. But I have to help my daughter through this too. It’ll take time, so thanks for letting us use your studio. Maddy very much wanted to come here today.”
    Well, if I couldn’t help Kayla, at least I could help her best friend. “Would you like a key? I might not be home each time Maddy wants in. Today was a disaster at the office, but I’m probably going to work for Jack again.”
    “Is that such a bad idea?”
    “I’d rather be in there,” I replied, nodding at my retreat. Anne glanced away then, as though taking courage, held my gaze. “I noticed quite a few items under wraps. You’ve been busy. Do you smile, like Maddy does, when you’ve finished a piece? Does working here make you feel better?”
    She sounded concerned, not snarky, a dear friend wanting to help. But I didn’t have an answer. “I don’t know,” I whispered. “I’m just driven to making another one.”
    “I wish I were I psychiatrist,” she said, “instead of a book seller. Hey! Shall I bring home some books about grieving?”
    “No, thanks,” I replied. “I’ll figure it out on my own.”
    She turned down my offer of the key but left me with a hug and the promise of another walk around the lake very soon.
    Now all I wanted to do was take a nap. I’d boil hotdogs for dinner. Dinner! Jack! Dang. I’d almost forgotten about picking him up at the office.

Chapter 6
     
     
    IAN
    March-six months after accident
     
    “Have you told your dad yet?”
    I slammed my locker door, hoisted my backpack, and pushed my arms through the straps. “Yeah. Last night.” And I didn’t want to think about that conversation.
    “How loud did he yell?”
    Danny Goldberg had been my closest friend since Kindergarten. Now we were both in our high school honors program. He knew me better than my parents did, knew how to score a direct hit. Somehow he had a way of asking questions that