The Murderer's Daughter by Jonathan Kellerman Read Free Book Online Page B

doubtful.
    Grace said, “When did you start feeling anxious?” Deliberately downgrading from “scared.” It was her job to recontextualize.
    Bev said, “I guess…a few weeks ago.”
    “As the wedding date grew near.”
    Nod.
    “Until then, for the most part, would you say you were pretty happy?”
    “Yes. Of course.”
    “Of course…”
    “I’m marrying Brian. He’s wonderful.”
    “But…”
    “No buts,” said Bev. She burst into tears. “I feel disloyal! Like I’m cheating on Greg!”
    “You loved Greg. It’s only natural you’d feel obligated to him.”
    Bev sniffed.
    Grace said, “To everyone else, Greg is a memory. To you he’s the other man.”
    That unleashed another torrent of sobs.
    Grace let Bev cry for a while, then leaned in close and dried Bev’s eyes and squeezed her hand. When Bev took a deep breath, Grace settled her back in her chair in a posture of forced relaxation.
    In matters of healing, the body initiates and the mind follows.
Malcolm had told her that. Only once, but it stuck.
    And it worked: Bev’s facial muscles slackened. The tears stopped.
    Grace gave her the softest smile she could muster. Bev smiled back.
    A casual glance could register them as two pretty young women hanging out in a pleasant, well-lit room.
    When the time was right, Grace said, “Because Greg loved you so much, we know one thing for sure.”
    Bev looked at her through tear-smudged eyes. “What?”
    “He’d absolutely want you to be happy.”
    Silence.
    Finally, Bev said, “Yes, I know.” That sounded like a confession.
    Grace said, “Still, that bothers you.”
    No answer.
    Grace tried another tack. “Maybe instead of looking at Greg as laying siege to your emotions you could start thinking of him as a partner.”
    “A partner in what?”
    “The life that awaits you,” said Grace.
    “Life,” said Bev. As if the idea was distasteful.
    Grace said, “Let’s be clear: What you and Greg had together was profound. And profound things just don’t vanish because social niceties say they should. That doesn’t make you unfaithful to Greg. Or to Brian.”
    “But still,” said Bev. “I do feel unfaithful. Yes, you’re right, to both of them.”
    “To Greg for letting joy into your life. To Brian because you think about Greg.”
    “Yes.”
    “That makes total sense, honey. But think of it this way: The three of you—Brian and you
and
Greg—could tackle the agenda as a team.”
    “I…what agenda?”
    “The agenda of what lies in store for Bev. The agenda of Bev deserves to be happy,” said Grace. “Approved by unanimous voice vote.” She smiled. “For what it’s worth, I second the motion.”
    Bev shifted in her chair. Her lips set grimly. “I guess.”
    Grace knew she’d come on too strong. She let Bev sit there and ponder for a while and when Bev hadn’t shifted out of the relaxed position and her facial muscles had loosened again, she took
another
tack.
    “Officially, your wedding’s a celebration. But there’s no need for you to snap into joy instantaneously just because you’ve printed invitations and people will be sitting in church. An emotionally shallow person could pull that off. But you remember what I told you last year: You’re emotionally substantial.”
    Silence.
    “You feel deeply, Bev. You always have. Those stories you told me about taking care of wounded animals.”
    Makes two of us, girlfriend.
    Nothing from Bev. Then, finally, a slow nod.
    “Feeling deeply is a virtue, Bev. It allows life to take on meaning and at some point your joy will be even greater than if you’d simply drifted with the currents.”
    Long silence. “I sure hope so.”
    Grace placed a hand on Bev’s shoulder. “Of course you can’t see that, right now. How could you? But it’ll happen, there’ll be joy in your future but flavored with even greater depth than if you didn’t go through this, right now. That will be sweet.”
    Bev stared at her. Muttered, “Thank you.”
    Grace