understood.
Chapter 14
“S he’s not a baby. She has three kids of her own, Christopher.” Liesel rubbed lotion into her elbows and arms, then squirted another palmful and started to work on her thighs and calves and butt. Her skin got so dry in the winter, itching, and it drove her crazy. “I’m sure she’ll be fine here by herself.”
Christopher looked at her from over the top of his glasses. He had a finger shoved into the middle of a thick book, a biography of some rock star whose music he didn’t even listen to. “Yeah, and she escaped with her life from a crazy cult that just all offed themselves only what, two days ago? I’m just saying, I don’t think it’s a good idea for her to be left alone.”
Liesel flipped back the comforter and slid beneath the flannel sheets. “Lower your voice! Do you want her to hear you?”
Her husband would certainly never win any awards for subtlety, but at least he managed to drop his voice to something just above a whisper. “You’re the one who thought it would be such a great idea for her to stay here. And I’m not saying you’re wrong,” he added before she could interrupt. “I think we’re the only place she has to go. But there’s no question that she needs some attention. I mean, for God’s sake, the police will probably want to talk to her again, and didn’t they say something about the possibility of another social worker coming out for another inspection or something? Didn’t you see her face splashed all over the TV? They’re calling her the Angel of Superior Bliss or some such shit. Soul Survivor. Christ. What a bunch of crap.”
Reporters had been calling, too, though so far none of them had shown up at the house. Liesel and Christopher had let the phone ring without answering. Their voice mail had filled up with messages.
Her neck and shoulders still ached. The bruises from her fall had bloomed spectacularly. Yesterday and today had been spent dealing with all the official stuff that went along with the tragedy. Another day at home wouldn’t be such a bad thing. It just wasn’t as easy for her to get time off as it was for Christopher, who got vacation and sick time.
“You should do it,” she said, leaving the reason unspoken because she’d said it so many times already. Sunny was his daughter. His responsibility.
Again he peered at her over his glasses. “I have meetings. I can’t just cancel a national conference call to stay home and play patty-cake.”
It was so much more than that, but she could see by the set of his jaw that he wasn’t going to budge. Liesel sighed. “You know what a hassle it is if I call in. They count on me there.”
Christopher rolled his eyes. “It’s not like we’re going to go hungry if you miss a few days’ pay.”
His comment probably hadn’t meant to sound as derisive as it did, and Liesel tried hard not to take it that way. “Wow, thanks.”
Christopher shrugged. “Maybe if you miss a few days, they’ll see how much they need you there and appreciate you more. Did you ever think of that?”
She found a laugh for that. “Oh, that’s hardly likely.”
Liesel had been working at a local print shop for what felt like forever. Owned by a husband-and-wife team who’d been in the printing business for thirty years, the shop did a little of everything, from mugs to T-shirts to calendars, and Liesel did a little bit of everything for them—some accounting, some sales, almost all the design.
“I told you. I’ve got meetings. I can’t miss them,” Christopher said flatly. “Besides, you’re better with all that…stuff.”
“You’re going to have to find a way to be better with it, Christopher.”
He shrugged, focused on the book she knew he wasn’t really reading.
“You were okay with them when I took her shopping. You had a good time playing Candy Land with them, didn’t you? They’re sweet kids.”
He shrugged again. “They’re fine.”
“They’re your
Chapter 14
“S he’s not a baby. She has three kids of her own, Christopher.” Liesel rubbed lotion into her elbows and arms, then squirted another palmful and started to work on her thighs and calves and butt. Her skin got so dry in the winter, itching, and it drove her crazy. “I’m sure she’ll be fine here by herself.”
Christopher looked at her from over the top of his glasses. He had a finger shoved into the middle of a thick book, a biography of some rock star whose music he didn’t even listen to. “Yeah, and she escaped with her life from a crazy cult that just all offed themselves only what, two days ago? I’m just saying, I don’t think it’s a good idea for her to be left alone.”
Liesel flipped back the comforter and slid beneath the flannel sheets. “Lower your voice! Do you want her to hear you?”
Her husband would certainly never win any awards for subtlety, but at least he managed to drop his voice to something just above a whisper. “You’re the one who thought it would be such a great idea for her to stay here. And I’m not saying you’re wrong,” he added before she could interrupt. “I think we’re the only place she has to go. But there’s no question that she needs some attention. I mean, for God’s sake, the police will probably want to talk to her again, and didn’t they say something about the possibility of another social worker coming out for another inspection or something? Didn’t you see her face splashed all over the TV? They’re calling her the Angel of Superior Bliss or some such shit. Soul Survivor. Christ. What a bunch of crap.”
Reporters had been calling, too, though so far none of them had shown up at the house. Liesel and Christopher had let the phone ring without answering. Their voice mail had filled up with messages.
Her neck and shoulders still ached. The bruises from her fall had bloomed spectacularly. Yesterday and today had been spent dealing with all the official stuff that went along with the tragedy. Another day at home wouldn’t be such a bad thing. It just wasn’t as easy for her to get time off as it was for Christopher, who got vacation and sick time.
“You should do it,” she said, leaving the reason unspoken because she’d said it so many times already. Sunny was his daughter. His responsibility.
Again he peered at her over his glasses. “I have meetings. I can’t just cancel a national conference call to stay home and play patty-cake.”
It was so much more than that, but she could see by the set of his jaw that he wasn’t going to budge. Liesel sighed. “You know what a hassle it is if I call in. They count on me there.”
Christopher rolled his eyes. “It’s not like we’re going to go hungry if you miss a few days’ pay.”
His comment probably hadn’t meant to sound as derisive as it did, and Liesel tried hard not to take it that way. “Wow, thanks.”
Christopher shrugged. “Maybe if you miss a few days, they’ll see how much they need you there and appreciate you more. Did you ever think of that?”
She found a laugh for that. “Oh, that’s hardly likely.”
Liesel had been working at a local print shop for what felt like forever. Owned by a husband-and-wife team who’d been in the printing business for thirty years, the shop did a little of everything, from mugs to T-shirts to calendars, and Liesel did a little bit of everything for them—some accounting, some sales, almost all the design.
“I told you. I’ve got meetings. I can’t miss them,” Christopher said flatly. “Besides, you’re better with all that…stuff.”
“You’re going to have to find a way to be better with it, Christopher.”
He shrugged, focused on the book she knew he wasn’t really reading.
“You were okay with them when I took her shopping. You had a good time playing Candy Land with them, didn’t you? They’re sweet kids.”
He shrugged again. “They’re fine.”
“They’re your
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