Addison’s nostrils flared. “I love her, and she needs me. She’s all alone, just like I am. I’m sorry, Gabriel, but you need to go home without me.”
Gabriel knelt before her. “But Addy, I love you. I want you with me.”
She held up her palms. “No, Gabriel. You’re a good man. You’ll find someone who loves you the way you deserve to be loved.” She closed her eyes, rubbing her forehead as if in pain. “Things are so complicated. I have a lot of work to do to find my way back to myself. I can’t ask you to wait while I do that.”
“You’re not asking me to wait. I want to.”
When she opened her eyes, they were full of resolve. “That’s not fair to you. You should go back to Philadelphia and forget about me. All I’ve done is bring you pain.”
“You brought me joy, too, Addy. So much joy. I’ll leave now, but when you’re ready, I’ll be here.” Gabriel touched her lightly on the arm and kissed her cheek before he stood and turned to go.
Blythe felt an immense flood of relief. She’d done all she could to find the truth about Addison. She’d fought for her, but she believed now more than ever that their marriage would have been a troubled and difficult one. She rose from her chair and turned to Ed. “I know you and Gigi will want to stay. Gabriel and I can take a car to the airport and fly home.”
“I’m happy to drive you to the airport, Blythe,” Ed said.
She waved her hand. “No, no. You need to find a hotel and get settled. I know Addison will be happy to have you here.” She looked at Addison. “Goodbye, Addison. And good luck.”
Addison stood and embraced her. “Thank you, Blythe. You were always kind and generous to me. I’ll never forget that. You taught me a lot about what a mother should be—loving and protective but knowing when to let go and support your child’s dreams. I hope I’ll do as good a job with Valentina.”
Blythe looked at the young woman standing in front of her and wished that things had turned out differently. She was glad that the truth had finally come out, though. She took Gabriel’s arm in hers, and they walked out the door together. It was time for a fresh start for all of them.
??63??
Amelia
“It’s time, Amelia. I believe you’re ready.” I’ve been seeing Dr. Anita Pearlson for six months, and she looks at me now in encouragement.
“I . . . I’m not sure I am,” I tell her. “It feels like I’m standing on the edge of a mountain, and if I take a step I’ll fall off. And keep falling.”
Her face relaxes, and I see understanding in her eyes now. “I promise you that this step will only take you to firmer ground. The more you remember, the less you will fear.”
I close my eyes. Dr. Pearlson takes me back to that day a little over two years ago, and we begin.
I remember leaving the aquarium alone. I was going to surprise Julian by coming home early and leaving Valentina with a friend for the night. I see it so vividly—the quiet and empty rooms when I entered the house and the basement door ajar, which was unusual. I descended the stairs to the wine cellar to find another opening into a small room, one I’d never seen before. Julian was sitting there, his back to me, facing the wall, talking in a quiet voice. He didn’t know I was standing behind him, listening, but I heard everything he said, every shocking word.
My darling Cassandra, I miss you every minute of every day. I will never love her the way I love you. But she’s good to Valentina, and she tries her best. You will always be my truest love, but she needs me. Was sent to me, I believe, to fill in the huge hole you left. She suffered trauma just like you did, only it was at the hands of her own father. Oh, Cassandra, we would still be together if only you hadn’t gone looking at something you shouldn’t have. We could be sitting together right now, drinking wine, listening to music, talking, flirting, laughing. But you left me no choice.
I couldn’t stop looking at the enormous wedding portrait of Julian with a different woman. It didn’t make sense. Who was she, and why was he calling her Cassandra? And then I heard him say he’d never meant to hurt her, that it was an accident. He begged her forgiveness and said he was sorry that he’d had to bury her in the backyard. I stood rooted to the ground, trying to stifle the scream that was surging to a crescendo inside me. And Julian kept talking, as if the woman in the picture was going to respond. When he turned to me with a sudden jerk, his eyes blazing, I realized that the scream had burst forth from me. I was wailing and sobbing, my body shaking, as he came toward me. I backed up, gasping for breath, and all I could think was Run, run for your life.