The Courage Tree - Diane Chamberlain [46]
Joe never directly blamed her for Sophie’s illness, but she knew how he felt about her serving in the reserves, and every time he read about a sick child of a Desert Storm soldier, he passed the article to her in silence. That’s when she and Joe slipped into the quiet, end stage of their marriage. They related only with regard to Sophie’s needs. Her illness consumed them. Joe had an affair, and Janine, in a fit of rage and pain, told him she wanted a divorce. She and Sophie moved into the cottage at Ayr Creek. It had been an unwelcomed move, but they could live there for free, and her parents could help care for Sophie.
“Have I been a good father?” Joe’s voice, coming from the passenger seat of the car, startled Janine out of her memories.
She glanced at him. He was staring straight ahead, but she doubted he could see the road for the tears in his eyes. He had been a poor husband, who’d offered her little support in pursuing her dreams, who’d manipulated her with guilt about Sophie’s illness, and who’d ultimately betrayed her in the most painful way one partner could betray another. But he had always loved Sophie. He would give his life for his daughter.
“Yes, Joe,” she said. “You have been an excellent dad.”
CHAPTER TEN
Lucas told the other two gardeners to work in the perennial beds near the woods, while he elected to prune the hedges close to the mansion. The men had looked at him with surprise, since he usually would have delegated the pruning task to them, and he said nothing to explain the change in his instructions. He needed mindless work today, and he also wanted to be close to the mansion. What was going on? Had they heard anything? He’d even worn his cell phone, hoping that Janine would call him with the news that Sophie had been found. He needed that news. He needed it more than anyone could imagine.
Janine had called him very early that morning, while she waited for Joe to pick her up so that they could once again trace the route from the camp. He knew by the gravelly sound of her voice that she had not slept. Neither had he. How did two girls and one adult simply disappear? His best guess was that the leader had taken off with them, for whatever strange and scary purpose. Maybe she just took them someplace for some fun. A pizza dinner and a night in a motel watching television. It didn’t seem like a realistic option, but neither did anything else he could think of.
He turned off the electric clippers for a moment to rest his hands. His wrist throbbed beneath the splint, and he hoped he was not doing himself permanent damage. Standing next to the boxwood, he looked toward Janine’s cottage. He could picture Sophie running out the front door, laughing, with the energy and joy that had been new to her since she’d been in the study. Damn, this wasn’t fair. That little girl was just starting to live.
Sophie would have known she needed to get her IV today, but although she acted brave when it came time for that miserable two-hour treatment, she was not above wanting to miss it. He knew that Janine had not told her what would happen to her if she did miss it, not in specific terms, anyway. Sophie would probably delight in the opportunity to skip a session with Herbalina.
He could imagine the conversation in the leader’s car.
“Tomorrow I have to get Herbalina,” she would have said.
“Who on earth is Herbalina?” the leader would have responded.
“It’s not a who.” Sophie would giggle, her freckled nose wrinkling. “It’s medicine. The doctor calls it Herbalina, ’cause it’s made out of herbs and plants and things.”
“What does it taste like?” Perhaps it would be the other little girl asking that question.
“I’ve never tasted it.” It would be like Sophie to give a little wiseass answer to that question. “I get it in my arm. In a vein.”
“That must hurt,” the leader might say.