What bothered her the most was there was still no apology, even now. Would it have made a difference? Probably not, but it was just one more thing on top of everything else. Leah’s mom had been an avid apologizer—something she’d instilled in Leah as a child. I’m sorry shouldn’t be painful to leave the lips. It was a gift for the giver and receiver. Leah never understood that as a child, but she did as an adult. Maybe that was Damon’s problem: he was more kid than grownup.
What a whirlwind... Everything is spinning at one time! Characters add to the confusion by their actions and dialogue... And yet, there is absolutely no clues to the whodunit! A rare occurrence when an author is able to weave the action into a fully explained plot without revealing clues on the way. And yet, it worked! Kudos to the writer!
Irene was unhinged, not homicidal. The two didn’t always go hand in hand. Or so Leah hoped. Either way, this had to stop. She took a shaky breath, exited the car, and started across the street. She was almost to the door when Irene lifted her head. The panic on her face was instant and unmistakable; so much so, that she almost knocked over her chair as she stood. It only bolstered Leah’s resolve. Leah stepped inside. They sized each other up. From across the street, Irene had looked put together with modest makeup and a nice blouse. Up close told another story. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her skin was ashen under the fluorescent lights. Her left sleeve was stained with coffee. Neither spoke. A radio played something jazzy from the corner, and even though Leah’s eyes never left Irene’s, she noted they were alone. “I saw you,” Leah said before she lost her nerve. “You were at my job earlier, watching me from your car.” She expected Irene to deny it. Irene didn’t. She only sat back at her desk. “And you were at my apartment last night,” Leah said. “My roommate, who was with me at the visitation, saw you in our parking lot. Did you go there to leave more hateful gifts at my door? Or maybe you were looking to spray-paint my car, like you did Damon’s house.” Irene’s jaw clicked. “What?” “Don’t lie to me. I know it was you—” “I haven’t done anything or talked to Damon in forever. He left me a message this morning, but he didn’t answer when I tried to call back. And why would I spray-paint your car or leave you hateful gifts, whatever that means?” “So you are going to deny it.” Irene dropped her eyes. Leah hadn’t been fully convinced it had been Irene in their parking lot last night, but after seeing her at Office Playground this morning, she now had no doubt. “It was me,” Irene said in a small voice. “I was at your apartment, and I went to your work today. But I haven’t done anything to you or your dad.” “I don’t believe you. You’re angry over Amanda, so you’re blaming me for her death, and blaming Damon for getting you pregnant.” Shock filled Irene’s face. “Amanda was the best thing that happened in my life. You think I blame Damon for giving her to me? I only blame you for taking her from me.” And there it was. Irene did blame Leah for the accident. Of course she did. Leah already knew this, but hearing the words spoken made it real. “Amanda called you for help,” Irene said. Her hands were trembling atop her desk. “You got angry and yelled at her. I read the report you gave to the police. I know everything.” Leah didn’t know what to say. She was here to stop Irene’s harassment; not be judged. Irene hadn’t been there that night. She hadn’t heard the things Amanda had said. How unreasonable she’d been. How cruel. But none of that mattered. Irene had lost her only child. Nothing Leah could say would change that. If Leah had simply given Amanda a ride, everything would have been fine. Until the next crisis. “What happened to Amanda was an accident,” Leah said for what felt like the umpteenth time. All the fight had gone out of her. “I didn’t know she was going to freak out and run away and get hit by a car. Blame me if you want. You think I don’t blame myself? I do. But I can’t change anything. All I can do is move on with my life . . . but I can’t do that with you stalking me. So what do you want? Just tell me.” Irene composed herself, if only a little. “I’m not stalking you,” she said evenly. “I’ve been trying to work up the courage to see you face to face so we can talk.” Leah crossed her arms. “And now we’ve talked and you’ve told me how you feel. So are we done with this? Or would you like to berate me more before I go? It won’t take much to make me feel worse than I already do.” Irene’s shoulders sagged. Apparently, all the fight had left her as well. “There’s a part of me that knows Amanda’s death was an accident,” she told Leah, “but every time I tell myself to accept that . . .” She dropped her clasped hands into her lap. “One minute, I think I’m okay, and then I think of you and that night, and I get angry again. I don’t want to be this way, but I can’t help it. I don’t know how to turn it off.” I know the feeling, Leah didn’t say, thinking of Damon. And she did. But that didn’t give Irene the right to harass Leah. If it was Irene doing it. Leah didn’t know what to think now. She was tired and wanted to be done. But there was still one question to be asked. “Someone has been messing with me and Damon,” Leah said. “If it isn’t you, then you could also be on their list. Has anything ‘bad’ happened to you recently?” Irene pursed her lips. “Other than the death of my daughter?” Not Leah’s best choice of words. “No,” Irene said. “I come to work, go home, and lie awake most of the night. Then I do it all over again the next day. Nothing changes.” “I’m sorry to hear that.” She leveled her gaze at Irene. “But if I see you outside my apartment or at my job again,” she said without malice, “I’m calling the police. Maybe they won’t do anything, but please . . . you have to figure out how to move on. You’re only making things worse for everyone.” Leah expected Irene to get defensive or angry, but Irene gave a submissive nod. There was nothing more to say. Leah moved to the door and heard Irene’s chair slide away from the desk. “Jake,” Irene said. Leah turned. Irene stood motionless with her palms on her shoulders, as if she were cold. “I’m sorry for being defensive,” Irene said. “You surprised me coming in here unexpectedly, and then tempers flared, and everything went downhill—” “What about Jake?” Leah asked cautiously. Irene shifted side to side as she spoke. “That’s what I wanted to talk with you about. I saw you with him at the cemetery. Jake’s a good man and a wonderful father. The world needs more people like him . . . and also like you, Leah. You’re decent and moral, just like your dad. Damon had a choice when he learned I was pregnant, and he owned up to what he’d done and asked me what I wanted. He didn’t run away.” Warning bells went off inside Leah’s head. She didn’t know where this was going or what it had to do with Jake, but the one thing Leah refused to do was listen to an explanation about their affair. “This isn’t about your dad,” Irene said, raising a hand. “All I’m saying is that people shouldn’t be alone. I’ve only ever had Amanda, and now that she’s gone, I’m lost without her. But that’s my cross to bear. I’m old and used to being by myself.” Her eyes took on a distant, glazed look. “Jake has his whole life ahead of him. Outside of Drew, Amanda was all he had. That boy needs a mother, and Jake needs companionship.” Leah’s skin tightened. “What are you saying?” “Amanda was your half-sister. If she’d married Jake, you and him would be family. In some ways, I already think of you as part of my family. We’re not related by blood or marriage, but we’re connected through Damon because of Amanda. Jake shouldn’t be alone. You’re young, like him, and single. If you and Jake hit it off . . . it’d almost be like him and Amanda being together. Don’t you see?” Leah couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She didn’t think Irene even knew what she was saying. “Just get to know him,” Irene said. “That’s all I’m asking. I can only comfort him so much. He needs someone his age to talk to. To commiserate with. He doesn’t have anyone else—” “I shouldn’t have come here,” Leah said, backing away. “You owe me,” Irene said sharply. “After what you did. You need to make it right. I’m not saying you have to fall in love—” “You’re as crazy as Amanda was,” Leah said without thinking. Now Irene was not only angry, but livid. Leah didn’t stick around for what came next. She bolted out the door and across the street to her car, never once looking back.
~~~~
Family Drama always reminds me of what they used to call "soap operas" where you could not watch the program for a year and then go back to find the same characters and easily pick up on the turmoil brewing with this character or the other. I'm not normally a fan, simply because it never concludes... So if you are a fan, this book is for you. I enjoyed it because there was something happening to the main character which actually became quite a mystery... And that is not solved until the very end. I missed it totally, so I was pleased...
As with a family drama, one just starts reading and will get to know the family as the book moves forward. Leah is the main character and is now in her 30s, having been estranged with her father for years, and especially after her mother died from a heart attack... Leah blamed the attack on her father having a one-night stand, which resulted in a child. Her mother said she forgave him, but was dead within three months, so Leah still held the pain of what her mother had gone through... Funny thing, though, the child, who had grown up with her mother had become an acquaintance, almost a friend to Leah. Admittedly Amanda had been thrilled to know she had a father who was also Leah's father...
Leah Chapman was going to die. But hopefully not tonight, she thought as she parked outside Murphy’s Bar. She’d never been inside, but she knew the place. Everyone did. It was your typical dive: no flashy lights or neon signs—just an old, windowless brick building with gravel parking out front and back. Rumor had it you could score everything from crack cocaine to hookers inside. Leah doubted that, as the town of Aurora was far from a bustling metropolis, but she had no interest in finding out. She assumed Amanda would be outside waiting for her, but no such luck. Amanda was lucky Leah had answered the incoming unknown call so late at night. Her reward? You have to come get me right now! Leah checked her phone. No new texts or calls. It’d been almost six months since she’d seen or talked to Amanda, but it wasn’t uncommon for her to resurface when in crisis. It also wasn’t uncommon for Leah to come to Amanda’s rescue, despite Emily’s insistence otherwise. Leah couldn’t count how many arguments with her roommate began with: Your thirty-year-old problematic half-sister isn’t your responsibility. With Amanda, you had two choices: get on board, or get out of the way. The good news was that once Amanda was inside the car, it usually only took a sympathetic ear to calm her down. Usually. Murphy’s front door banged open. Amanda, disheveled and looking as frantic as she sounded over the phone, clawed open the passenger door. “What took you so long?” Amanda fumed. “Drive!” Leah only stared. Amanda’s eyes were bloodshot, and her mascara had bled down her cheeks. She was barefoot—God only knew why—and her red dress clung so tightly to her curves that it was a wonder she could breathe. “Are you hurt?” Leah asked. “No. But we have to get to Deerfield.” “Is that a town?” Amanda ignored her as she tried to fasten her seatbelt. She couldn’t get it to latch, and when she looked up and saw Leah hadn’t started the car, her mouth dropped. “Didn’t you hear me? We have to go before they hurt Drew.” That statement might have been concerning from anyone but Amanda. “I can take you back to your apartment,” Leah said patiently, “but I’m not driving you to some random town for some new boyfriend who’s mixed up in something.” “Drew isn’t my boyfriend. He’s my son.” Leah took a calming breath. She didn’t know much about Amanda’s life before they’d met two and a half years ago, but she knew Amanda didn’t have kids. What Amanda did have was a recreational drug problem that usually involved hallucinogens. Sometimes a girl just needs to escape, was Amanda’s go-to answer when confronted. If Amanda stayed home while she was high, it might have been okay. But she never did, which meant friends and family always had to pick up the pieces. “Let me take you to Damon’s,” Leah said. It was the last place Leah wanted to go, but she wasn’t used to dealing with Amanda this far gone. “I don’t want to go to Dad’s; I need to go home.” “Right. I already told you I’d take you to your apartment. Are you still on Crandall Street—” “I don’t live there anymore. I haven’t for months . . . this is bullshit!” Amanda got out of the car, circled around the front, and made for the driver’s side door. Leah instinctively locked it and drew back. “Open up,” Amanda demanded. “If you won’t drive me, then move over.” “Get back in the passenger seat.” A pickup rolled into the lot and shuddered to a stop beside them. The guy behind the wheel wore an amused expression and a baseball cap that read: SHIT SHOW SUPERVISOR. Just in time, Leah mused. “Can you give me a ride?” Amanda asked the guy. He grinned. “What’s in it for me?” “Amanda,” Leah snapped, climbing out. To her relief, Amanda only swore at the guy before marching off. “Your loss,” he called after her. Leah caught up to Amanda, who was standing in the middle of the road, looking left to right. “What are you doing?” Leah asked. “I’ll find another ride.” “This is stupid. Let me take you to Damon’s.” “I already told you; I’m not going to Dad’s. I have to get to Deerfield.” “I don’t know where that is,” Leah said evenly, “and even if I did, that’s not a good idea. How about this? Let me take you back to my apartment. You can stay with me and Em for the night.” “I don’t need your pity. I need a ride. You think I wanted to call you? I had no choice. Jake didn’t answer, and then I tried Mom, then Dad... everyone ignored me like they always do.” “Who’s Jake?”
But one night Leah received a call from Amanda that she needed her to drive her to pick up her son--that he was in danger... Whoa... First of all, Leah did not know Amanda had a son, so was having trouble trying to piece what she'd said even after the call ended. But Amanda didn't look well and Lena didn't think she should take her... Later that night Amanda had been hit and killed in a car accident... Leah was left feeling that once again, a death had occurred and she didn't understand what had actually happened, so she began to investigate... by going to the funeral and looking to see if she could find a child...
She did see one, saw a man he was with and knew that he was the father. Later, as Leah was seeking answers, she got to know a little about him, discovered that he and Amanda had been living together, but that Drew was the son of his former wife, who had left them... Leah was feeling guilty, even though everybody with whom she talked said that it was an accident. Still, was the little boy really in danger. His father didn't seem to think so...
Adding to her confusion, Leah was soon to meet Parker, a guy that you couldn't help but like, except if he came out and told you that she was now his sister!
Yeah, her father had gotten married--they were on their honeymoon--and Parker called Leah because her father's house had been vandalized with spray paint. He asked if she could come over. He couldn't reach his mother or her father...They had said they would not be using phones... Leah could not believe that, though this was not really an emergency, that if there was they still could not reach them... They called the police and reported it, but, of course, if didn't look likely that whoever did it would be found...
But that was not the end of it, Soon a bouquet of flowers and a doll was left at the door of Leah's apartment... She lived with Em, her best friend, but had conflicting work schedules... There were a couple of guys who worked in their apartment house that maybe would know something... Soon lies were coming, confusing the issue... As Leah thought Irene, Amanda's mother could be involved since Leah had failed to respond to her daughter's call...
Lots of options and Leah was tracking each one down to question. Since Parker had already notified Leah of her father's remarriage, he began trying to reach her. He had cared for Amanda, calling them both his girls, even though Leah resented how it had all occurred...
Thing is, that the entire book was involved with trying to find out who did what to whom... It makes for a suspenseful hold on readers and indeed has a thrilling ending... Yeah, it all came out in the end, but somehow there was not a feeling of completion... a satisfaction that the story was effective. Sure, it was logical and understandable, but so many lies were occurring along the way that I realized that if people had no ulterior motives, then the plot would not have been possible... I felt it was more like today's world, where lies and "spinning" tales were so common that we no longer know what truth is...
Leah and her father did agree to keep in touch, but the family dynamic was left hanging--not for the same reason, but still unsure--not back to normal... Is this what we face in today's world now? Where everybody seems to want to play the blame game and accuse somebody else who had little to do with a situation, just so the aggrieved individual can feel avenged? It's funny, I somehow felt cheated that lies told by various people were what makes it suspenseful and thrilling. A sad commentary, in my opinion, for today's world.
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