Beyond the Quiet Read online

  Walking next to the water, the soothing sounds of waves rolling onto the shore helped to ease some of the crushing pain. When a wave washed over my feet, I squealed like a child, delighting in the feel of the foamy water, desperately wishing Terry could be there to share it with me.

  The funeral had been a city affair with photographers and TV cameras. Out of respect for the length of time he and Betty had been married, I remained in the background and out of sight. That night she’d called.

  When I picked up the phone and realized it was Betty, I thought about hanging up. We’d been cordial at the hospital, but I couldn’t see us as having anything to talk about now.

  “Could you stop by the house, Lisa? Or perhaps it would be better if we met somewhere, perhaps Coco’s on Tennessee in Redlands.”

  “I don’t mean to be rude, but why do you want to see me?”

  “A couple of things. I saw you at the funeral today, and I want to thank you for honoring my marriage to Terry.”

  I didn’t want to think about the funeral, yet I could think of little else.

  “Lisa?”

  I nodded since I couldn’t speak.

  “Hello?” she asked.

  I swallowed. “I’m here.”

  “There’s something I have to give to you,” she said.

  “If it’s one of those keepsake memorials, I appreciate the thought, but can you just mail it?” I didn’t want to see her. I knew she must be suffering, but my own grief was too great to share with someone else.

  “It’s an insurance policy, Lisa. Terry signed one of his smaller policies over to you.”

  “An insurance policy?” He’d never mentioned it and I was stunned. “Are you sure?”

  “Of course I’m sure. He took it out three weeks before he died, and it’s perfectly legal. It even paid triple since his....” Her voice faltered. “...death...was caused by an act of violence and not his illness. You won’t be rich, but you’ll have a nice little sum.”

  “How much?”

  “A little over three hundred thousand.”

  Three hundred thousand. I almost dropped the phone. “But Betty, shouldn’t that be yours since Terry and I weren’t legally married?”

  “Terry was more than generous to me, Lisa, and I have enough with the sale of the house and his insurances. I know it probably sounds strange, but I really don’t mind. I’m glad he found some happiness at the end. It helps to wipe away my guilt over deceiving him for so long.”

  After a brief meeting over iced tea at Denny’s, I was overwhelmed—by the policy and by Betty. If she could show such generosity and forgiveness toward me, how could I not forgive?

  I called Jenna and consented to talk to Marsh. His mother brought him by and I told him the good things about his father and gave him some of the photos I had. At that moment, I wished I had another piece of Mac’s jewelry to give to him, but it all belonged to Shanna and Kyle now. If she wanted to share with Marsh, that would be her decision.

  A gust of wind blew my hair and I turned to gaze out over the water. The setting sun threw a reddish cast in the western sky, and in the distance, I could see the faint outline of Santa Catalina, an island on the horizon. While Catalina might be a normal island where tourists swarm daily, I’d always thought of it as a place of beauty and mystery, one of the sites I’d always longed to visit.

  Perhaps one day when I returned to the area, I’d take the boat ride and explore.

  A gentle breeze caressed my cheek.

  Good-bye, my darling. I’ll always love you.

  Shoes back on, I was ready to leave for Minnesota. I’d learned how precious life really was and I didn’t want to waste the rest of mine. I was going to show my daughter how much I loved her and try to make up for my past mistakes. I couldn’t wait to hug Kyle and cradle that new baby of hers next to my heart.

  Sitting with the motor idling, I looked out over the ocean again, at the island sitting on the horizon.

  Why wait until someday? Maybe I’d just take that boat ride to Catalina now.

  I called Shanna.

  “A change of plans, honey. I’m going to make a trip to Catalina. I might stay for a few days, then I’ll head out. But don’t look for me any time soon. I have a lot of country to see.”

  Then, using the mirrors, I carefully backed up my new Itasca motor home and swung around. At twenty-four-feet, the RV was large enough to have all the modern conveniences, yet small enough for me to handle. I’d sold all my possessions, even my car, and even though I owned nothing but the motor home, I felt gloriously alive.

  With the passenger seat full of maps and a list of the RV parks across the country, I clicked on my Yanni CD and headed out of the parking lot and into my new life, ready to face the future, whatever it might bring.

  * * *

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven