~ * ~
“Izzy, you’re making a huge mistake. Call Owen. See him again. You can’t let Rick control your life like this.” Jenny turned from the window in Becky Lee’s home. Tough love. That’s what Izzy needed most.
“I already told her that, but she won’t listen.” Becky Lee sighed. “Rick has been nothing but trouble since the day you met him, Izz.”
“I expected you two to understand and support my decision.” Bella got up from the sofa and wandered over to the bookcase, running her finger down the spine of one of the old cookbooks. “Jeremy is so unhappy, too. I just couldn’t take it anymore.”
As far as Jenny was concerned, Jeremy was just taking a page from his father’s book and learning to control Izzy at a young age. “Jeremy will get used to it in time. You can’t go your whole life alone because of Rick and Jeremy’s threats.”
“Jeremy isn’t threatening me.”
“He’s manipulating you, Izz.”
“How can you say that to me? He’s a little boy. His life has been turned upside down with his parents getting divorced. He just needs things not to change for a while.” Izzy’s eyes burned with protective defiance.
“You know I love you, Izz, but you are letting both of them manipulate your life. Since when does your child get to choose what’s best for you? It doesn’t work that way. And Jeremy was perfectly fine with Rick getting remarried. You going to stay single forever, or not even date just to keep the Hardy males happy?”
“Jenny, you are way out of line.” Bella turned to face her.
“Actually, I think Jenny is right. It’s time you stood up to Rick, and explained to Jeremy that you have your own life to live.” Becky Lee stood up and crossed the room to Bella. She reached out and touched her friend’s arm. “It really is time. I can’t stand to see you this unhappy. Owen was so good for you. You laughed again. You were that happy, positive-outlook woman again. We were so glad to have you back.”
“You’re now that under-Rick’s-spell woman again. I thought you were past that.” Jenny crossed over to Bella. “You come alive when you’re with Owen. We want that for you.”
“You two are ganging up on me, right when I need your support most.”
“No, we’re trying to keep you from making a big mistake.” Jenny wished her friend would listen to reason.
“It’s my decision to make. I can’t believe, after all these years, you wouldn’t stand by me.”
“We’ll always stand by you, Izz. We just want you to be happy,” Becky Lee assured her friend.
“You know. Just never mind. I’m sorry I even came over to talk to you two. I thought you’d understand. You just… don’t. I don’t need more pressure from you two.” Bella brushed past Jenny and went to pick up her purse.
“Izz, don’t leave all mad,” Jenny pleaded with her friend.
Bella didn’t even look at them, she just opened the door.
“Izz…” Becky Lee called out.
Jenny and Becky Lee were met with the door closing firmly behind Bella. For the first time in so many years of friendship, a deep rift tore the three of them apart. Jenny’s heart tightened in her chest as a wave of sadness washed over her. Becky Lee looked up, took her hand, and squeezed it. A wave of harsh uncertainty settled over them. The two friends crossed over to the front window and watched Bella back her car up and then drive away down the street.
“We’ll fix it,” Jenny whispered.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Madeline had finished knitting her first scarf late last night. She couldn’t shake the feeling that it was a good omen about finding Paul, as silly as that sounded.
Josephine had called her a while ago and told her about Catherine hiding the letter, meeting Paul, and telling him that Josephine wanted nothing to do with him. Madeline could hear the controlled anger, and then the sadness in Josephine’s voice. She’d promised Josephine that she’d do everything she could to find Paul.
This morning Madeline flipped open her laptop on the writing desk. She hadn’t searched for Paul for over a week, and wanted to get back at it. The light from the laptop illuminated the corner of the room. She’d placed a vase of flowers on the corner of the desk and hung a painting on the wall above it. Little bits of decorating. Making the house feel more like a home.
She punched up the search engine and got to work. With her first search a list of possible leads popped up. The third one drew her attention. An art gallery on The Plaza in Kansas City was having an exhibit this very weekend. The artist was O. Clark. They were having an open house for him tomorrow night.