Secret Lives by Diane Chamberlain

Author:Diane Chamberlain [Chamberlain, Diane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Archaeology, luray cavern, journal, shenandoah, diary, cavern
Publisher: Diane Chamberlain
Published: 2012-02-03T04:41:12+00:00

Ben was quiet as he ate the food Eden brought. She didn't seem to mind his silence. She cut his roll for him and sliced his peach, then cleaned up the kitchen while he showered. And later they talked about Kyle and Lou, the site, the screenplay, as though the topic of his conviction had been dealt with long enough. It wasn't until she was nearly asleep, her arm across his stomach, that he forced himself to ask her, “Do you believe me?”

She sighed, raised herself up on one elbow to look at him. “I must,” she said. “Or I wouldn't be here with you. But there's one thing I keep pushing to the back of my mind because it bothers me so much.”

“What's that?”

“That you pled guilty. I'm sure I love Cassie as much as you love Bliss. Yet I would never have said I was guilty if I wasn't.”

He nodded, pulled her head back to his shoulder. “I agree. When I'm rational, it doesn't make a bit of sense.”

He felt her fall asleep. Her breathing slowed down, her arm grew heavy on his stomach. He felt drained. It was remembering the trial that exhausted him, and now the image of Bliss walking into that courtroom would not leave his mind. It was the last time he'd seen her.

They'd had some kind of booster seat for her and she'd climbed up, still clutching her monkey, a long-ago gift from Sam and Jen. They attached a small microphone to the collar of her dress and the prosecutor asked her her name.

“Bliss Azander.” She never could get that 'l' in there. The courtroom was quiet for the first time during the trial. Someone coughed and the sound bounced off the walls as the prosecutor continued with his gentle questions. Bliss was trying hard to please him. Someone had explained to her how important this was, how she had to tell the truth. A question—an easy one—confused her. Ben could see the fear in her eyes even from where he sat.

He leaned toward Barbara. “I can't stand this,” he said.

“Shhh.” She patted his hand with her cool, patronizing fingertips.

“No, I'm serious.” A drop of perspiration ran from his temple to his chin and he wiped it away with his handkerchief. “Call it off,” he said. “I'll say I did it. Just get her off the stand.”

“She's fine, Ben. She's doing—”

He stood up. “Your Honor, I'm innocent of these charges but I want to plead guilty to prevent my daughter from going through any more of this.”

Judge Stevens stared at him while Barbara jumped to her feet. “I'd like to request a recess, Your Honor,” she said.

“Good idea,” said the judge. He was a sixty-year-old man whose own daughter had been raped as a teenager; his life as a man and a magistrate would always be colored by that crime. “And please advise your client of the gravity of his action.”

“I don't need a recess,” Ben said to Barbara. “It's over. I want this to be over.

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