The Case of Lucy Bending by Lawrence Sanders

Author:Lawrence Sanders [Sanders, Lawrence]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Suspense, cookie429, Kat, Extratorrents
ISBN: 9789995192228
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 1981-12-31T13:00:00+00:00

He caught that "mommy and daddy." He thought it might have

been the first time she used the words. Heretofore it had been

"mother and father" or "parents." The "mommy and daddy" sounded like a regression, the usage of a younger child.

"I didn't say your parents didn't love you, Lucy, and you know it. I

just asked you if they had ever hurt your feelings, if they had ever

made you wonder if they loved you as much as you thought."

"Well, they never did. They never hurt my feelings. So there."

"Then why are you crying?"

"I guess I didn't understand what you meant, Doctor Ted," she said blithely. She opened her plastic purse, took out a little hanky, dabbed

at her wet eyes and cheeks. "My goodness, I must look a mess."

But he was in no mood for compliments, or even reassurance.

"Lucy," he said, "let's play a little game. All right?"

"What kind of a game?" she said suspiciously.

"I want you to tell me the first things you remember happening to

you."

She puzzled that out. "You mean when I was just a little kid?"

"Correct. How far back can you remember?"

"Well ..." she said, happy again with this game, "once I fell down the stairs; I remember that."

"How long ago was that?"

"Oh, a long, long time ago. I was just a baby."

"How old do you think you were when you fell down the stairs?"

"My goodness, I'll bet I was like three years old. Maybe two."

"Can you remember anything else?"

She pondered. "I can remember when Harry was a little baby. He

was so chubby and pink and cute. He's five now, so that was over four

years ago. I can remember my father tossing me up to the ceiling.

He'd throw me up high and then catch me. I loved that. But then I

guess I got too heavy for him to throw because he stopped it. And I . .

." Her voice faded.

"Yes?" Levin prompted.

"I think once, when I was very little, I had a bad dream or

something, and my mother let me come into her bed. I'm not sure

about that, but I seem to remember it. I remember how nice she

smelled."

"That's fine, Lucy. You're remembering way back. Now, Harry was

born five years ago; you remembered how he looked as a baby. What

do you remember happening after Harry was, say, a year old? Do you

remember things that happened four years ago?"

"I was in nursery school; I remember that."

"Do you remember anything that happened at home?"

"When I was four? Well, there were parties and stuff. It's all mixed

up."

"Memories usually are," he said encouragingly. "Do you remember any special party?"

"There was one," she said vaguely, "with a lot of people."

"In your home?"

"Yes."

"What was special about it?"

"Well, it was the first party where they let me stay up past my

bedtime. I could come downstairs and eat from the same table as the

grown-ups."

"That sounds like fun."

"Yes, and I had a new dress. Not like this one," she added, plucking at her skirt, "but a little girl's dress—you know? And there was music.

I remember now! And my father danced with me.

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