The Way Back to Happiness by Elizabeth Bass

Author:Elizabeth Bass [Bass, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, General, (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯)
ISBN: 9780758281425
Google: SZC6NAEACAAJ
Amazon: B00B60D8V6
Goodreads: 16158607
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2012-12-31T18:30:00+00:00

They were both right. That very evening, while Alabama was at Stuart’s—thank goodness—Dot Jackson called. It was the call Bev had been dreading, yet it caught her completely unawares.

Although she should have known. Even the ring of the phone sounded more pesky than usual before she picked it up.

“Bev? This is Dot Jackson,” the caller greeted her matter-of-factly. “I don’t imagine you’ve forgotten me.”

“Oh no,” Bev said. “I haven’t.”

They exchanged formal, halfhearted how-are-yous before Dot got right down to the crux of the matter. “I don’t need to tell you how disturbed Mother’s been after receiving the girl’s letter.”

Bev pursed her lips. “Mm. I can guess.” A guilty conscience will do that.

“We’re weighing the situation very carefully. Of course, we have no way of knowing . . .”

“Yes, you do.”

Dot snorted. “Let’s not mince words, Bev. I’m sorry about your sister, but Diana was no saint, and not exactly the most dependable person on the planet. And as you’ll recall, the last time our parents heard from your people, there was talk of another grandbaby . . .”

“You can drop that subject right now,” Bev said. “And if it’s ever mentioned to Alabama . . .”

“I have no intention of telling Alabama anything,” Dot said, cutting her off. “I only wanted to call to let you know that we’re taking these allegations very seriously.”

“Allegations?” Bev clenched her hand on the receiver. “She’s not an allegation—she’s a teenager.”

“But whose?”

“Tom’s. Your brother’s.”

“There’s a lot at stake with this, Bev,” Dot said. “Maybe Alabama doesn’t understand that, but I’m sure you do. In fact, I’m not convinced that you aren’t the guiding force behind all this.”

Anger made her hand shake so hard that it was all she could do not to slam the phone down. “I knew nothing about that letter. And believe me, I wasn’t particularly happy about it. But Alabama’s just lost her mother, and she’s reaching out for family.”

“And Mother’s just lost her husband last year, and she’s feeling vulnerable. I guess that didn’t occur to you.”

“I didn’t know until Alabama told me,” Bev said. “And I was sorry to hear about your father. But, again, the first I heard about the correspondence was when I read your mother’s reply. Which didn’t exactly fill me with warm fuzzies for reconnecting with the Jacksons, by the way.”

“We’re still weighing what to do next,” Dot said. “I only wanted to warn you not to get your hopes up . . . or the girl’s. And please—no more letters.”

“I don’t control the girl’s outgoing mail. Alabama’s fourteen. But I don’t think your mother’s reply struck her as being eager to hear from her again. She’s not a fool.”

“So she doesn’t take after Tom or Diana . . .” Dot let the statement dangle, and Bev could have sworn she actually heard the woman smirk. “Maybe she takes after you?”

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