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Jody had needed consolation herself the night before when Gloria had first phoned and there’d been a strong pair of arms to hold her It had helped tremendously

"How’s Tie the subject "I bet he’s getting excited for Christreat" Jody couldn’t talk about her rambunctious son and not smile "We chopped down a Christmas tree this weekend"

"All by yourselves?"

Jody hesitated, unsure if she should mention Glen or not This didn’t seem to be the appropriate tih heaven kneell past the ti and helped," she answered, being as diplomatic as she could

"A friend," Gloria repeated slowly, thoughtfully "Male or female?"

"Male" She couldn’t leave it at that She’d need to explain now "Glen’s an attorney orks at the same law firm I do"

"I see" Funny howhave you been dating thisother man?"

"Mom, it isn’t like that We’ve only been out a couple of ti" She stopped herself in ti "serious" Glen was serious He’d said as much from the first He wanted a wife and faure She needed a husband One ould laugh with her, one ould hold her when she needed to be held One ould fill the e clear to me now," Gloria said stiffly "No wonder you don’t want to hear about Jeff You’re involved with another man"

"Mother, that’s not true" This was an i uilt she experienced was nearly crippling

"The man who called from Germany knew that you’d divorced h this a thousand times or er It was for financial reasons"

"I was never satisfied with that excuse and you know it Both your parents and I wereto support you"

"Mom, please--"

"The man who called asked me about you and Timmy"

"Mo "It was a dreah voice rattled from the telephone receiver "Jeff’s alive"

"I realize it’s difficult for you to accept that I’ot on with h? Don’t you think it’s ti It happened like this nearly every tiine you plan to marry this other man?" Gloria continued, her voice filled with disdain

"I never said that"

"You can re I can do to stop you"

"I don’t knohat I’ for athe conversation

"That wouldfor my son to come home to, his wife married to another man"

"Mom, please don’t say that"

"You knohat I think?" Gloria said accusingly, knowing she had the upper hand "You don’t want Jeff to be alive You’ve made such a fine life for yourself that it would be inconvenient for you if he did turn up alive"

"You know that’s not true," Jody sobbed

"Do I, now? You have your new boyfriend, you don’t need Jeff anymore"

"Glen is a friend," she insisted

"That isn’t what you said earlier"

"I think it’s ti for what little composure remained

"That’s just fine withto tell Jeffto call me soon, and then I’ll tell him Then he’ll know the truth about you"

Chapter 14

Leah walked into her house and was greeted with the fresh, pungent scent of evergreen The decorator had arrived and set up the Christly beautiful

The flocked tree looked as if it belonged in the foyer of a classy hotel Glossy gold boere strung in one continuous ribbon froht red porcelain poinsettia floere syels Leah counted twelve In gold goitha uitar, a harp, a saxophone, a tuba, and flute A horn and tro the heavy white li into the living roo hers toward the Christmas tree, "what do you think?"

"It’s beautiful"

"I thought so too"