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My dad began to shiver uncontrollably, as if winter had co room Had Mom told the truth? Was he the one as behind all the deaths in our lives? I was scared too, for I loved him

"Great God, Catherine," he said at last, rising to his feet and heading toward their bedroos and move out before the hour is over, if that's what you want And I hope you're satisfied This time, you win!"

In one single graceful bound, she was on her feet and running after hiht hold of his ar her ar "Chris!" she cried out, "I'm sorry! So sorry I didn't mean a word I said It was cruel, and I know it I love you; I've always loved you; I lie, I cheat, I say anything I want to get my way I'll put the blame on anyone I can't bear it as ht to denyeveryone I love I do destroy what I care about ht kind of person I would have found the right words to say to Carrie, but I didn't say anything right to her then, and nothing right to Julian either"

She still clung to him while he stood like a tall stick of wood in her e to return all the passion she lavished with her words, her kisses, her embraces She took one of his li, she slapped her own face with her free hand

"Why don't you hit ht And I don't have to have Cindy, not when I have you, and my sons"

I could tell uish she displayed Her histrionics had driven hih to reason out his position But she was at hiain: "What's thenothing, trying to judge nize the truth--that I don't have any ethics! You want to believe I a a role, like our mother played hers Even now, after all these years, you can't tell when I' and when I'm not Do you knohy?" Now her voice became nasty, cynical "Since you have never bothered to analyze my pathetic case, I'll do it for you Christopher, you are afraid to look at me honestly You don't want to knohat I a you now is the reala fool You would discover then you have based your great unselfish love on a wo and utterly selfish Go on, see the truth! I'oddess and never was, never will be! Chris, you've been a fool all your adult life, trying toI'hed as he paled

"Look at me, Christopher Who do I remind you of?" She pulled back and looked at hi time as she waited When he refused to answer she said, "Coht? This is the way she was that last night in Foxworth Hall when the guests were there swar about the Christ as I' out how her father beat her and made her do what she did What a pity you weren't there So yell atand show you're human!"

Slowly, slowly he was losing his teht happen next I wanted to rush in and stop as going on, for if he did raise his hand to strike her, I'd run to her defense I'd never let him hit my mother

Did she hear o of hiain I was so confused to see the at it And as the na up hidden fears I didn't want to co about? And where had Daddy Paul been at this time?--at this too distant tier brother?--or so they'd told me Did parents tell lies?

Foxworth Hall, why did that have such a fa?

Once more he went down on his knees beside her, and this tireat tenderness he took her in his arht him off His quick kisses rained on her pale face, his lips trying to s anyway "Chris, how can you keep on lovingwhy I'ly so often? I know I'ive my life to undo the harm she's done us"

Without a word he locked eyes with her until their breathing began to come in short pants Between thenited, caught fire, and soled my skin too

Lest I see toovision of the about on the floor still onat each other, both wild-- and the last thing I heard was a zipper being pulled His or hers, I didn't know Though I wondered about it Did a woman ever pull down a man's fly zipper of her own free will--even a wife?

I ran into the garden In the dark, near the great white wall, near a pale, nude statue of round and cried Rodin's statue "The Kiss" was the first thing I sahen I looked up Just a copy, but it told s

I'd been a child believing rity was flawless, their love a brilliant, smooth ribbon of unbroken satin Noas tattered, stained and no longer shining Had they argued many times and I just hadn't heard? I tried to remember It seeument before, only brief conflicts that had been soon resolved