“Does Judy know?”
I nodded. “Yes, she knows. She’s been a wonderful support, helping me with doctor’s appointments, medication…everything really.”
Diane took my hand in hers, her touch gentle and warm. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’ve had a wonderful life. Longer and better than many, and certainly more than I ever hoped for. Yes, the ending is bitter, but it’s not the ending that matters, is it? It’s the journey, and mine has been quite the adventure. And that’s why I think Andrew and I not being able to have children is a blessing. I would have hated myself had I brought a child into this world, only to pass this affliction onto them.”
Diane nodded, her eyes glossy with unshed tears. “That’s a brave perspective to have,” she said.
I shrugged. “Perhaps. Or maybe it’s just a woman trying to make sense of the hand she’s been dealt, trying to see a silver lining in an otherwise cloudy sky.”
33
Traversingthe long hallway that led back to the center of the house, Diane turned to me, her expression serious yet gentle. “If I haven’t said so already, you’re one of the strongest women I’ve ever met. I mean after all the ups and downs with Jack, and more recently with your diagnosis and the loss of your husband, you still stand tall, still find a way to smile. You are extraordinary.”
I gave a thin, appreciative smile, nodding slightly as we entered the foyer. “Speaking of Andrew, it’s funny, he’s been gone almost nine months, and I still find myself expecting him to come through the door any moment, with that mischievous grin of his and a story to make me laugh. It’s so eerie how an absence can feel so much like a presence.”
We rounded the corner and walked toward the grand staircase, its wooden balustrade reflecting the soft glow of the chandelier overhead.
“In my experience, that’s how it feels when you lose someone so deeply woven into the fabric of your life,” said Diane. “The heart takes time to reconcile with the mind’s truth.”
Turning left, we stepped into the library and settled in for the final time. My story was nearly complete, but there were still a few loose ends to tie up, a few pieces of the puzzle missing.
“Do you have any regrets?” Diane asked when she was ready.
Regrets. I had more than a few, but I decided to focus on the one that weighed the most heavily on my heart. “Just one. I wish I’d been able to find out what happened to Rosie’s child. Considering the promise Judy and I made, it’d be nice to know that she found a good home, that she was loved and cherished. But I guess some mysteries are destined to remain unsolved.”
“Speaking of mysteries, did they ever figure out who really killed Peter Sullivan?”
“Yes. It was Graham Walden, Peter’s associate. A few months after Rosie was set free, the FBI tracked him down and arrested him at a bar in Boston. As it turned out, Graham had been stealing from Peter for years. When Peter found out, he confronted Graham and that’s when Graham killed him.”
“Good heavens. And he was ready to let Rosie take the fall for his crime? How despicable.”
“I often think about the circumstances of that case, and I have mixed feelings about the whole thing.”
“What do you mean?”
“If Peter hadn’t been killed, Rosie would never have been charged with his murder. If that hadn’t happened, Andrew would never have come to Kitty Hawk, he’d never have asked me to work for him, and I would never have fallen in love with him or the law. So, in some respects, Peter’s death was the catalyst for my life taking a completely different, better direction. Ironic, isn’t it?” I took a sip of tea before continuing. “But then, I wonder if things would have been better if Peter Sullivan had never come into our lives. I think about Judy and myself. Where would we be today? What would we be doing? But mostly, I think about Rosie, and I can’t help but wonder if she’d still be with us.”
Diane nodded, a faraway look clouding her eyes. “If you could do it all over again—start from the beginning—would you change anything?”
It was a question I had asked myself a thousand times. I’d often thought about the little white lies I’d told along the way, the moments when I should have spoken, or the times I spoke when perhaps saying nothing at all was the wiser choice. I’d considered every possible scenario at one time or another, but I always came to the same conclusion. “Actually, I don’t think I’d change a thing,” I finally said. “Every decision, every mistake, every moment of joy and heartache… They’ve all shaped me into who I am today.”
Diane smiled at that,. “And what is that, may I ask? Who are you today? Are you really the ‘Iron Lady’ as many of your contemporaries claim?”
I took a moment, my wrinkled hands resting on the table between us. “No. I am not made of iron. Iron may be strong but it’s not flexible. It cracks under pressure, rusts, and decays with time. I've weathered storms that threatened to tear me apart, yet here I am, still standing. I’ve bent but never broken, scarred but never shattered. I am a beacon of hope for those who have lost their way…and a reminder of the past for those who dare to forget. No, I am not iron. I am a survivor.”
“Just like the lighthouse,” said Diane, her gaze shifting to the window, where the silhouette of the structure was visible in the evening haze. “A sentinel, standing tall in the face of the storm.”
“Yes,” I said, chuckling at the thought. “I suppose I am.”
Diane turned off the recorder and closed her notebook. After she’d put her things in her satchel, she looked up at me and said, “As much as I hate for this to end, I think I have all I need. It’ll take some time to organize my notes and write a first draft, but I should have something for you to look at by Christmas. Thankyou again, for everything. This week has been an unforgettable journey. Your story is truly remarkable.”
With a nod, I got up, my joints creaking from the weight of my years. “You’re welcome, dear. I’m just glad my story will finally be told. I hope it makes a difference to someone out there.”
We walked to the door together, our footsteps echoing in the hollow space.
“Are you sure you don’t want to join me for dinner?” Diane asked as she opened the door.
