The Shadow Wife

Joelle thought back to the scene in Mara’s room, wondering what Carlynn had gathered in those few awkward moments. She was about to tell the older woman she was imagining things, but found herself nodding, instead.

“Yes,” she said.

“Come in.” Carlynn nodded toward the house. “Turn off your car, come inside, and let’s talk.”

Obediently, Joelle turned off the ignition, stepped out of the car and walked with Carlynn up to the front door of the mansion.

Mrs. McGowan, the housekeeper with the Irish accent, greeted them at the door and took Carlynn’s handbag from her.

“Have you two met?” Carlynn looked from the housekeeper to Joelle.

“Yes, indeed.” The housekeeper smiled. “She thought I was you at first.”

Carlynn laughed at that, and Joelle blushed.

“We’re going in the library for a little chat,” Carlynn said to Mrs. McGowan. “Please let Alan know we’d rather not be disturbed.”

“Would you like something to nibble while you’re there?” the housekeeper offered.

“Please, dear.” Carlynn then took Joelle’s elbow and walked slowly with her through the living room and into the library. A large room, though not nearly as big as the living room, the library had one wall of windows looking out on the sea and cypress, and three walls covered from floor to ceiling with books.

Joelle sat at one end of the leather sofa, while Carlynn sat at the other, turning to face her. Behind Carlynn’s head, Joelle could see the evening fog rolling in, pink-tinged from the falling sun.

“So, tell me,” Carlynn said, folding her hands in her lap once again. “Tell me what made you freeze up when Liam walked into the room.”

“Did I freeze up?” Joelle asked.

“You did, indeed.” Carlynn wore a small frown.

“I hadn’t told him I’d contacted you to see Mara,” Joelle said. “He’s even more skeptical about healers than I am, so I hadn’t really wanted him to know.”

Carlynn tipped her head to the side. “And what else?”

“What else is that…I’m in love with him.” She blurted out the words, but Carlynn did not look the least bit surprised.

“Yes,” the older woman said gently. “I know.”

“How could you possibly know?”

“Because it was written all over your face when he walked in and when you watched him kiss his wife,” she said. “I didn’t need to possess any special gift to see that.”

Joelle shut her eyes and covered one side of her face with her hand. She felt exposed. “It’s so complicated,” she said.

“Tell me.”

Lowering her hand from her face, Joelle leaned back against the cool leather of the sofa, letting out a sigh. “Well,” she said slowly, “I told you how I fixed them up, right?”

Carlynn nodded.

“At that time, I just liked Liam a great deal, and I loved Mara.”

“Yes, she was your closest friend,” Carlynn said. “Your confidante. A sister you never had.” It had been weeks since she’d last spoken to Carlynn about this, but the woman seemed to remember their conversation well.

“Right.” Joelle nodded. “And they were so very wonderful together. They were perfect. I had no bad feelings about it at all…well, except a bit of envy because I knew how good their marriage was and how lousy mine was. My ex-husband and I would go out with them from time to time, but Rusty, my ex, just didn’t fit in. He was very quiet. Into computers. Into working with machines instead of working with people, the way Liam, Mara and I were. After Rusty and I divorced, Mara and Liam were very good to me. They always included me in parties they had, and they asked me out with them now and then, even though I was single.” Other couples with whom she and Rusty had been friends had faded away, but not Mara and Liam. “Mara and I still had lunch together once a week or so, and we’d go hiking every once in a while. She never let her marriage cut into our…girl-time.” Joelle shook her head. “I miss her so much,” she said.

“I’m sure you do,” Carlynn said, and it suddenly occurred to Joelle that Carlynn had lost a flesh-and-blood sister, a twin. She probably understood completely what Joelle’s life was like now that Mara was no longer an active, contributing part of it.

There was a knock on the library door.

“Come in,” Carlynn said, looking past Joelle to the door.

The elderly man Joelle had previously seen working in the garden entered the room, bearing a tray of sandwiches and iced tea. He lowered it to the coffee table in front of them.

“Thanks, Quinn,” Carlynn said. “This is Joelle, by the way, a new friend of mine.” She motioned toward Joelle. “Joelle, this is Quinn.”

“Hello, Quinn.” Joelle nodded a greeting at the man.

“How do you do,” he said, then turned to Carlynn. “Do you need anything else?”

“No, thank you,” Carlynn said. “You’re a love.”

Quinn turned and started for the door, smiling at Joelle as he passed her, and she thought, although she was not certain, that he winked at her before shuffling away.

God, he seemed far too old to be working! And Mrs. McGowan had to be near seventy. Joelle doubted there would be many people willing to hire such old-timers. It was kind of Carlynn to keep them on.