Peter sat in his car across the street from the restaurant staring at his phone. He had felt guilty for leaving Irena alone for the night and tried to call her three times, without success. He knew she was there, having called the house and spoken to her father, she just refused to answer her phone. William told him about the argument with Sabrina, and though he said it didn’t seem to make a difference to Irena at the time, she had been solemn the rest of the day. She had not said a word to Sister Carmella Catherine during her final two exercise sessions and had retired to her bed shortly after supper.A part of Peter was hoping the argument made the girl start thinking, but another part of him was worried that it may have set her back even further. Her doctor in France said her depression could take on several symptoms, making her appear almost schizophrenic in nature. The type he believed she was suffering from was a combination of victim and survivor trauma. He warned Peter that s

The caterers arrived promptly at five thirty. Sandra and Creighton returned home shortly after the tables were assembled and the food moved out of the vans and into the single covered tent. They had purchased enough school supplies to help all of Brandon’s classmates, as well as enough to replenish a year’s worth of Grace’s crayons, markers, papers and bubblegum. With their father’s insistence, the children managed to pick up a strange kit of caterpillars with the promise that they would turn into butterflies. Sandra was not crazy about having bugs in her house, but couldn’t refuse, after the children practically begged her to allow them to get the kits.“Peter is here,” Creighton said after they unloaded the car and put everything away. “I just hope Irena will be more receptive to him,” Sandra added as they once again left the house and headed across the property to his parents’ home. “She hasn’t been in a very good mood the past couple of days.”“I haven’t had the privilege of see

“She needs motivation to encourage her to start doing more, but nothing I’ve said makes a difference,” Sister Carmella Catherine told Creighton and Sandra as they walked her to her car later that evening. “Then maybe the family can help,” Sandra said, handing the woman’s suitcase to her husband who placed it in the trunk.“She’s a much stronger woman than she’s pretending to be. If she would channel that anger into her recovery, she’d be hopping down those stairs.”“Let’s just hope she can find her gumption once she’s back with Peter and forced to fend for herself. She’s going to be alone all day without help, so if she wants to eat or go to the toilet, she’ll have to do it on her own.”“She will never admit it to anyone,” the nun said, glancing across her shoulder to the woman as Peter helped her back into the house. “I’ve heard her up at night using the loo, and I’ve seen drink glasses on her dresser that wasn’t there when she went to bed. I’m a light sleeper, and I know it hasn’t

The doorbell rang, bringing Peter’s eyes up off the newspaper he had been reading. They arrived back at the flat midmorning, having flown back to London by use of Creighton’s helicopter. They went to the hospital for her first therapy session, then returned and ate the meal his mother had prepared for them, before Irena told him she needed a nap. Choosing to take the guest bedroom over climbing stairs, she laid down on the bed and quickly fell asleep. Peter had worked diligently over the past two weeks, and with Creighton’s insistence he hired movers, as well as the assistance of his own siblings, he managed to move their belongings in and unpack before going to Yorks on Sunday. All Irena had to worry about was finding where he had put everything.“Hey,” the younger man said, opening the door to find Creighton, Sandra and their children in the hallway.“We thought we’d bring you a housewarming gift,” Sandra told him, walking in as he held the door open.“You’re always welcome, but Ir

The afternoon was filled with one surprise after another. They went to St Luke’s Gardens where they found a park bench close to the children’s playground. The adults watched while Grace and Brandon played, then encouraged the men into participating in a game of Frisbee. Irena laughed and cheered while Creighton and Grace formed a team against Peter and Brandon. Sandra laughed as the bright orange disc flew over her husband’s head, then cheered when Grace sent it skimming across the grass and into the small pond. “I’m so glad you decided to come with us,” Sandra told her sister-in-law, handing her a glass of her husband’s organic orange juice. “Grace has missed you.”“She’s seen me nearly every day,” Irena told her with an amused grin. “But it hasn’t been like this. You’ve been…moody, and the kids haven’t missed it.”Irena was silent for several long moments as she watched the others playing and Sandra feared she may have overstepped the line between comfort and retaliation.“Do you