This Secret Thing
Page 28
“You won’t have to.” Norah had thought of this. “I’ve got someone in mind for that.”
“Who?”
Norah waved away her question a second time. “Someone from my past. You don’t know her. But she’s like you. She could use a little help making her own way so she doesn’t have to depend on a man anymore. She’s got some previous experience I could put to use for what I’ve got in mind.”
Of course, now Bess knew that the someone from Norah’s past had been her own mother. A few months ago, Bess had worked up the courage to ask Polly how she’d known how to launder money. She’d said that a long time ago she had worked for an attorney with some shady clients, then she’d winked at her and refused to say more, and Bess didn’t push. The details didn’t matter. Not anymore. They’d each made good money off that crazy-sounding scheme from that long-ago night. And thanks to Polly never being discovered, they’d managed to hang on to most of it, enough to find the freedom Norah had wanted for all of them.
Now the three of them, along with Casey, Nicole, and Violet, had become their own kind of family. They’d made it work. They’d been there for each other, through Norah’s incarceration, through Bess’s recuperation, through Polly’s guilt over what had happened with Calvin, through Bess’s divorce, through Casey’s fight to get Russell Aldridge expelled and prosecuted. And they’d done it without help from any men, which was what Norah was still babbling on about. The mention of the podcast guy had gotten her all riled up, which predictably launched her into a diatribe about the detective, the men who’d tried to keep her quiet, and any other man who might’ve wronged her.
“When are they going to learn?” she was saying. “They don’t save us. We save them.”
Bess didn’t give her an answer, because Norah didn’t expect one. They’d had this particular conversation countless times. Instead Bess rested her head on the window and thought about Jason risking his life to stop Calvin, and Steve surprisingly being an involved dad even though they were divorced now, and Eli faithfully driving Casey to counseling when she came back from school, and Micah keeping silent about Olivia instead of clearing his own name. She thought about Barney the dog, named after a caveman who did have a good heart and tried to do the right thing. She thought about love blooming and growing, taking root in unlikely places. Just last week she had seen a lone flower growing up through the asphalt in a parking lot. Unlikely things are possible, sometimes.
She decided to interrupt Norah mid-rant. “Maybe,” she said. “It’s not about them saving us or us saving them. Maybe,” she ventured, “we’re all just supposed to save each other.”
Norah pondered that for a moment. She glanced over at Bess, then looked back at the road. “I like that,” she said.
“I do, too,” Bess replied.
A Motown song came on the radio, and Norah cranked it up, the conversation over, for now. At the crossroads, they turned in a different direction than they once would have—to Norah’s new house. The radio played and the two of them sang together as they took the new way home.
POPPY-SEED CHICKEN CASSEROLE
(For when you or those you love need some comfort food)
4 chicken breasts
1 (14.5-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup chicken broth (reserved from cooking the chicken)
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
2 sleeves Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Boil the chicken in water seasoned with salt and pepper till tender (15 to 20 minutes). Save 1/3 cup of the broth from cooking the chicken. Remove the chicken from the water and shred with two forks.
In a large bowl, mix together the soup, sour cream, broth, and poppy seeds. Fold the chicken into the mixture. In a separate bowl, mix together the crackers and butter. Press half the cracker mixture into a lightly greased Pyrex baking dish (8 by 8 inches). Add the chicken mixture on top of the cracker crust. Top with the remaining cracker mixture. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the crackers are lightly browned.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
The Beaucatcher legacy was a connection point for Violet and Polly but a breaking point for Norah and Polly. Why do you think that was? How would you feel about having a legacy like that in your family? How much do you think it would or wouldn’t inform your self-image?
Bess says that Jason was a secret that was just hers and “wasn’t hurting anything.” How was that true for each character? Did their secrets really not hurt anyone?
Was Norah’s reduced sentence fair? Why or why not?
Discuss Casey’s reaction to her assault. While this isn’t “normal” by some people’s estimations, did you find it understandable? Does it make you more or less sympathetic to her?
Was there a character you felt connected to more than the rest? Why do you think that character stood out to you?
How is each character struggling at the opening of the novel? By the end of the novel, have they overcome—or at least come to terms with—what they were struggling with?
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
It might be my name on the cover of this book, but no novel is produced solely by the author. There’s a team of awesome people behind that title. So I’d like to thank my agent, Liza Dawson, and her wonderful staff, especially Kayla Lightner and Havis Dawson, who help me in big and small ways in all of my writing pursuits. I’d also like to thank my gracious, talented editor, Jodi Warshaw, and the team at Lake Union, who work so hard behind the scenes to put a quality novel in front of readers. (Special thanks to Gabriella Dumpit, who does such a great job of keeping the channels of communication wide open. And to Laura Barrett for being a production editor extraordinaire.) Finally, a special thank-you goes out to my developmental editor, Blake Leyers, who made writing this novel a less solitary pursuit than novel writing normally is and encouraged me every step of the way. Thank you for understanding and believing in this story.
My inspiration for this story came from several directions. Most notable: The song “Torchlight” by Missy Higgins was one I could always play to get in touch with what Casey was going through. The book Missoula by Jon Krakauer directly informed Casey’s reaction to her assault. The song “Woman in Chains” by Tears for Fears (featuring Oleta Adams) is the song I repeatedly played anytime I needed inspiration. And, though it sounds odd to say, I’d also like to thank the real suburban madams in the US, whose situations and motives informed Norah’s character. I’d also like to thank Fred Silva from the Lucas Lepri Brazilian Jiu Jitsu studio, who patiently helped me block the fight scene even though I was a stranger who walked in off the street claiming to be a novelist. He helpfully answered my questions, though it was apparent that he was not convinced I wasn’t crazy. Fred, I’m not sure this is proof that I’m not crazy, but it is proof I am a novelist.
Ariel Lawhon, another book means another moment to publicly thank you for the private kvetching and meltdowns you’ve graciously listened to, not to mention the abundance of shared laughter, albeit sometimes inappropriate. We’ve done this journey together every step of the way, and I treasure the gift of your friendship.
I’d also like to thank my wonderful neighbors and friends for their tireless encouragement and willingness to show up for me and my family in countless ways (see my other books to find the list of their names—they know who they are). And to the many readers, book clubs, and bookstagrammers who’ve read and shared my work—a mention or encouraging review never fails to come along at the “just right” moment and is immensely appreciated.
Most of all, I’d like to thank my family. To my mom: You’re the model of intelligence and strength that I continue to aspire to. Any of the spunk and wit that is in my characters comes from who you’ve been to me all my life. To my husband, Curt: Your patience, love, and encouragement throughout this process was just what I needed, and your belief in me never fails. Thanks for those long walks
and talks on the beach. And to my children, Jack, Ashleigh, Matt, Rebekah, Brad, and Annaliese: Being able to write novels is a gift, but the greatest thing I’ve ever created is you guys. I pray you’ll all go out and become every bit of who you were meant to be.
And, speaking of prayer: Jesus, You are truly the friend who sticks closer than a brother. I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have You to talk to. Thank You for always listening, and for the big and little amazing things You bring my way. Apart from You, I can do nothing.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo © 2016 Portrait Innovations
Marybeth Mayhew Whalen is the author of Only Ever Her, When We Were Worthy, The Things We Wish Were True, and five previous novels. She enjoys speaking to women’s groups around the US, sharing how the power of story informs our own lives. Marybeth and her husband, Curt, have been married for a very long time and are the parents of six children, ranging from elementary age to young adult. Marybeth divides her time between the shores of Sunset Beach and the suburbs of Charlotte, North Carolina. She is always at work on her next novel. You can find her at www.marybethwhalen.com.