Terry, the part about Cath's testimony in court was incredibly moving. I almost gasped when I read it, and I felt myself tear up. I so, so hope that you will let Cath and her baby survive and come through this ordeal without additonal permanent injuries. I love the way you have written Cath in this story and in the one that came before it, The Maysonry of Life.
And I groaned at Clark's lunkheadedness. I don't know if he was altogether honest here:
He turned and faced her. “I don’t hold anyone responsible for this except myself.” He exhaled and dropped his shoulders. “If anyone’s at fault, it’s me.”
Is that what he truly feels? Is he blaming no one but himself? I get the impression that, if nothing else, he seems to be taking out his frustration at his situation on Lois. Or is he truly tellng himself that he is distancing himself from her to protect her?
“Yeah. It sounds to me like he’s trying to protect himself emotionally if the verdict goes against him.”
“So he’s putting distance between us to protect himself?”
“Yes. And he probably thinks you’ll feel less pain when he goes to jail if you two aren’t all that close.”
I suppose this is true. However, Clark is being cold and insensitive to Lois. All right, I can understand that he is full of his own pain. Even so, I think he's being very selfish.
Blair turned and faced him directly. “I think you got a serious problem chewin’ on the inside o’ your belly and it ain’t the trial.”
He held her gaze for a moment, then turned and faced forward. “Until the trial’s over, I can’t do anything about it.”
Blair gently touched his wrist with her long, slender fingers. “I think you’d better do something about it now, before you let things get too far out of hand.”
Connie leaned in and said, “Go talk to her. Tonight. Get your thoughts and feelings out in the open. Listen to her, and I mean really listen. Hear not only her words but her hopes and dreams.”
He frowned and slid down in his chair. “What makes you think this has anything to do with her?”
Blair lifted her hand from his wrist and thumped one finger against his temple.
“Hey! What was that for?”
“Just testing.”
“Testing for what?”
Blair nodded sagely. “Yep, just like I thought. You’re super-dense, too.”
Sorry to quote all of this, but it's deliciously written! Go, Blair, go!
And I hope Clark will take Blair's, Connie's and Cath's advice. I hope he will talk to Lois and consider her feelings too. All right - Lois is probably too wrapped up in her own pain, too, and not blameless, either. Oh well - I just hope they can both listen to one another!
Ann
