The Book of Someday Part 30

That morning was an aberration. He thought Bella was gone-the way AnnaLee was gone. He'd been wild with guilt and grief. When he looked down and saw his little girl in that rectangular s.p.a.ce, folded into that topless box where she was hiding, it was like looking into a coffin. He was in a frenzy. He had to reach in and pull her out and throw her free of it.

For the briefest instant, he had felt heroic. Like a rescuer. Then he realized he had touched her, let her come too close. And as Bella stood there in her faded nightgown, gazing up at him, needing things he couldn't give, he was thinking of AnnaLee's coffin-and of what he'd said about AnnaLee, to Bella. "...She went to a wonderful party."

Now, as Jack is moving into the mouth of what seems to be a velvet-black tunnel, he's wondering, When did it happen? When did the story change and AnnaLee become a bra.s.sy party girl who ran away? Was it when Calista began to tell it? Yes. It was. And I let her tell it that way. Because it gave the story an ending that kept me safe.

Jack wants to scream. Like a lunatic. Again, he has no voice. But the need for this scream is reminding him that he is-in actuality-a lunatic. It's reminding him that after AnnaLee's funeral he lost his mind. Eaten alive by what he'd done on the night she died. Spending the rest of his years raging through the house in Santa Ynez. Crying out in pain. Smas.h.i.+ng windows. Driving his fists into walls. Never stopping until his body failed and he began to die-and was too weak for lunatic screams and a madman's violence.

A pool of wavering light on the wall of the velvet-black tunnel has gradually widened and encompa.s.sed Jack. He is gone from the tunnel. He's in Glen Cove. In his old leather chair in the living room, reading.

The house is quiet. Then there's the sudden noise of breaking gla.s.s. The sound of a window being shattered. m.u.f.fled commotion. Scuffling footsteps, muttered conversation. Someone, more than one someone, inside the house, and coming nearer. Jack's heart is racing. AnnaLee and Bella are alone upstairs.

Jack is terrified. He switches off the reading lamp and listens. A loud thump from the kitchen sends a scare through him. He's scrambling out of his chair, stumbling toward the phone-it's on a table across the room, near the entry to the hall. He needs to call the police. To call 911. He's dragging the phone toward the hall, his hands like rubber, fumbling with the dial, his attention on the noise in the kitchen.

He's about to press the first number, the nine-and there's a cras.h.i.+ng sound. Whoever is in the house is coming toward the hall. While Jack is ducking back into the safety of the living room, he still has the phone's receiver to his ear. It seems as if there's someone else on the line. As if, on one of the other phones in the house, someone is listening.

And from the kitchen-scuffling sounds. Low voices. A man muttering the word f.u.c.k. Then, a few seconds later, the noise of a woman's high-heeled shoes coming down the stairs. Stepping onto the hallway floor.

Jack is dropping the phone, glancing toward the hall. Seeing semi-darkness. And AnnaLee. Still dressed for the gala in her glittering gown. She's letting out a spine-chilling scream.

And Jack is running. Das.h.i.+ng across the living room. Blindly pus.h.i.+ng open one of the gla.s.s-paned terrace doors. It's swinging shut behind him. He's outside the house.

Frantically gulping the night air.

Realizing what he has just done.

He's turning around, racing back to the door. But can't get it open. It's jammed. He's smas.h.i.+ng the gla.s.s with his hands, reaching through-trying to grab the handle on the inside. His hands are running with blood; he can't get a grip. He's terrified, convulsing, like he's having a seizure.

From somewhere inside the house-a single, horrendously loud gun shot.

Jack is losing control of his bowels, s.h.i.+tting himself. Trying to run for help. Water from the lawn sprinklers has pooled on the terrace, and he's slipping. Falling onto the flagstones-his shoulder breaking-pain radiating down his arm. But he can still hear the echoing sound of the gunshot. And he's up and running. Across the wet gra.s.s. Slamming into the untrimmed limb of a tree-opening a gash on his forehead. His lungs are on fire.

The noise of a second gunshot is booming inside the house.

He's halfway across the yard. Soaked in blood and excrement. His neighbor, a broad-shouldered dentist, is coming toward him. The blood is pouring from Jack's face and hands. He's strangling on his own stench, the smell of his cowardice. Desperate to hide his awful smell from this man, he's shouting, "Go back. Call 911!"

The neighbor is galloping away. Jack is hearing the squeal of tires on the road in front of the house-he knows the intruders have fled.

What Jack does not know is that later, when the television cameras arrive, his wounds will be interpreted as the marks of his courageous fight to save his family-and he will be called a hero.

The pool of light in the velvet-black tunnel is shrinking then flaring wide again. And Jack is seeing himself-with his ruined trousers and bleeding face-going back into the house. Where AnnaLee is on the hallway floor.

She is in the dress that's s.h.i.+mmering like a column of starlight and she's wearing pale-colored high-heeled shoes fastened with a strap at the instep, each strap anch.o.r.ed by a single pearl b.u.t.ton. Her arms are outstretched, bracelets glittering at her wrists. A thin silver band encircles her head, and in the band there's a plumed white feather. Her hair is hidden beneath a caplike, chestnut brown wig. Her face is in shadow. Only her lips are visible. They are bright with the fiery-red lipstick she wore to the gala. And they're parted. As if making way for a scream, which, when it comes, will be the sound of unadulterated horror. She is looking toward the foot of the stairs. Toward the last thing she must have seen before she died. Bella. Moving out of the shadows. And into the sights of the gunman.

The pool of light on the tunnel wall is vanis.h.i.+ng. Jack is going into darkness now. Traveling swiftly toward a narrow, unlit portal. He's not sure if it's the door to heaven, the entry to h.e.l.l, or the gateway to oblivion. In spite of knowing which destination he deserves, he's curious, and the tiniest bit hopeful.

A cold draft is pa.s.sing over Jack. And as his spirit is leaving his body, he's seeing AnnaLee. In the garden swing. Surrounded by coral-colored lilies. One of her legs bears a neat line of surgical scars-the marks made by Jack-when AnnaLee had been a broken ballerina and he was a doctor, a healer.

Jack's heart is shattering as he's calling out to AnnaLee, knowing he has no voice, no way for her to hear him say, "I was a coward and a failure. But oh how I loved you. How I wish we could do it over again. How I wish that instead of simply making it possible for you to walk, instead of giving you a life that kept you chained to the ground, I could have-just once-seen you dance."

Epilogue....

Livvi.

Livvi is in the aisle seat of the plane that is carrying her back to California-and wondering how long it will take to fold a thousand squares of golden foil into the shapes of a thousand cranes. Wondering if at some point along the way David will abandon the effort and open his arms to someone else-and ask what he asked Livvi in the s.h.i.+mmering moonlight, "Are you ready for me to take you home?"

As New York, and David, are dropping away beneath the wings of the swiftly moving plane Livvi is closing her eyes. And imagining: ...She's with David, and their children...children who have Livvi's pa.s.sion for books and David's graceful, generous spirit. They're living in a house that's traditional and lovingly furnished, unpretentious-very much like Evelyn's house. Which is so much like Mrs. Granger's-the house of Livvi's dreams. It's Christmas and the air outside is brisk East Coast air, and the air inside smells like fresh pine, and cinnamon. Livvi and David and their children are surrounded by family-by Evelyn, and David's open-hearted parents and his pretty sister, and his dozens of cousins. The house is noisy. Happy. Lit with love. Livvi is gathering her children around the Christmas tree but she's seeing the lights on the tree dimming, the happiness in the house fading-Grace isn't there. The loss, the emptiness, is unbearable.

That feeling of emptiness is jolting Livvi out of her daydream and bringing her back to the present.

Bringing her back to Grace.

Grace's hand is resting in Livvi's. Warm and gentle. The red-inked symbol of Livvi's heart is in Grace's open palm.

And Grace is asking: "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking about a long time from now-someday when you're all grown-up and have gone off to conquer the world."

Livvi is picturing the future...her hair is the slightest bit gray, and she has gained a few pounds. But she's still trim and in good shape-at fifty. She's in New York. Andrew is probably waiting for her in a nearby hotel. She's on Madison Avenue. In a store called Bauman's-a genteel showplace for rare and beautiful old books. She's holding a first edition of Salinger's Catcher in the Rye and wondering what it must have been like to possess that kind of talent. Now she's glancing up from the book-seeing David walking past the window, outside, on the sidewalk. There are lines in his face. He's wearing gla.s.ses. But he is essentially unchanged. He is still-in every aspect-sweet, perfect, David. Livvi is straining to see if there's a wedding ring, but he has an umbrella in his hand, and she can't. She's running toward the door. Pus.h.i.+ng it open. Calling to him. Wanting to tell him where life has taken her-wanting to know where he has traveled. But he's already disappearing into the crowd of people on the sidewalk. He's already vanis.h.i.+ng.

And a woman's voice is telling Livvi: "Your little girl is adorable." It's the flight attendant-handing Livvi a cup of coffee and glancing toward Grace.

While Grace is saying: "Livvi, how do you spell Evelyn and gether?" Grace is busily working on a drawing. A thank-you to Santa for her Christmas present, the glittering b.u.t.terfly wings. "I want to write 'it was nice being two gether with Evelyn.' I know how to spell two, but I don't know how to spell gether. Or Evelyn."

Livvi gives Grace the spelling of the words-and hears Evelyn's voice saying, "You didn't come away from your beginnings broken and ugly. Miraculously...you've come away strong, and filled with love. Find your purpose, Livvi. Use the power of that love to fulfill it."

And Livvi tells Grace: "We'll have a beautiful life, you and I. Everything's going to be fine."

"How do you know?"

"I just do..."

Livvi is murmuring this while thinking, Everything will be fine because I was wrong about having my back to a cliff. We're not alone, Gracie. The world is full of people like Evelyn, and Sierra, and Bree, and your Uncle James. And David. And hundreds of others we haven't even had the chance to meet yet. People who are strong and willing to help. We have a safety net, Grace. All around us.

Grace is glancing up at Livvi with that familiar cautious expression. "You'll never leave?" she asks.

"I'll never leave. No matter what. No matter who tries to make me."

Grace's caution has been replaced by a smile that's wide and bright. Radiantly happy.

Livvi is at peace.

Grace goes back to her drawing.

After a few minutes, Livvi opens her laptop and begins to type.

Grace is curious. "Are you doing work?"

"Yes."

"What kind of work?"

"I'm starting the first chapter of a new book."

While Livvi is slowly running her fingers through the silk of Grace's hair, Grace asks: "What kind of story is it?"

And Livvi says: "It's a love story."

Reading Group Guide.

1. The Book of Someday opens with a quote from poet Antonio Machado: "Traveller there is no road, the way is made by walking." How does this quote relate to what takes place in the novel? Why do you think the author chose it for the opening page?

2. When she's a little girl, Olivia makes a list that contains dreams and wishes for her future. Some of the wishes on her list come true in very unexpected ways. Of the dreams for your life that you had when you were younger, what was the one that came true in a way that surprised you the most and changed your life the most?

3. As the story unfolds, Livvi finds herself faced with incredibly difficult decisions. Choices that are life changing-for her and for other people. Do you think Livvi's commitments to the promises she made as a child are helping her in the choices she makes as an adult? Or are they hurting her?

4. Do you see Livvi as a woman who is strong and self-directed? Or a woman who's allowing her past to have too much influence on her future?

5. When Grace first appeared in the novel, what was your reaction to her? In Livvi's place, what decision would you make about Grace?

6. When Sierra is talking about Livvi's connection to Grace, she says Livvi is just beginning her life and that Livvi's responsibility is to herself and her own happiness. Do you agree?

7. At the end of the book, as Livvi is being offered the chance to make her sweetest dreams come true, should she let anything, even her feelings for Grace, stop her from claiming those dreams?

8. Do you think that someday Livvi might regret the choices she makes during the course of this novel?

9. At one point, Livvi asks Evelyn: "How does G.o.d decide who to bless and who to punish?" Would your answer to that question be different from the one Evelyn gives?

10. Among Livvi, Micah, and AnnaLee, who did you relate to the most, and why?

11. If you were single, and David and Andrew were both available to you, which one would you choose? And what do you think your choice would say about you?

12. Do you think Andrew is a man doing his best to honor all of his commitments? Or is he a man who has found an intriguing way to avoid fully honoring any of them?

13. Does Andrew's story suggest that there are times when it's actually impossible to do the right thing?

14. Do you feel empathy or anger toward Andrew?

15. What are your feelings about David?

16. If you were to run into David five years after The Book of Someday ends, where do you think he would be in his life?

17. What do you think about Sierra's theory of the "love goggles"? Do you agree that, at one time or another, every woman in the world has worn them?

18. Micah is described by one of the other characters as someone who gets off on making her own rules, going over the top, and being h.e.l.l on wheels. How do these qualities affect your feelings about her? Do they make you want to put her in her place or go out and have a cup of coffee with her?

19. Why do you think Micah gave away that anonymous $10,000 dollar gift? Was it openhearted generosity? Or a selfish attempt to buy a little bit of cosmic forgiveness?

20. Does knowing Micah's background give you any sympathy for the way she lived her life and the person she turned out to be?

21. If life offered you what it offered Micah, the opportunity to be rich and famous, what would you be willing to sacrifice for that?

22. Some readers have said that they see quiet, shy AnnaLee as the strongest and most heroic of the women whose stories are told in this book. Do you agree or disagree...and why?

23. In your opinion, who was most responsible for what ultimately happened to AnnaLee?

24. If there were a way to bring Jack to trial for his failures, and you were on the jury, what would you convict him of? And what would you want his punishment to be?

25. At the heart of this novel is a mystery, a web of secrets. Secrets that ultimately cause the people keeping them to make incredible mistakes as they try to protect, and unwittingly betray, themselves and the people they love. Which secret in this book startled you the most? Was there one you thought was unforgivable?

A Conversation

with the Author

1. What do you love most about writing?

I love the thrill of telling stories about ordinary people caught up in extraordinary circ.u.mstances. I love exploring the mysteries of the human condition. And I love the poetry of words.

2. What inspires you the most as a writer?

Life. How hard we all try to get it right. How easy it is to get it wrong. The intriguing unpredictability that's always lurking in that balance point between right and wrong.

3. When do you know the story is finished?