Edith seemed to slump down in her seat. "No. There's nothing to be done." She looked up at Cynthia. "Donnie and I will be leaving in the morning. I've already packed."
"Oh, that's a shame!" Cynthia answered. "I understood you to say you'd be staying with us for some time. I hope nothing has happened."
The woman didn't answer for a moment of unsettling silence. She twisted her now-empty left hand ring finger and spoke, in barely a whisper. "I've left my husband." She closed her eyes, as if to block the tears.
"I'm so sorry!" Cynthia put an arm about the woman's shoulders.
"It's something I had to do. I had to get away from him."
"It must be tough on Donnie too. A little scary for both of you," Dean added. "I'm sure it was a difficult decision."
"I made such a mistake. My life is one big mistake." She began to cry, her sobs muffled as she leaned forward against her arms. "I just don't know what to do."
While Dean felt sorry for the distressed woman, he continued to hope his dearest Cynthia would let the matter rest.
Edith looked up, rubbed a sleeve across her eyes to dry them, then brushed her hands down the white dress, smoothing the fabric against her legs. She sighed. "I'll miss it here. It's so calm. Like floating back to another time."
"Why don't you stay?" Cynthia asked. "Perhaps being out here in the mountains would take your mind off all the troubles you're having. You can rest up here at Bird Song-give yourself time enough to make logical decisions. I'm sure now your mind is all awhirl. It must be distressing, trying to make logical plans about your future. Not only yours but Donnie's as well."
She shook her head. "You don't understand. I'm so afraid of what he'll do I can't think beyond the hour!" She looked from one to the other. "Now he'll know where we are. I was so stupid. I used my charge card and he'll trace us here. I know he will. That's why we have to leave in the morning."
"He didn't know you were coming here?" Dean asked.
"God no! He'd kill me in a minute! I know he would! I can't let him find me!"
"What about Donnie?" Dean asked.
She spoke, venom in her voice. "Jerome Shipton isn't Donnie's father. He may want to be and pretend he is but he isn't."
"I'm sure there's someplace you can go." Cynthia said. "Some friends or relatives."
She shook her head. "You don't know Jerome. He'll kill me before he'd let me take Donnie away. And he'll kill both of us if we go back to him."