After Anna(68)

‘Try her old one or ask around to see if anybody has her new number. Try and see if you can call PG, Connie, or somebody on The Zephyr. If you get that message to her, I would sleep better at night.’

Anna groaned. ‘So you want me to start calling people from Congreve? They’ll just snark me.’

‘If something terrible happened to Jamie and you hadn’t tried to help find her, you’d never forgive yourself.’

‘Okay, I’ll do it,’ Anna answered, with a sigh.

‘Great, and I’m sorry things have been so rough lately.’ Maggie gave her a hug, feeling close to her again.

‘I know, it has been so hard.’ Anna broke the embrace, her eyes searching Maggie’s. ‘I hate all this drama. I thought it was going to be hard at school and easy at home. But instead it’s easy at school and hard at home.’

‘We’re going to fix that.’ Maggie ignored the ache in her chest. Hearing Anna say it made it worse. ‘Listen, I have an idea. Do you like the beach?’

‘I love it.’ Anna perked up. ‘I used to go with my grandparents. They had a house in the south of France.’

Maggie smiled. ‘We’re talking the south of New Jersey, as in Avalon.’

Anna burst into laughter. ‘Hey, fine with me, I would do that.’

‘We’d make it a family day, just us four.’

‘Okay.’ Anna wriggled her shoulders. ‘I can get my tan on.’

‘It’ll be fun.’ Maggie sensed Anna was trying. ‘And next weekend, on Saturday night, I’d like to have a barbecue to introduce you to our friends. You’re the guest of honor.’

‘Me?’ Anna smiled, surprised.

‘Yes.’ Maggie started to feel better. ‘I think it’s time that our friends met you, don’t you? Ask Samantha to come, too.’

‘That’s so nice. I will.’ Anna beamed, then looked past Maggie toward the street. ‘Oh, here comes Noah. This is awkies.’

‘No, don’t worry. I have an idea.’ Maggie watched as the Audi SUV pulled up in front of the house, then Noah cut the ignition and got out, shouldering his messenger bag.

‘Quite the welcoming committee!’ Noah walked up the flagstone path with a smile, and Maggie smiled back.

‘Noah, I decided that we need a reset. I’d like you to meet my daughter, Anna.’

‘Okay. Anna, pleased to meet you.’ Noah grinned, extending his hand to her.

Anna hesitated, then shook his hand. ‘Pleased to meet you, too, Noah.’

‘Anna, I’m the kind of a guy who means well, but sometimes I say dumb things in the heat of the moment. I’m sorry.’

Anna managed a smile. ‘I’m the kind of girl who overreacts and slams doors. I’m sorry, too.’

Maggie interjected, ‘Anna has agreed to try to get a message to Jamie, telling her to call her parents, so we don’t have to call the school or anybody else.’

‘That’s great.’ Noah turned back to Anna. ‘I’m still up for that driving lesson, if you are. Tomorrow night? Eight o’clock?’

‘Perfect.’

‘It’s a date.’ Noah turned to Maggie. ‘And by the way, who are you?’

‘Your loving wife.’ Maggie kissed him on the cheek, but she felt a new remoteness from him. She hoped they could set it right this weekend.

‘Caleb, I’m home!’ Noah called out, as they went inside.





Chapter Forty-seven


Noah, After

TRIAL, DAY 5

‘Dr Alderman, you testified earlier that the Petition in question was filed by Anna, didn’t you?’

‘Yes.’

‘Please direct your attention to paragraph three of the Petition.’

Noah turned to the screen and read:

I am filing this petition on behalf of:

___ Myself

x Another Person



‘Dr Alderman, you see that the box that’s checked is Another Person, isn’t that correct?’

‘Yes.’

‘Let’s look farther down in paragraph three.’

Noah watched the screen change, and it read:

Indicate your relationship with plaintiff:

x Parent of minor plaintiff

___ Applicant for appointment as guardian ad litem of minor plaintiff

____ Adult household member with minor plaintiff

____ Court-appointed guardian of incompetent plaintiff



‘Dr Alderman, the box that is checked is parent of minor plaintiff, isn’t that correct?’

‘Yes.’

‘The parent referred to is your wife Maggie Ippoliti, isn’t that correct?’

‘Yes.’

‘So your prior testimony was misleading when you stated that the Petition was filed by Anna, wasn’t it?’

‘No.’

Linda frowned. ‘Dr Alderman, wasn’t the Petition filed by both Anna and your wife Maggie?’

‘No.’ Noah and Thomas had discussed how to handle this line of questioning. ‘Anna’s handwriting is at the top. Anna wrote her name in the Plaintiff box and my name in the Defendant box. Anna filled out the form.’

‘But doesn’t this form clearly show a box checked, indicating that the Petition was filed by a parent of a minor plaintiff?’