Free Breaking the Silence by Diane Chamberlain

Press!”
    What was Lukens Press? Laura’s head was foggy from waking up so suddenly. Down the hall, she could hear Emma beginning to stir in her own bedroom. “You mean…an offer to publish it?”
    “Granted, they’re not one of the big players,” Madeline said, “but they’re behind Ray’s book one hundred and ten percent. And they’re ready and willing to back up their purchase with excellent promotion.”
    “I didn’t realize Ray’s book was still making the rounds,” Laura said.
    “Oh, sure. I never stopped submitting it. And are you sitting down?” Madeline didn’t wait for Laura’s reply. “The advance is fifty thousand dollars.”
    Laura had not been sitting down, but she did so now, perching on the edge of her bed. “But,” she said, feeling dense, “Ray’s dead.”
    “His work will live on, Laura. Isn’t that thrilling? Aren’t you thrilled?”
    “I don’t know what I am,” she said. Her primary emotion was anger. Why the hell couldn’t this have happened when Ray was alive?
    “Something we didn’t realize is that important legislation regarding the homeless is about to be introduced in Congress,” Madeline said, “so that makes Ray’s book timely. Lukens plans to push it into publication quickly to time its release to the legislation.”
    Laura could hardly speak. “It’s just not fair,” she said.
    “I know it’s not,” Madeline said, real sympathy in hervoice. “But Ray would have wanted this. All his work won’t be in vain.”
    Laura’s stomach was churning by the time she got off the phone, and tears burned her eyes. She could see Ray at the desk in his office, working on his beloved book until late into the night, revising and revising, trying to find the right combination of words to make a publisher see the value in his work. She could see the crestfallen look each time Madeline sent him a new letter of rejection.
    She called Stuart.
    “They’re going to publish Ray’s book,” she said, explaining the situation to him. His reaction was the same as hers: joy tempered by anger that this had not happened sooner.
    “I can barely tolerate the injustice of it,” Laura said.
    “I know.” Stuart sighed. “But you know what, Laurie? Ray’s gone. Nothing will bring him back. And life goes on. So, would we rather have Ray dead and his work dead along with him? Or would we rather have his work live on?”
    Laura smiled and lay back on the bed. “That’s a no-brainer,” she said.
    “Okay,” Stuart said. “Then let’s break out the champagne tonight, you there and me here, and we’ll drink a toast to Ray.”
    “Okay.” She shut her eyes, still tired, and still nettled by the situation.
    “How’s my little niece?” Stuart changed the subject. “I hope she’s found her voice by now.”
    “I’m afraid not.” Laura rolled onto her side. She could fall asleep in an instant. “Although I have her with a new therapist now who’s given me some hope that she’ll one day be a chatterbox again.”
    “I sure hope so. I miss hearing that cute voice on the phone.” Stuart paused. “And how are you doing, Laurie?”
    “Oh, I’m hanging in there.” She heard the sigh in her voice.
    “You sound tired.”
    She laughed. “Working two part-time jobs and doing round-the-clock research was a snap compared to full-time motherhood,” she said.
    “Did you ever see that Sarah woman again?”
    Laura had only spoken to Stuart a few times since Ray’s death, but he’d asked this question each time.
    “I saw her yesterday, actually.”
    “How come, hon?” Stuart asked. “Why are you bothering with her?”
    “You know why. Because of my father, although I still don’t know what the connection is.”
    “But do you really need that extra burden in your life right now?”
    “You sound like Ray.” He did, actually. Not only did Stuart look like Ray, but his voice had that same deep intonation.
    “Well, maybe Ray was trying to protect you from overextending