Free Death by Obsession by Jaden Skye

and that
misunderstandings can be repaired.”
    “Not always,” said Aldon. “Actions can have
irreparable consequences.”
    Tara looked up and sighed. “Take it easy, dad,” she
said.
    “I’ve been worried about something like this for a
long time,” said Aldon.
    At that Tara, grew quieter. Aldon’s statement seemed
to jar her. The last thing she wanted to do was go along with him.
    “Let Mattheus talk to Lynch,” Tara proclaimed, “let
me talk to Cindy. Back off. Give us some time.”
    *
    Cindy put her arm around Tara and led her to a sofa
to sit down and talk. Mattheus took Lynch into the alcove, and Aldon walked out
onto the balcony and stared at the sky, alone.
    “My father is happy about this,” Tara started, as
Cindy sat next to her and took her hand.
    “I can’t imagine that he’s happy,” said Cindy.
    “He and Lynch’s mother hate each other,” Tara went
on. “They made it hard for the two of us in the beginning, but then Raina
decided she loved me, and forgot about my dad.”
    “He didn’t forget about her, though, did he?” asked
Cindy.
    “No,” Tara shook her head. “He’s held this crazy
vendetta, determined to find out the truth about Lynch. Lynch is a wonderful
guy, but my father couldn’t see it.”
    “That’s rough,” said Cindy.
    “Awful,” Tara went on, “Lynch and I knew he was
poking around, investigating Lynch’s background. We didn’t care, though. It
didn’t amount to anything. I always thought Lynch was squeaky clean.”
    “I don’t know if there’s anyone in the world who’s
squeaky clean,” Cindy said slowly. “There’s always a little something, here or
there. Life leaves its traces.”
    “I realize that, of course,” said Tara, “but
something like this!”
    Cindy sighed. She couldn’t help but agree. This wasn’t
a little something.
    “This is huge,” said Tara.
    “Yes, it is,” Cindy agreed.
    “He lied to me,” Tara was taking it in, turning it
over and over in her mind, trying to make it real. “Lynch hid the fact that he
had a child.”
    “He didn’t think of it as lying,” said Cindy, trying
to soften the blow.
    “But whether or not he realized it, he lied,” Tara
shrugged. “In a way it would be better if he realized it. Otherwise, it could
happen again.”
    ““That’s true, you’re right,” Cindy agreed. “You’re
in a rough spot, Tara.”
    Tara turned to Cindy point blank. “What would you do?”
she asked her.
    Cindy was taken aback. “I’m not sure,” she said
slowly. It wasn’t up to her to tell Tara what to do.
    “Would you go forward with a fake marriage, even
though you couldn’t trust your husband?” the words fell off Tara’s lip quickly.
    “No, I would not do that,” Cindy was stalwart.
    “Then, what would you do?” Tara’s voice grew more
strident.
    Both of them looked up then, and to their surprise Lynch
and Mattheus were walking over to where they were sitting. They’d obviously
heard what had been said.
    “I would give it time,” Mattheus took it upon himself
to answer the question. “I would take a long walk, talk to friends, make an
effort to forgive. After all, this is someone you said you loved, isn’t it?”
    Tara looked up at Lynch swiftly and began to tremble.
    “In fact, in a few days you were about to vow that
this is someone you would love forever, for better or worse, in sickness and
health,” Mattheus was making his case strongly.
    Encouraged, Lynch joined in. “You did say that you
loved me, Tara. You said you loved me more than anyone or anything else in your
life.”
    “I said that, and it was true at the time,” Tara
trembled more strongly.
    Lynch took a step closer to her. “Did you really mean
it?” he asked, his head dropping, “or was it just words?”
    “I meant it,” said Tara, “of course I meant it.”
    “Then give me a chance,” Lynch pleaded. “That’s what
it means to love, isn’t it?”
    Tara was silent a few moments and then shook her
head.