Free Helpless by Daniel Palmer Page A

here, and she won’t be able to go to Shilo High School unless she’s living in Shilo. We’re going to try and make it work, but I’m not going to kid myself into thinking it’s going to be easy. We’ve had a pretty tough go of it, even before her mother’s death.”
    Adriana gave Tom a knowing glance. “I used to see Kelly occasionally after you two divorced,” she said, “but we did talk from time to time. She took every opportunity to put you down, I’m sorry to say. I’m sure that’s had an effect on Jill.”
    “It’s made for an extra big challenge,” said Tom.
    A glaze of tears filled Adriana’s eyes, and she dabbed them away with her fingers. She excused herself and returned with a box of Kleenex. She laughed, but in a slightly embarrassed way.
    “I’m sorry,” she said. “When I think about children not getting along with their parents, it just breaks my heart. They don’t understand how precious life is, how fragile.”
    Tom swallowed hard. He understood Adriana’s pain. “I can’t imagine how hard it is for you, still. I’m sure this is bringing up painful memories.”
    Adriana bit her lower lip and nodded. “When your child dies, it leaves a hole that can never be filled,” she said, her voice shaking. “I’ve never forgiven myself for what happened to Stephen.”
    Tom’s chest felt heavy with sorrow. “It wasn’t your fault,” he said. “You did everything you could to get Stephen the help that he needed. I remember.”
    “I could have done more.”
    Tom didn’t know what to say. Stephen Boyd had been a troubled kid early on. He never went to Shilo High School, because either he was in rehab or he was being schooled at home. Even more tragic, Adriana had been the one to find Stephen’s body. He was locked inside her car. He still had a needle sticking out of his arm. Tourniquet tied tight. He’d been dead for more than six hours.
    “There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about him,” Adriana said. “I can’t help wondering what Stevie would look like today. What would he be doing?”
    Tom’s throat went dry just thinking about Adriana’s loss, and he needed a sip of water before he could again speak.
    “I’m so very sorry for your loss. Anytime I try to get philosophical with Jill, she just gives me a blank stare,” Tom said. “We haven’t had any real bonding opportunities, so I’m just not sure how I’m going to reach her.”
    “You just have to be patient with her,” Adriana said. “And stay persistent, too.”
    Tom smiled.
    “What?” she asked, her voice rising with a squeak of interest.
    “Nothing,” Tom said, with a slight laugh. “It’s just that my personal mantra is ‘Persistence and patience.’ The two Ps.”
    “Well, I think you’ve got a fabulous mantra. Don’t let her go, Tom.”
    “I won’t,” Tom said. “I’ll never give up on Jill.”
    Adriana surprised Tom by giving him a hug. She put her warm lips close to his ear and whispered, “I know.”
    Roland cleared his throat. “ Ahem! I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
    Adriana quickly pulled away. She stood and smoothed out the fabric of her pantsuit. Tom stood as well.
    “Darling, you surprised me,” Adriana said.
    “And by the looks of it, just in the nick of time,” Roland said.

Chapter 11
     
    R oland crossed the room with a cool smile on his face. Tom understood why. Shortly after Stephen’s death, Tom had overheard gossip about Adriana’s affair with Doug Henderson in the teachers’ lounge. Adriana’s paramour had been the father of a Millis teenager who had died in a car accident. They met at a support group for grieving parents—a group that Roland had refused to attend. She’d been unfaithful to Roland before. Judging by the look Roland flashed Tom, he evidently believed she could be unfaithful again.
    Tom had picked up other details about Roland and Adriana’s troubled marriage from teacher lounge gossip. Roland hadn’t thought