This Is Not How It Ends
Page 30
The girl, we named her Scarlet. After Sari.
And our little boy, we named him Philip.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Through writing, I attempt to weave relevant, topical subjects around emotionally charged stories. I was introduced to NAET therapy by a reliable friend who boasted of positive results. Intrigued, I created a character who shined a light on Eastern medicine’s approach to allergy treatment. There is an abundance of literature on this subject, and before undergoing any treatment, patients should speak with health care professionals and educate themselves on the benefits and risks to ensure the best possible treatment for their individual needs.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
It’s easy to write about something you believe in, and for that reason, this story of love and friendship poured out of me. But it takes a village to turn that story into something worthwhile, and I’m grateful for those who provided their valuable time and expertise to me.
First and foremost, thank you to my agent, Kim Lionetti, for believing in this manuscript and reminding me often why I write. While publishing can be a challenging business at times, you have more than once talked me off a ledge and provided the unwavering support to keep me focused and on track. I am ever so grateful.
Thank you to the amazing team at Lake Union Publishing with sincere gratitude to Danielle Marshall for welcoming me into the family. Alicia Clancy, I’ve so enjoyed working with you and having your continuous support and enthusiasm. We couldn’t do any of it without you, Gabriella Dumpit, and a special thanks to the editing team: Nicole Pomeroy, Brittany Dowdle, and Michael Schuler. Tiffany Yates Martin, I hear your voice in my ear with each edit. Your gift is the one that keeps on giving. Many thanks to publicist extraordinaire Ann-Marie Nieves and marketing wonder M. J. Rose for the infinite wisdom.
My deepest appreciation to the reading and writing community—the bloggers, readers, bookstagrammers, and book clubs who have invited me into their world. Every connection has mattered, every introduction one I cherish. There have been days I have been truly blown away by your support, and not merely for me, but for authors everywhere. You sustain us, nurture us—and because of you we thrive.
Thank you to Don Blackwell, Camille Di Maio, Rebecca Warner, and the #BocaBitches: Andrea Katz, Lauren Margolin, Jamie Brenner, and Lisa Barr—for being a constant source of comfort, strength, and friendship. Lonely is a writer’s life, but I don’t feel that way knowing you.
Thank you to Debbie and Craig Perry for welcoming me into your Islamorada home and sharing its special treasures with me. The Love Shack exists! Leslie Fergang and Carly Rachman, thank you for the in-depth exploration of NAET therapy. Dr. Ron Berger, for the late-night phone calls about a disease that destroys too many families. Dr. David Weinstein, for your medical expertise. Jessica Shepherd, Audra Leigh, Stacey Fisher, and Kathleen Basi, for the glimpse inside Kansas City life.
While the novel details two unfortunate losses, research is being done to fight pancreatic cancer, and I thank all the individuals devoting their lives to finding a cure. If you or someone you love has been touched by this cancer, I hope you will consider donating to www.pancan.org, www.lustgarten.org, or www.npcf.us.
It’s difficult to single out a few friends for their unending support when so many have been by my side, holding my hand (and heart) while I plod through manuscripts and perform surgery on various drafts. But I must thank those who have shown up to multiple events and smiled while I discussed the same book over and over. I’d be remiss in not singling you out, Barbara Amoils, Jill Coleman, Liz Feder, Joni Meiselman, Stephanie Oshinsky, Merle Saferstein, and Amy Siskind. Evelyn Moskovitz, I know if I had a fan club, you’d be the president, and when I say I’m grateful, I mean it more than any words can express.
Thank you to my entire family for providing support and fodder, for giving me reason to write and the ability to explore the beautiful, fragile dynamics we create.
I’ve been blessed with three amazing siblings (and their spouses and kids) who give me the courage to continue putting myself out there. Thank you for believing in me, and loving me through the long, nostalgic lens that only siblings understand.
Thank you to my father for the many ways in which you have taught me to forgive.
Mom, I am sorry you were taken from us too soon. I know if you were here, you’d be there, you’d show up, and you’d be oh so very proud of all your children and grandchildren. I miss you every single day of my life. Every word I write is a letter of love to you.
Brandon and Jordan, may you know great love. May you fight for it every single day. May you find the person who lights a fire in your soul and makes you want to be a better man. May you understand the sacrifices and compromises that make love complete. May you feel the pain of another, so much so that you learn true empathy and how to share it with others. May you hurt, may you laugh, may you cry, may you understand the rare beauty of giving your heart to another, the joy of sharing life with someone who is always by your side. It will make you physically ache, deliriously happy, but it will be worth every emotion.
Your dad is that person for me.
BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS
Philip’s decision to protect Charley came with a price. How would you feel about the attempt to spare you pain? Is knowing always best? Do you think he was acting out of selflessness, or fear?
Cheating and adultery are always difficult subjects. There are two schools of thought: one, that the cheater is to blame, the other that the couple is to blame, the betrayal a symptom of a problem within a relationship. Where do you stand and why?
Ben and Philip are both strong, accomplished men with the capacity to love deeply. But how are they different? Who would you have chosen and why?
Charley said that people want what they can’t have in life. Do you think that’s part of the reason she was attracted to Ben? Why or why not?
Like many forms of Eastern medicine, NAET therapy comes with controversy and question. Where do you stand on today’s treatments?
Charley’s father left when she was young, leaving her untrusting of love. But how much of that influence is innate and how much is that in Charley’s control? Do you believe early influences affect later decisions and behaviors?
What would have happened if Ben and Charley hadn’t slept together that night? Do you think they would have still ended up together?
Here the lines between friendship and love are blurred. Have you ever had a crush or attraction to your significant other’s friends? Did you consider admitting it, or keep it hidden? Why or why not?
When Ben and Charley sat side by side in the hospital, Charley spilled about her relationship to a complete stranger. Have you ever had an immediate connection with someone like that?
Is it realistic for Philip to think he would get away with hiding his illness from Charley? And why is this so important to him? Do you think he made the right choice?
Compare Charley’s relationship with Philip with the one she shares with Ben. Do you believe it is possible to love two people at once?
Philip, Ben, and Charley have all experienced loss. How does each deal with the pain, and how does it work for them?
Charley’s father reveals a secret that changes her perceptions of the past. How would you react, and would you be able to easily forgive?
Forgiveness is a big theme in this novel: Philip forgiving Charley and Ben for falling in love, Charley forgiving her father, Ben being asked to forgive the person who killed his wife . . . Would you have been forgiving in these situations? Have you ever been faced with, or can you think of, a situation in which you couldn’t forgive?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo © 2018 Hester Esquenazi
Rochelle B. Weinstein is the USA Today bestselling author of emotionally driven women’s fiction, including Somebody’s Daughter, Where We Fall, The Mourning After, and What We Leave Behind. Rochelle spent her early years in sunny South Florida, always with a book in hand, raised by the likes of Sidney Shel
don and Judy Blume. Upon graduating from the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, Rochelle moved to Los Angeles, where she handled advertising and promotions for major film studios and record labels at LA Weekly. After returning to Miami, she continued her passion for entertainment as a music-industry executive at the Box Music Network. When she’s not writing, Rochelle loves to hike, read, and find the world’s best nachos. She is currently working on her sixth novel. Please visit her at www.rochelleweinstein.com.