Juliette took him back. Caroline let her know. How odd that Caroline had become her conduit for information. Odder still, Tia found herself happy that Nathan and Juliette had reunited. It meant one less sin for which she had to atone.
Tia slipped into Robin’s car. They hugged as sisters.
“Welcome, Tee,” Robin stroked her cheek. “You look like hell.”
“Good to see you too. It was a long flight.”
“The first trip is always the hardest,” Robin said. “You’ll recover.”
Tia slipped on the sunglasses Robin held out to her. “That’s exactly what I’m planning.”
As they drove from the airport, Tia felt the misery of the past years start lifting. She’d saved herself from the rabbit hole of despair after waiting for so many years for rescue to ride in on a white horse, with Nathan the face of her savior.
For a while, she’d thought Bobby’s hand was the one that would lift her out of misery, and in truth, the comfort of Bobby still beckoned like an eiderdown quilt. But scraping away the layers of denial she’d been using—Bobby, drinking, impossible dreams—had set her free.
Tia swore that she’d never muffle her mind again. The right place, the right person, and exactly the path she should walk waited out there—none of which would require her to catalog her life into on-limits and off-limits.
Braiding Savannah’s hair or swinging her in a circle might not be in Tia’s future, but she didn’t have to hide her daughter’s existence. She could feel love for Savannah without reaching for a drink. On Savannah’s sixth birthday, Caroline would send pictures; Tia would send a doll, maybe a necklace made by Robin, or a teddy bear: for the first time, she’d buy her child a birthday present.
Whether or not Savannah’s parents gave it to her was their choice. Sending it would be Tia’s.
She’d always be there for her daughter, and Savannah was in the right place. Tia’s willingness to endure for her child meant walking away, not fighting for her, and through that choice, she’d gained the possibility for a someday future with Savannah.
They were all connected. And in the oddest way, they had all become a family.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many people supported me in writing The Comfort of Lies, but none more than my husband, Jeff Rand, who gifted me a life without sad songs and made it possible to fearlessly visit the past, and Ginny DeLuca, my best friend and partner in all things in life—including writing. We’ve held hands through all our choices, smart and stupid, since we were twenty-three, and will continue until we’re trading canes.
Family, friends, and colleagues helped me breathe life into these characters I love. Stéphanie Abou has been my wise, warm, and determined partner from the beginning, as has everyone at Foundry Literary + Media. Atria Books is everything you want a publisher to be. Judith Curr is whip-smart warm, and I thank her for bringing me into the Atria fold. Greer Hendricks is truly a dream-come-true editor, who pushed me perfectly, and I am forever grateful to be working with her. Sarah Cantin makes everything about publishing happier, easier, and better. Within moments of asking for help, Julia Scribner was there. Lisa Sciambra, Cristina Suarez, and Anne Spieth provided a welcome that portends a lasting mountain of thanks from me. Phil Bashe allowed me to appear far smarter than reality. Laywan Kwan, I am still smiling from your extraordinary cover. My journey with Atria has just begun, but I know I have found a home.
Nancy MacDonald, you are a touchstone of perception, wisdom, comfort, and help; you improve everything you touch. Kathleen Carter Zrelak, from Goldberg McDuffie, how did you become such a terrific publicist and a therapist? Rose Daniels, your great design talent actually made building a website fun.
To “team”—beloved Nichole Bemier and Kathy Crowley—thank you for absorbing my tears, celebrating my joy, and holding my secrets. Melisse Shapiro, the quality of my life jumped many levels when I met you. To my circle of trusted writer friends—bless our virtual water fountain: my dearly loved Robin Black, Jenna Blum, Juliette Fay, Beth Hoffman, Marianne Leone, Ellen Meeropol, Elizabeth Moore, Laura Zigman: everyone should have such trust, wisdom, and support surrounding them. Chris Abouzeid, Christiane Alsop, Stephanie Ebbert, Leslie Greffenius, Javed Jahangir, Necee Regis, Dell Smith, Becky Tuch, and Julie Wu—you are all way Beyond the Margins: wonderful partners, great for depth, and incredible for parties. Amin Ahmad, may we always be such wonderful (honest!) readers for each other.
Special thanks to Linda Percy, you and the rubber duck offered special faith, smiles, and optimism; and to Stacy Meyers Ames, you sure gave this wildly neurotic woman a shot of confidence.
Heartfelt thanks to the Grub Street Writer’s Center of Boston, especially Eve Bridburg, Chris Castellani, Whitney Scharer, and Sonya Larson, for bringing us all together and making dreams come true. Real-life hugs to everyone in the fabulous online Fiction Writer’s Co-op, with a special shout out to Cathy Buchanan for taking the time to put it together.
My deep love and thanks belong to my family, including the sisters of my heart, Diane Butkus and Susan Knight. I bask in the love of my sisters-in-law, Nicole Todini and Jean Rand, and my brother-in-law, Bruce Rand. A special thanks to my dear mother-in-law, Jeanne Rand, for her constant pride. And Mom, you are always with me.
Those who own my heart, the loves of my life, offer comfort, joy, and understanding: my sister (and best friend), Jill Meyers; my children and my granddaughter: Becca Wolfson, Sara, Jason, and Nora Hoots, and, again, the love of my life, Jeff Rand.
Randy Susan Meyers is the author of the bestselling and critically acclaimed The Murderer’s Daughters, which was chosen as a Massachusetts Center for the Book “Must-Read Book” and a finalist for the Massachusetts Book Award. She currently lives in Boston with her husband.
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ALSO BY RANDY SUSAN MEYERS
The Murderer’s Daughters
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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Designed by Kyoko Watanabe
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Meyers, Randy Susan.
The comfort of lies : a novel / Randy Susan Meyers.—1st Atria Books hardcover ed.
p. cm.
1. Adopted children—Fiction. 2. Unmarried mothers—Fiction. 3. Motherho
od—Fiction.
4. Man-woman relationships—Fiction. 5. Family secrets—Fiction. 6. Domestic fiction.
I. Title.
PS3613.E9853C66 2012
813’.6—dc22
2012007682
ISBN 978-1-4516-7301-2
ISBN 978-1-4516-7303-6 (ebook)
The Comfort of Lies: A Novel Page 32
