There was no longer a contest of wills as they each gazed at the other. Both had words to speak, but forming a sentence, or even a word, was proving difficult. It had been nearly seven months since they had last seen each other, so time ceased to matter as Joanna and Addison just allowed the moment to penetrate their souls.

After taking a deep, stuttering breath, Addison finally found her voice. “I...I thought...I thought I’d see you at the...at the funeral.”

“Something else took precedence,” Joanna said, slowly moving down a step. “I’ll pay my respects later this week. Knowing Millie, I’m sure she would have understood.”

“They said her heart just stopped in her sleep.”

“I know.”

A cloud of uneasiness washed over Addison. Joanna’s expression was unreadable, and fearing if she said the wrong thing, Joanna would bolt, Addison grimaced as she struggled to find the right words. Taking a step toward the staircase, she said, “I...I tried to see you. You know? I tried, but no one...they wouldn’t even return my calls or texts.”

Joanna nodded as she switched the small bag she was carrying to her other hand. Unsure she could make her way safely down the stairs on knees now weakened by the sight of Addison, Joanna placed her hand on the railing before daring to take another step. “I know. I told them not to.”

“Why?”

“Because I was angry,” Joanna said, taking another step. “And I wanted you to know what it was like to feel helpless. I wanted you to feel like I felt when you walked out on me. I wanted you to feel like I felt when you gave me a choice impossible to make, and I wanted you to feel as alone as I’ve felt...for month after month after month.” Joanna moved to the next step. “Long before I was due, I made everyone promise that no matter what happened, you were not to know where I was until it was done. If I were to die, then I would die the way you left me...alone. Just before they put me in the ambulance, I found out what Fran had done, so I made her swear, I made her swear, and Evelyn swear and Millie, poor, sweet Millie swear that they wouldn’t tell you anything else.”

“They didn’t, and I had no idea where you were.”

“I know, and trust me I had plenty of time to put everything into place. My doctor knew of a private hospital, and once I bought them a much-needed MRI machine, my privacy was guaranteed. Not even the damn reporters could find me. The only people who knew where I was were Fran, Millie, and Evelyn, so sacking David was uncalled for.”