'I was married.' She was astonished. 'You were? ' He nodded. 'For
almost seven years. We had a daughter named Bridget.' She didn't ask
him any more questions, but the silence didn't make him
uncomfortable.
He didn't know why he felt compelled to tell her about his past, but
the words wouldn't stay locked inside of him any longer.
'They're both dead . . . two years now.'
'I'm so sorry.'
'Yeah.
So am I. ' He sounded as though he had been talking about strangers,
for all the emotion in his voice, but the pain was there in his eyes,
and it was devastating. She wanted to go to him and take him into her
arms and give him what small comfort she could, and the only reason she
didn't was because she knew he wouldn't accept it.
She didn't want him to see how shaken she was, and so she turned to
look out the window again.
She didn't speak again for several minutes, and then she asked, 'What
was your wife's name? ' 'Kathleen.'
'It's a beautiful name. You loved her very much, didn't you, Daniel?
' 'Yes, ' he answered without hesitation. 'I loved her. I still 'Do
you think you'll ever marry again? ' 'No, ' he answered.
'In time . . . ' He shook his head. 'Don't tell me that time heals.
' She didn't understand why he had suddenly become so antagonistic. 'I
wasn't going to say that.'
'Then what were you going to say? ' 'That in time you'll be able to
smile when you think of Kathleen and Bridget because you'll remember
the joyous times you had with them. The pain won't ever go away, but
it will lessen.'
'How the hell would you know? ' She tried to ignore his hostility. 'I
don't know firsthand.
It's only a hope I have for you.'
'It's hot in here, isn't it? ' She agreed with a nod as she reached
over to unlatch the lock on the window. She pushed and prodded but
couldn't get the window up. 'I think it's been sealed shut.' Daniel
