I Know Who Holds Tomorrow by Francis Ray Page B

but Zachary was involved. Inadvertently, he’d entangled his father when Zachary had made the mistake of listening to his messages in his office when they’d returned from inspecting a house he was building. His father had never liked the Reed family, who thought more of
money and prestige than they did of people, and after listening to Wes’s panicky voice on the answering machine about the woman he’d gotten pregnant and asking for Zach’s help, his opinion of Wes went even lower.
    â€œI couldn’t turn my back on him. I kept hoping he’d set things right,” Zachary said, his voice tired and strained. “He never did.”
    â€œHe used you,” his father accused, his words biting.
    â€œWe both know at first I used him,” Zachary admitted. He and Wes had gone through so much anger before coming to terms with each other. He’d envied, then hated, the popular, spoiled rich boy with equal intensity while they were growing up in the same small town. But eventually they had gotten past the hurt feelings of their boyhoods and moved on. It hadn’t been easy for either of them.
    As adults their friendship had grown slowly, cautiously, to deep affection despite their differences. Zachary hadn’t approved of some of the things Wes did, tried to talk to him, but Wes always had an answer and an excuse. “He had his faults, but A.J. and Vanessa let him grow up thinking whatever he wanted, he could have.”
    â€œNow you have to pick up the pieces.” His father’s annoyance was clear through the line. “Again.”
    â€œIf I don’t, who will? It’s not Madison’s or Manda’s fault.”
    â€œAnd you’d see that more clearly than anyone,” his father said. “You do what you have to. You can count on me.”
    â€œThanks, Daddy, for understanding,” Zachary told him, the tension all but gone from his body. “I have to go. Take care of Mama. I’ll see you this weekend. ’Bye.”
    â€œYou know I will. ’Bye.”
    Zachary disconnected the phone, then started back toward Gate i 5 to wait for Madison’s family. A short while later the arrival of the plane was announced. He didn’t need the picture to identify Madison parents. Faces lined with worry and grief, arm around the other, the older couple were the first through the disembarking gate. He assumed the attractive woman close behind them was Dianne.
    Madison’s mother saw the picture in his hand and moved with surprising quickness to him. “My baby. How’s my baby?” she asked, her eyes imploring.
    â€œShe’ll be better now that you’re here,” Zachary said, knowing he spoke the truth.

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    Madison couldn’t get it out of her mind. No matter how tightly she closed her eyes, no matter how hard she tried to think of something else, those last seconds with Wes, the image of his face, strained and imploring, kept swimming before her. He had tried so valiantly to say those last words to her and with them he had sliced out her heart.
    â€œManda’s mine .”
    That betrayal hurt, and she felt worse because she was angry at him for his deceit and for putting her in such a position. She wished he hadn’t told her, wished she could have kept the illusion that they had had honesty and trust in their marriage if little else. With his last words he had taken that as well, leaving her nothing.
    And he was gone and she almost despised him for that, for telling her, then leaving her to deal with it by herself. It made her angry and ashamed. Wes was dead. How could she be angry with a dead man? Didn’t that make her into something unconscionable and vile?
    Tired of her own thoughts and realizing she was too wired to fall asleep, Madison tossed back the covers and reached for her robe. After a few steps, she became aware of the pounding in her head. She welcomed the distraction.
    She was almost to the