Perspective: Olivia's Story - Resolution

Chapter 7 of 7, posted 08/28/2007

Olivia tried to think how to best summarize her recent visits. “I’ve been putting the pieces together in my head, trying to figure out what everyone had to gain if she died.

“Her coworker, Cynthia, definitely wanted the promotion. But after talking to her, she seemed confident that the position was hers regardless. In fact, she seemed disappointed that she was promoted after the accident because people thought she won by default. I’m sure she felt she could get the promotion by damaging our mother’s reputation rather than killing her. Also, her treatment of Heather, who Cynthia suspected of foul play, signals that she was not the killer herself.

Marcus interrupted. “What do you mean, damage her reputation?”

Olivia chose her words carefully. “There were rumors that Mom was having an affair with one of her students, Josh. He now runs the art foundation.”

His face registered no reaction. “I knew she spent a lot of late hours working so I guess that could be true.”

Olivia continued. “Now, Heather seems like a more viable option to me. Since she had seen them together, after Josh claimed things had ended, she was plenty angry, even going as far as threatening Mom at the office. But her goal was to be with Josh. Since Mom refused to leave her family, she knew Josh was ultimately hers anyways. I think she likes to talk a big game but she’s all bark and no bite.

“Which really only leaves Josh.”

Her brother practically choked on his drink. “Josh? You think the guy she was sleeping with, her trusted friend and co-director of her art foundation, killed her? You’re as crazy as dad.”

She shook her head. “No, I disagree. First, he lied to me. He told me the affair was over before I was born. But Cynthia and Heather both confirmed that wasn’t true. Both of them witnessed Mom and Josh together after my birth. So whether mom was coming onto him or he was seeking her out on his own, it probably went on until her death. Still, even though they were together, she wasn’t leaving her family. I think rather than deal with the constant reminder, he wanted her gone. Plus with her out of the picture, the foundation, which was his idea to begin with, would be back under his control. She was getting too much credit for his idea simply because she was the one with enough standing to make it happen.”

Marcus laughed at her. “That has to be the most ludicrous thing I’ve ever heard. Please tell me you aren’t going to drop that one on our father while he’s lying on his deathbed.”

“Actually, I’m torn. I really don’t want to lie to him because I think he’s right. But I can’t prove anything so what purpose would it serve to tell him his wife was cheating on him?”

“Exactly, you can’t prove anything. You certainly can’t prove Josh killed her. No evidence at all. But if Dad asks, are you going to lie to him about it?”

Unsure at this point what to do, Olivia decided to sit for awhile at her father’s desk and think things over. She wished someone else could make the decision for her but it appeared the choice was entirely hers.

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After a restless night spent dreaming in her childhood bedroom, Olivia awoke with her mind made up. She would tell her father everything right after breakfast. It wouldn’t be an easy conversation for either of them but it wasn’t right to lie to him either. Confident in her decision, she made her way to the kitchen. She was surprised to see her brother there. “What are you doing here so early?”

He put down his coffee. “The doctor just left. Apparently Dad’s condition was worse than they realized. He died in his sleep last night.”

Olivia was stunned. “I thought he had more time than that! I thought he was doing okay!”

“The doctor thought the same thing. But when Delia went to his room this morning, he wasn’t breathing. She called the doctor but she said she’s lost enough patients to know when it’s too late.”

She collapsed into the closest chair. “I didn’t even get to see him last night.”

Marcus was not sympathetic. “Maybe if you had spent more time with Dad instead of running around on this wild goose chase you’d feel less guilty now. He held dinner an hour waiting for you last night. Eventually, we convinced him he needed to eat. Afterwards, he waited for awhile before finally going up to bed.”

“I was going to tell him about Josh this morning.”

“Probably just as well you didn’t. With no proof, you don’t even know if you were telling him the right thing. You would’ve upset him for nothing.”

Olivia hated to admit Marcus could be right but with Dad gone, it didn’t even matter anymore.

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