Romance

390

If Truth Be Told is the story of a young woman coming of age and learning about love and forgiveness--in equal measure.

Coming from a home where kindness and honesty are in short supply, it's no surprise that Christie O'Kelly gravitates toward her beloved uncle's new wife, who shows her an abundance of both.  Inclued in the package deal is a new cousin.   College-bound Todd Harringson becomes Christie's best friend, and then her first love.  Then, after four years, Christie gets the news in a letter.  Todd is married--to someone else.

Eight years later, he's back on her doorstep.   The first words out of his mouth are, "I'm really sorry about your uncle."  When she demands to know what he means, he quickly backs away.  Christie contronts her uncle and learns that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, the first of many illnesses that will change the shape of all their lives.

When Todd shows up the next day, Christie sends him packing, but she can't avoid seeing him as crisis after medical crisis throw them together.  Todd is determined to win back her trust.  Then her uncle dies suddenly.

Before Christie even has time to grieve, she finds evidence that causes her to suspect that one of the people she loves most may have killed him, and she plows ahead in search of the truth, even though she knows that finding it may cost her everything. 

Excerpt
After eight years without a word, Todd showed up at my front door.

He was looking at the kids. They were looking back with undisguised interest. He gave an uncomfortable laugh. “Can I come in?”

The laugh did it. I felt like slugging him. “No,” I said, starting toward him. As I brushed past him and out the front door, I said over my shoulder, “You guys finish eating.”

I marched down the front walk toward the strange car in my driveway that must be his with Todd trailing along behind me. When I got there, I turned to face him, crossing my arms across my chest. By then, the numbness had passed entirely and my anger and a lot of other emotions were building with frightening speed. “Talk about what?” I demanded.

He was regarding me with that knowing little smile I remembered so well. “No ‘how are you?’"

Insufferable lout. “Sure. How are you? How are the wife and kiddies?”

“There are no wife and kiddies.”

“That’s nice. Enough social chitchat. What are you doing here?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. Another tug of memory. “I’m sorry to barge in on you like this. I . . . uh . . . thought about calling.”

“You should have. What do you want to talk to me about?”

He looked around him. “Is there somewhere we can sit down for a minute?”

I glanced around at the walk, the sandy yard. After a second’s hesitation, I sat down cross-legged on the walkway. Then I looked up, shielding my eyes from the sun and gesturing toward the sidewalk with my free hand. “Please, have a seat.”

He closed his eyes and shook his head. “I’m sorry. I guess it was a mistake to come. I just wanted to let you know that I’m in Orlando now.”

Call out the bands. “And?”

“And—and I’m sorry about your uncle. I wanted to let you know I’ll be around if you need me.” He turned and started to walk away.

Alarms rang in my head, loud, clanging ones. “What about my uncle?”

He stopped, turning slowly. His eyes searched my face. “You don’t know,” he said finally.

I jumped to my feet. “I don’t know what?”

He seemed to consider and discard a number of answers before he said, “I’m—sorry, Christie. I wouldn’t have said anything if I’d realized you didn’t know.”

I could feel rage and fear filling me in equal parts. “Didn’t know what?” I almost shouted.