All Fall Down Read Online Free PDF

haven’t seen you with a cigarette in months.”
    Mia took another drag. She looked at Melanie. “Boyd’s cheating on me.”
    â€œOh, Mia.” Melanie reached across the counter and covered her sister’s hand with one of her own. “Are you sure?”
    â€œPretty sure.” She sucked in a trembling breath. “He’s out at night, a lot. Sometimes until really late. He always has a plausible excuse for going out. A meeting with the hospital administrators. Or the hospital board. Or one of his medical societies.” She made a sound of disgust. “It’s always something.”
    â€œAnd you think he’s lying?”
    â€œI know he is. When he comes home…the way he looks…the way he…smells.” She made a sound of shame, turned and crossed to the sink. She bowed her head. “Like cheap perfume and…sex.”
    Melanie dropped her hands to her lap, angry for her sister. She hadn’t wanted Mia to marry Boyd Donaldson, had tried to talk her out of it. Despite his good looks and professional reputation, something about the man had always seemed off to her, like a picture slightly out of focus. She hadn’t trusted him, had resented the prenuptial agreement he had forced Mia to sign.
    Now she wished she hadn’t been quite so vocal with her criticisms. If she hadn’t been, maybe Mia would have felt free to come to her for help sooner.
    â€œHave you checked up on him?” Melanie asked. “Hired someone to follow him or called the hospital when he’s supposed to be there? Anything like that?”
    â€œNo.” She flipped on the water, doused what was left of her cigarette, then dropped it in the trash. “I’ve been afraid to. It’s like a part of me…doesn’t want to know for certain.”
    Because faced with proof, she would be forced to act. Not exactly her twin’s strong suit.
    â€œOh, Mia, I understand. I do. But you can’t stick your head in the sand with this one. If he’s cheating, you have to know for certain. From the standpoint of your health alone—”
    â€œDon’t start with me. Please, Melanie. I feel awful enough already, thank you.” Mia passed a hand over her face. “It’s my life and my marriage and I’ll muddle my way through somehow.”
    â€œSo butt out?” Melanie said stiffly, feelings hurt. “Fine. Just don’t expect me to be your sounding board, because I can’t sit back and do nothing. It’s not my way.”
    â€œBut it’s mine?”
    â€œI didn’t say that.”
    â€œMaybe you didn’t have to.”
    The two women locked gazes; Mia backed down first. “Actually, I took your advice already. I thought, okay, what would Melanie do? So I confronted him. And guess what?”
    Melanie swallowed hard, her mouth dry. “What?”
    â€œHe went berserk.” Mia indicated her black eye. “You see the result.”
    Melanie stared at her sister a moment, not wantingto believe what she was hearing. “You don’t mean…he hit you?”
    â€œThat’s exactly what I mean.”
    â€œThat son-of-a-bitch!” Melanie leaped to her feet. “That no-good, two-timing… I’ll kill the bastard. I swear, I’ll—”
    Melanie bit back the words, struggling to get hold of her anger. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and counted to ten. Growing up, she’d had a reputation for being a hothead. Her temper had gotten her into trouble time and again—once nearly landing her in reform school. If not for an understanding social worker, she would have ended up there.
    As an adult she had learned to control her hair-trigger emotions. To think before she acted. To consider the consequences of her actions.
    But old habits died hard. And when it came to her sisters, particularly Mia, she had always been ferociously, even blindly, protective.
    â€œWhat are you