The Actor and the Housewife (42 page)
Read The Actor and the Housewife Online
Authors: Shannon Hale
But it didn’t come. There was still that twinge in her heart that told her Mike was gone, the ache of her skin because Mike no longer touched her, the dark tang of loneliness in her throat. She figured those would never go away completely. But they did not spread throughout her body, they did not bury her with grief. She ached—but her stomach muscles were still sore from laughing, and a twitch in the corners of her mouth told her that it wouldn’t be hard to laugh again.
The helicopter dove at the valley. Becky snuggled into Felix and watched home draw near.
“I love you, Felix Callahan,” she said over the headset. “I do. I love you so much.”
“I love you, Mrs. Jack. I thank God for you.”
Becky said, “Amen.”
And they kissed one last time.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to Victoria Wells Arms, Caralyn Beuhner, A. E. Cannon, Nadia Cornier, Dean Hale, Katie Henderson, Stephenie Meyer, Laura Mid-dleton, and Elizabeth Peters for priceless feedback. A shout-out to Rebecca Castleton, Jen Hoge, Rosi Hayes, John Hayes, Mark Richardson, and Michael Snyder for helpful brainstorming and topical info. Huge slobbery kisses to the fine booksellers at the King’s English and the noble librarians of the Beehive State, my home turf. Rick Walton’s delightful picture book
Pig Pigger Piggest
(Gibbs Smith) made a brief appearance.
For unintended inspiration,
muchas gracias
: Katie Janke (my resident mother of four who, for the record, is not Becky); Bonnie Bryner (mother of five, who actually is Becky . . . just kidding, she’s my mom); Libba “Bonnie Tyler” Bray (the “you broke it you bought it” line); Dean Hale (who is neither Mike nor Felix, but supplied a couple of their lines); Bill Bracy and Schnoppes; also Janae Stephenson and the Garden Geeks, Toni Butler, Marianne Lloyd, Christine Hale, Laurie Birky, and anonymous mothers at church, at the mall, at the hospital, etc. Take care what you say and do around writers—we’re watching, always watching . . .
A Note on the Author
Shannon Hale is the author of
Austenland
,
Rapunzel’s Revenge
(a graphic novel), and five young adult novels, including the Newbery Honor–winning,
New York Times
bestseller
Princess Academy
.
She is at work on a sixth young adult novel and her second graphic novel,
Calamity Jack
.
She lives with her husband and two children in Salt Lake City, Utah. Visit Shannon’s Web site at
www.shannonhale.com
.