Read The Best of Friends Online
Authors: Susan Mallery
The Best of Friends (22 page)
But of all of them, the person she missed most was Jayne. She knew her friend was gone and didn’t think there was any way to get her back. She’d lost Jayne because she’d been stupid and selfish and mean. She’d been a horrible friend. Worse, she’d hurt the one person who had always mattered the most.
At the next intersection, she saw a small church off to the right. She noticed it because it was freshly painted in a neighborhood of dull and broken buildings. There were flowers in front, and a sign posted in the grass welcoming everyone to a list of activities.
Between choir practice, Bible study, the women’s group, teen challenge, and regular services, the church was a busy place. Impulsively, Rebecca turned into the lot and parked her car.
There was a group of boys playing basketball. They stopped and stared at her for a few minutes, then one of the smaller kids ran inside. Rebecca hoped she hadn’t scared him. She just needed a minute to figure out what to do next.
She could go back to Milan. She liked Italy, had always been able to work there. But the thought of creating anything seemed impossible. It was as if all the fire inside of her had burned away. She felt guilty, but she knew she hadn’t done anything wrong. She felt alone, and there were people everywhere. It was as if she’d somehow mislaid her life.
Someone tapped on the glass. She looked up into a man’s face. His brown eyes were kind.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
She rolled down the window. “Is this your church?”
He smiled. “It’s God’s church, but I take care of it for Him. Who are you? Are you lost?”
“I think so.”
“You’re close to the freeway. I-10. Can you find your way from there?”
If she went west, I-10 would take her back to Santa Monica. If she went east, she could drive all the way to Texas.
She nodded.
“Come inside. I’ll draw you a map.” He straightened. “Don’t worry about your car. It will be safe here. On the street, not so much, but in the parking lot, you’re fine.”
She rolled up the window, then took her purse and followed him.
They didn’t go into the main church, but instead went behind it to a tiny house. The building looked old. Inside, the small rooms were filled with worn furniture and books. Hundreds of books were stacked everywhere.
The man, maybe in his forties, wearing jeans and a worn Trinity College sweatshirt, bent over a tiny table, drawing on a lined sheet of paper.
“Two lefts and a right,” he said, straightening and handing her the paper. “You’ll see the freeway up ahead.”
“Thank you.”
He studied her. “Are you all right?”
“Sure. I’m great.” She looked around at the crowded space. “Do you live here?”
He grinned. “Yeah. Me and an old cat. Just as well. There’s no room for anyone else.”
“You run programs, preach, help the poor?”
He frowned, as if confused by the question. “Something like that.”
“The flowers outside are nice.”
“God is into nature.” He shrugged. “Sorry. I was kidding. Not everyone gets that.”
“Do you accept donations?”
“It’s how we survive.”
She probably had a few hundred dollars in her purse, but instead, she reached into the front pocket of her designer jeans. The small blue stone slipped out easily, as if it had been waiting to be set free.
The flawless diamond nestled in her palm.
The man took a step back. “What is that? A sapphire or something?”
“A blue diamond. There aren’t very many in the world that are natural rather than manufactured. A friend gave this to me. I didn’t know what to do with it. I want you to have it.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“It’s not stolen. I swear.” She put it on the table. The instant she released the stone, she felt oddly light inside.
He eyed it suspiciously. “Why are you giving it to me?”
Because she didn’t want to give it back to Nigel, but she couldn’t keep it. Because in the end, a diamond was just a hard rock, and what she’d lost instead was much more heartbreaking. Because she’d never once done anything selfless in her life.
Because of Jayne.
“Because God is into nature,” she said.
She returned to her car and glanced at the map. Ten minutes later, she was heading east on I-10. Dallas would take a couple of days, which was probably just long enough for her to figure out how she was supposed to say she was sorry.
There was a lot more she needed to do, but she would start there and somehow find her way back to where she was supposed to be.
THE BEST OF FRIENDS
Book Club Discussion Guide
Dear Reader,
I’m honored that you’ve chosen
The Best of Friends
as your book club selection. I’ve provided these questions to help you get the conversation going. Be forewarned, the questions contain spoilers, so I recommend that you not read them until after you’ve finished the book.
I would love to hear from you and the members of your club. Please write to me via my website,
www.susanmallery.com
. Or stop by my Facebook page,
Facebook.com/SusanMallery
, and join the discussion there. I’d be happy to answer any questions you have about Jayne and Rebecca’s story. In the meantime…
Happy reading!
Susan Mallery
Questions
1. What are the major turning points of the story?
2. What are the overall themes? How does the title
The Best of Friends
reinforce or contradict the themes? Describe the lessons you take away from this book.
3. Discuss the subplots. How do these subplots support and enrich the major themes?
4. With whom did you empathize most strongly, Jayne, Rebecca, or Elizabeth? Discuss each of these characters in terms of how they are alike and different. How did you come to feel differently about the characters as the story progressed? What did you learn about each that made you consider them in a new light?
5. Do you believe that Rebecca truly loved her friend Jayne? Why or why not? What did she do or not do to support your belief? Do you believe that Jayne truly loved her friend Rebecca? Why or why not? What did she do or not do to support your belief?
6. Everyone in life is the hero/heroine of his/her own story. How do you think the women in
The Best of Friends
perceived themselves differently from the way they were perceived by others?
7. Why does Jayne feel that she has to move? Do you agree that this is the only way for her to reclaim her own life? Why did she make so many sacrifices for the Worden family over the years? Was it out of love or weakness? Would you have done the same if you’d been orphaned and alone in the world? Explain. When did Jayne finally begin to stand up for herself, and how did you react to her actions?
8. In their own way, both David and Rebecca ran away from the family long before Jayne did. Why do you think they left? Why did they come back, and why now? Why did Rebecca take the name Rivalsa when she began to design jewelry?
9. Jayne believes that everyone sees her as “reliable and sensible.” Do you agree? Why or why not? What is the one personality trait that stands out most strongly in your mind for each of the following characters?
a. Jayne
b. Rebecca
c. David
d. Elizabeth
e. Blaine
f. Jonathan
What do you think is your strongest personality trait? What do you think are the strongest personality traits of the other members of your book club?
10. Do you believe Jonathan had any lingering feelings for Elizabeth? What did that affair mean to him? What did Elizabeth feel for him at the time and now? How did you feel about Rebecca’s behavior toward Jonathan? Do you think he truly had feelings for her? How did you feel about his revenge on her? Was it appropriate retribution for her actions toward him?
11. Discuss the animosity between Rebecca and Elizabeth. Where do you think it started? Do you think their relationship will improve in the future? Why or why not? How is their relationship similar to or different from your relationship with your mother?
12. Why do you think Elizabeth was horrified when she discovered that Jayne was David’s mystery woman? How did you feel about David’s reaction when Elizabeth confronted him? Why wasn’t Rebecca happy for David and Jayne when she realized they were falling in love with each other?
13. Do you think Jayne and David will have a happy relationship? What makes you believe that? Do you think they made the right decision about where to live? What would you have done differently, if anything?
14. Do you think Jayne and Rebecca will ever become friends again? Should they? Why or why not? Is every friendship worth saving? Why or why not? Have you ever experienced or witnessed a toxic friendship? Explain.
15. Did you find the ending to be satisfying? Why or why not? How were the plot and subplots resolved? What questions were left unanswered? Do you think there’s hope for Rebecca and, if so, how does she need to change in order to have a happy life?
