The Mourning After (32 page)

Sometimes in life, it’s easier to see what we don’t want to see. My mother isn’t a horrible person. Her scope is just limited at times.  That’s what Dr. Lerner said.  Here was a woman who lost her son, her firstborn, and there was Chloe, the one she worried about the most. I am no longer her middle child. With her arms around me, I knew we would find a way back to each other.

Lucy would later say to me:

Rule #20 –Be forgiving of yourself and others.

Rule #55 – Stop blaming others.  Take responsibility for every area of your life.

Rule #60 – Admit your mistakes.

Rule #222 – Think twice before burdening a friend with a secret.

Rule #314 – Never underestimate the power of forgiveness.

And Rules #448-451 she lumped together:

Don’t be afraid to say I don’t know, I made a mistake, I need help, I’m sorry.

Though
The Mourning After
is a work of fiction, Glycogen Storage Disease is not. This perilous disease, a rare genetic disorder that afflicts 1 in 100,000 babies worldwide, is lifelong and incurable. My brother-in-law, Dr. David Weinstein, is the world’s leading expert on GSD. Since 1998, he has completely dedicated himself to researching and treating the disease in the hope of finding a cure. Children with GSD are missing an enzyme that enables the body to release stored sugar from the liver.  Without proper treatment, massive liver enlargement occurs, and the inability to release sugar during periods of fasting causes hypoglycemia, seizures, and even death.  As stated in the novel, cornstarch is the medical treatment for patients to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The Mourning After
was written in 2007 when GSD was in the beginning stages of animal trials. Dogs (maltese) naturally have GSD, and it is a fatal condition for the animals.  In 2005, David moved to the University of Florida to pursue treating the dogs and humans, and the treatment has allowed the dogs to thrive.  The goal is to translate this success to humans in the near future. 

In August 2013, our family will be joining David and his family in Warsaw, Poland, when David is awarded the Order of the Smile Humanitarian Award for his efforts to help children with this disease.  Prior winners of this award include Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, and Oprah Winfrey.  David lives in Gainesville, Florida with his wife, Geraldine, their son, Justin, and their adorable dog, aptly named, Argo.

Proceeds from this novel will benefit research on GSD through the Dr. Weinstein Dream Fund created at the University of Florida.  For more information about Dr. Weinstein, GSD, and how you can help, please visit
www.glycogenstoragedisease.com
.

Thank you to all the readers who have welcomed me into their hearts and homes.  I have been humbled by your support and enthusiasm.

Thank you to H. Jackson Brown, Jr. for allowing me to use his Life’s Little Instruction Book (1991) for the following rules: #20, #55, #60, #222, #314, and #448-451, as noted in the novel.  All other “
Rules
” came from my mother.

The lyrics to Everclear’s “Wonderful” were made possible by Doug Cohn and Brian Lambert in conjunction with Marilyn Alkire and Paul Brooks at Universal.  “WONDERFUL” Written by Alexakis Greg Eklund and Craig Montoya.  Irving Music, Inc. on behalf of itself and Commongreen Music, Evergleam Music and Montalupis.  Music © Publisher, Courtesy of (BMI).

Warm appreciation to Rabbi Harold Schulweis of Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, California, for permission to use the poem,
It’s Never Too Late
, In God’s Mirror: Reflections and Essays.  Thank you to Jane Jacobs.

Martine Bellen, Jan Blanck, Amy Berger, and Merle Saferstein, for editing, cutting, streamlining, and deleting my favorite lines.

Jim Grippando, for supporting an indie author with enthusiasm and kindness.

Rabbi Alan Litwak, for providing spiritual and religious insights.

Odalys Medina, for teaching me about texture, architecture, and design.

Jessica Jonap, Lisa Palley, and Stephanie Norman, for their creativity, wisdom, and guidance.

Allen at
www.ebformat.com
, the master of book formatting and ebook conversions.

Creating the book cover was a collaborative effort.  Thank you to Edwin Pineda (
www.bluemonkeydesign.com
), Larissa Meek at BGT Partners, and my most talented friend, Hester Esquenazi.

Blake Feder, for being a gifted thesaurus.

Thank you to the many wonderful friends and loving family who fortify my life on a daily basis. 

My siblings, Randi Berger, Robert Berger, and Ron Berger, for the love, laughter, and friendship, as well as the tears and sadness.  Mom blessed us when she gave us to one another.

Dr. David Weinstein, my brother-in-law and friend, your tireless efforts on behalf of GSD patients worldwide is remarkable.  Thank you for allowing me a glimpse inside of your world.  I am honored and proud to be your sister-in-law.

Jordan Weinstein, for your smile and laughter, your voice in the shower, and for understanding why I can’t write your seventh-grade book reports.

Brandon Weinstein, for our conversations about writing and professional sports.  Here’s the good news: you can do anything you want when you grow up.  You are that good.

Steven Weinstein, thank you for being the first person I see in the morning and the last before I go to bed at night.  You are my staunchest supporter, marketing extraordinaire, and the one who dreams up the perfect twists.  Your kindness, big heart, and selflessness keep me grounded in a lopsided world.  I love you, Bear. 

To my mother, Ruth Berger, I didn’t know when I wrote
The Mourning After
that I would be mourning you during the editing phase. Words can’t encapsulate the loss we felt when you left us.  We miss you every day, with every breath.  I know in my heart you are smiling down on us in your UM baseball hat, Heat jersey, and Dolphins sweatshirt.  The world is not the same without you.

1.  How far would you be willing to go to protect someone you love?  Did Levon go too far?

2.  Why was it so difficult for Levon to open up to his parents?  What holds any of us back from complete honesty and disclosure?

3.  Do you believe Middle Child Syndrome really exists?  Do you have any personal experience with it?

4.  How much of Lucy’s resiliency is inherent vs. learned?

5.  The dangers of drugs are evident throughout the novel.  What is our best action for keeping our children away from drugs?

6.  The Holocaust and Anne Frank are used in the novel to illustrate the horrors of genocide and resiliency of the human spirit.  What can we learn from this analogy?  Share a personal experience with the group.

7.  What would be easier for you to forgive in your marriage, a physical transgression or an emotional one?

8.  Why was it so difficult for Levon’s parents to see him clearly?

9.  Weight is an issue for the Keller family.  How does it influence and change Levon’s personality throughout the course of the novel? How does Madeline’s weight and Chloe’s diet factor into Levon’s eating habits?

10. How does Lucy change Levon’s life?  How does unconventional friendship work for the two?

11. Ethereal Lucy appears in Levon’s life on the day the family buries David.  What does Lucy symbolize for Levon? 

12. How does anger work throughout the novel in displacing sadness?

13. How does Craig Keller’s indiscretion influence his wife, Madeline?  Was that the turning point for change?

Rochelle B. Weinstein is a former entertainment industry executive living in South Florida with her husband, twin boys, two dogs, and two cats.  Her highly acclaimed debut novel,
What We Leave Behind
, is for any woman who has loved and lost and wondered what could have been.  She is currently writing her third novel—a love story based in Beech Mountain, North Carolina, her family’s second home.

Ms. Weinstein enjoys connecting with her readers.  She is available for book clubs and other speaking engagements.  To inquire about an appearance, or to share your thoughts on her novel and read her blog, please visit her at:
www.rochelleweinstein.com
.