The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Harold paused to think, then said, "Well... you could find a sturdy rope and tie Joshua up for now. If you're really worried, maybe even use a pair of handcuffs and ankle restraints. That way, he'd have a much harder time getting loose."

Stella was completely taken aback. She'd called Harold hoping he might know what kind of medication Joshua usually took. And now Harold was telling her to tie the man up?

"Harold, are you serious? You're not joking, are you?" she asked, doubt clear in her voice.

Harold wanted to say he was dead serious. But it was obvious Stella had no idea what Joshua was really like, nor how frightening things got when he had an episode.

He sighed and tried to explain in a different way. "Look... Joshua's condition, it's an old issue. Every time it hits, he gets dangerously volatile-his temper's out of control, his emotions swing all over the place, and honestly, he barely recognizes anyone. It's like all reason just vanishes. There's no miracle cure for this, nothing that really helps when it's happening. He's seen countless doctors-none of it has worked."

Stella hesitated, then asked, "But why? What caused Joshua to end up like this?"

Harold replied, "It's complicated. Part of it's insomnia, but there are psychological factors too. Bottom line, it's tough to treat. The doctors have said they'd need to work through the mental side of things first, before anything else will make a difference."

words, Joshua's illness was mostly rooted in his mind. He wasn't exactly a saint

passed down through generations. Even the best doctors couldn't fix a flaw that deep. Maybe it was just that nobody's perfect: the Gardners were blessed

while. In the past, it would happen every month or two without fail. But

cleared his throat. "Ms.

is to

If gets

upset.or startled, that's what usually sets

listened, the more uneasy she felt. Everything Harold was describing—wasn't this exactly how people talked about psychiatric patients

Do you know anyone named Stuart? Is there some kind of bad blood between him and Joshua?"

genuinely puzzled. "Never