THE LONG WALK HOME

Book Synopsis: The Long Walk Home presents a view of all three sides of the infamous triangle. Introducing David Kennedy as a man slowly destroying himself when he realizes he is in love with two women. He didn’t plan it, he didn’t want it but he didn’t stop it. His adoration for his wife Hannah, is obvious. His attraction to Stephanie O'Leary is overpowering, uncontrollable and consuming. This is an emotionally riveting story that reveals David Kennedy’s physical and mental struggle against the destruction of his marriage, his family and ultimately, himself. Kennedy gambles on more than his Friday night high-stakes poker game as he contends with the disapproval of his best friend, the disappointment of his employer, and the agony of knowing he must choose between Hannah and Stephanie, neither of whom he can live without.Circumstances lead him to the job of his dreams, an enjoyable, comfortable marriage, financial security and the opportunity to escape mediocrity. Later, as success builds, circumstances force him to suffer the loss of his self-confidence, a normal digestive system, and the ability to experience a good night’s sleep.

This fictional dramatic love story will touch every woman who has ever been in love, feared losing that love and fought to save it. It will also stir hidden emotions in every woman who ever found herself attracted to a man that was the core of another woman’s life. Every man who reads this story will find a part of himself in David Kennedy, father, husband, lover, son, and friend.The death of Stephanie to breast cancer fails to eliminate the need to choose, for by this time the guilt and confusion have led him to yet a worse decision. Can he really live with the knowledge of the damage he has done and the pain he has inflicted on those he loves? He leaves the noise, traffic and crowds of Chicago late one spring evening to seek refuge in his hometown in Southern Indiana. He hopes the sight and the sounds of the Ohio river, whose power and mystery he has forever loved, will provide the strength he needs to follow through with what he has convinced himself is the only solution. Contrary to his plan, he does not meet death by his own hand. Instead, he confronts the woman who has loved him since childhood. The strength, patience and determination of Hannah made it impossible for her to relinquish him to such destruction.

This is not solely the story of David Kennedy, a man who allows himself to become so weak that he is unable to resist temptation he finds in another woman, nor is it written to gain sympathy or understanding from readers for David or men in similar situations. It is more the story of David, Hannah, and Stephanie whose lives intertwine because of David’s weaknesses. The story is not told in a manner that suggests the reader consider removing labels that have long been placed on three individuals in any such triangle – the guilty party, the victim, and the intruder. In the end, the possibility certainly exists, that the reader might better understand that most of us are not immune to such weaknesses no matter how highly we regard our personal ethics.The story is not told by, or in favor of, any of the three characters. And, because David does have redeeming qualities, there will be readers who decide against hanging him from the nearest tree. However, it is obvious to the reader that the stalwart is Hannah, whose strength and determination enable her family to survive, with Stephanie running a close second. Even as Stephanie faces death, she realizes that as much as she might love David, the weaknesses she has already witnessed in him shows her that he could not be a source of strength to her during her illness.