“I have one more question I need an answer to,” he said.
She pressed her lips together and nodded, waiting.
“What kind of illness did you have?” It was time he knew. He was tired of her secrets and evasiveness.
She swallowed hard and a look of panic came into her eyes.
“I think I’m going to be sick.” She stood up, swaying, and he stood, too, holding her arm to steady her.
“I’ll be right back,” she said, and she walked unsteadily toward the bathroom.
He waited what seemed like a long time, and was about to check on her when she emerged from the bathroom, holding a wet washcloth to her throat. He stood up. “Are you all right?” he asked.
She offered a wry laugh.
“Oh, I’m just great,” she said, taking her seat again.
He held her hand on his knee, not caring whether she wanted him to, not caring if she had a husband, or if she had lied to him. Her palm was clammy and cool. She pressed the washcloth to her forehead with her other hand, then lowered it to her lap.
“I had heart surgery just before Pamela died,” she said, drawing away a bit to look at him.
“I have a condition called Marfan’s syndrome.
It’s hereditary and can sometimes affect the heart. Pamela had it, too. She’d just been diagnosed with it, although she hadn’t had any obvious symptoms—until the seizure she had on the plane. That’s why the plane went down. My husband always pushed her to fly. ” She suddenly looked angry.
“If it hadn’t been for him, she would have taken up some normal hobby, like softball or… a musical instrument, or something. And she’d still be alive.” She closed her eyes tightly, and the tears started again.
“I’m sorry, Rory,” she said.
“When I lied to you that first day on the beach, I didn’t know I was going to become friends with you. Or that I’d even see you again. And once the lie was out…”
“Shh.” He put his arms around her and pulled her close to him, and she did not resist. She wept against his chest, tangled up in her lies and grief. He was not certain what impact all those lies would have on their relationship. All he knew was that, right now, she needed a friend. He was more than willing to play that role.
Daria and Chloe arrived home from work at the same time, when the sky above the ocean was pewter-colored and cloudless and there was no hint of menacing weather.
“Did you hear about the hurricane headed this way?” Daria asked as she and Chloe walked onto the Sea Shanty’s porch.
“No,” Chloe said.
“That’s just what we need.”
“It’s a big one,” Daria said. In the living room, she clicked on the TV to wait for the weather report.
“It’s still pretty far out,” she said, “so maybe it’ll weaken as it nears shore. Or it might even turn out to sea. You never know, at this stage.”
“You’d better not say anything to Shelly about it.” Chloe looked at her watch.
“I just came home to change,” she said.
“I have to go back to the church to help Father Wayne with a meeting tonight.”
Chloe would be working longer hours for a while, taking on extra duties at St. Esther’s in Father Macy’s absence. Daria sat down in front of the TV as Chloe went upstairs to change.
All day, while she and Andy had been paneling a condo in Duck, she’d been wondering how Rory’s talk with Grace had gone. As soon as Chloe left, she’d go over to Poll-Rory to find out.
But, as the meteorologist was giving his uncertain report about Hurricane Bemadette, Rory knocked on the porch door.
“Daria?” he called.
“Come in,” she said, looking up as he walked into the living room.
“I
was going to come over a little later. “
Rory sat down on the other end of the sofa.
“Is that Bemadette?” he asked, eyeing the perfect white doughnut of clouds on the weather map.
“Uh-huh. She’s a monster.”
“When do they predict it will hit us?”
“They’re not sure it will.”
Chloe came downstairs and into the room, wearing a skirt and blouse in place of the shorts and T-shirt she’d had on earlier.
“Hello, Rory,” she said, her voice so cool that Daria felt irritated with her.
“Hi, Chloe.” Rory turned on the sofa to face her, his arms folded across his chest.
“You know, I’ve been hearing some rumors.” “About?” Chloe asked, and Daria cringed, fearing she knew the
