I Chose a New Life novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: Roxana's Sleeve

Cliff took me across to Gull Island at half past five, before the first tourist boat.

"I'll wait on the dock," he said. "She said alone, so I'll stay where I'm not in the way."

"You don't think it's a trap."

"I think it might be." He cut the engine and let the Grayling drift against the pilings. "If you're not back in forty minutes I'm coming up the hill."

"With what?"

He held up a boat hook.

I laughed in spite of myself and stepped onto the dock.

The Fish House was at the far end of the island, past the lodge, down a gravel path through birches.

It was an old net shed with a tin roof, gone gray from weather.

Roxana was sitting on a barrel in the doorway with a thermos between her knees.

She wore a faded sweatshirt with the sleeves pulled down over her hands.

She looked younger than she had at the wedding.

She looked like she hadn't slept since.

"You came," she said.

"You asked me to."

"I didn't think you would. After what I did."

"I didn't come to hear you say sorry."

"I know." She unscrewed the thermos with both hands and poured coffee into the lid. "I didn't ask you to come for that."

She held it out.

I did not take it.

"All right," Roxana said, and drank it herself.

"What do you want?"

"I want to tell you what he's going to do next, so you're ready."

"He's going to sue me."

"He'll do that, too." She took a breath. "He'll go through every person you love until you come home."

"How do you know?"

"Because he did it to me."

The word landed oddly, and I waited for her to explain.

"I'm not his best friend, Della," Roxana said. "I was the first one."

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