The Anniversary Dinner He Gave to Her novel · Chapter 16 of 24

Chapter 16: Six Chairs

Hugh's POV

On Thursday night I set seven chairs in a row in my closed dining room, and I stood in front of them.

I had not seen any of them together since March.

The old dock manager came first, in the same canvas jacket, with his wife on his arm.

Then the two deckhands, who had come in one truck.

Then the mate, and the cook from the charter galley, and the bookkeeper who still sent me a Christmas card every year.

They sat down and looked at the room.

"Nice place," the mate said. "Nobody told us it was this nice."

"It's an expensive room," I said. "I haven't paid for all of it."

"Neither did we, and look how that went."

A few of them laughed.

I didn't.

"I asked you here to say something I should have said in March," I said. "I'm sorry. I told you the company would hold until summer. It was my signature on the loan. I should have seen what he was doing."

Nobody spoke.

I made myself keep going.

"I paid you three months and I thought that was the end of it. It wasn't. I know some of you took jobs that pay half. I know one of you lost his boat slip."

"That was me," said the older deckhand.

"I'm sorry."

"Hugh."

"I'm not finished."

"You are, though." He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "You keep telling us you're sorry. You've been telling the wrong people."

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