chapterthree
Clara
Two weeks after the wedding
Two weeks into my marriage and I’m not feeling particularly better about the situation.
Jonah left immediately after the ceremony and I didn’t see him again until yesterday, when he came with me to meet Uncle Red for lunch at a restaurant in Houston. We got married in Florida, where we both live, but Jonah didn’t even want to come in on the same flight. We’d arranged everything via text, agreeing to meet at a mall near the restaurant and then arrive together in one car. I let Jonah drive from the mall to the restaurant because Uncle Red is just traditional enough to care about that kind of thing.
From the time I climbed out of my car and into Jonah’s truck until we arrived at the restaurant, Jonah barely spoke to me. Hell, he barely looked at me.
In fact, he’d only done one thing to acknowledge my existence. When I climbed into the passenger seat of the truck, he’d nodded a greeting and held out a ring. The gesture was so unexpected, it took me a second to even recognize it. A simple platinum band with a small but luminous square-cut diamond. He’d said nothing, not even watching as I slid it onto my own finger.
Jonah had been personable enough with Uncle Red. They’d chatted about their mutual love of diving and all the great dive sites they’d both been to. Jonah barely looked at me, but sat by my side, his arm draped over the back of my chair, close enough to my side that I’m sure we fooled Uncle Red.
I’m probably the only one who noticed how careful he was not to touch me. Not even when he handed me the ring.
Now, I can’t stop staring at the ring. Can’t stop wishing…
What?
That it was a real ring?
That’s silly. And foolish.
I don’t need a ring. All I need is control of the Blue Crown. I need a small stretch of beach and sand and water that I can call my own and where I can show others how precious this fragile planet of ours is. I need that, and I need Uncle Red to have access to the medical care he needs. I don’t need anything else.
Still, I can’t help wishing that things between Jonah and me were…easier. Friendlier.
Which is why I pick up my phone and text him.
Clara: Hi. Thanks for going with me to visit Uncle Red.
Jonah: No worries
Clara: He seemed to really like you.
Clara: Of course, the SEAL thing didn’t hurt. Plus, you listened to all those scuba diving stories for hours.
Clara: I think he’s been really lonely since stepping away from the resort. So it was good for him to have someone to talk to.
Clara: Anywoo…I’m flying down to Belize next week to check out the state of the resort. It’s been closed down for a few months, but hopefully things are fine since Rosa and Eli, the caretakers, have been on-site the whole time. Let me know if you want to go with me. Eli can take you over to Libélula Caye if you want to see it.
Jonah: No thanks.
Clara: OK. I’ll get back the week after next but will be available via text if you need anything before then.
Jonah: I won’t
Clara: OK. See you on the other side, hubby
Jonah: Don’t call me that
Clara: Oooookay…
chapterfour
Clara
