Two months after the wedding
I haven’t heard from my husband in months. No big surprise there.
Or maybe it is.
When we agreed to this marriage of convenience I kind of thought…what? That we’d be friends? Maybe.
At the very least, I thought he’d want to see the islands with me. After all, Sissy had said he didn’t know what he was doing now that he’d been discharged. That was one of the reasons he’d seemed like the perfect fit. He didn’t have a job. And he knew how to dive.
Spending time on Creciente Caye seemed like something he would want to do.
Before we met in person, I’d thought he might even want to come live on the island and run the dive shop. It seemed plausible at least.
Of course, that was before he’d made it abundantly clear that he just doesn’t like me.
Still, even if he doesn’t want to come down to Belize, I still reach out to him when I get back from my first visit to Libélula Caye, the island he will one day own.
Clara: Interesting news about Libélula Caye.
Clara: I made it over for a visit while I was at the Blue Crown. I thought there was nothing there, but it turns out, there’s a turtle research and rescue station on the island.
Clara: Apparently Uncle Red leased some of the island to the group back in the nineties and never mentioned it to me. They have a fifty-year lease. It’s a small station. More of a cottage, really. Just a place someone can stay overnight when they need to monitor the nesting sites. The lease will convey with the ownership of the island when Red transfers the property to us in a couple of years and then again when we get divorced and you get Libélula.
Clara: I had my lawyer review the paperwork. She’s not worried about it affecting our arrangement, but you might need to hire a lawyer of your own if you want to end the contract early.
Jonah: Is that what you’re going to do?
Clara: No. They just monitor the nesting sites of endangered sea turtles! I’m not going to kick them out. I’m not a monster.
Jonah: Are you saying I am?
Clara: No! Just wanted you to know what you’re getting. I don’t want you to think I misled you in our initial agreement.
Jonah: Noted
chapterfive
Clara
Four months after the wedding
Several more months pass before I hear from Jonah again. This time, he’s the one who reaches out to me.
Jonah: Hey
Clara: Hi! How are things going?
Jonah: Just a heads up
Clara: Okay, that sounds ominous.
Jonah: I don’t know how it happened, but my mom found out we’re married
Clara: Oh.
Clara: You didn’t tell her already?
Jonah: No
