They laugh, shyly. Carina speaks, nodding. Gavin speaks. Then the smile on Carina’s face wanes. A look that I think confuses us all.
Gavin and I exchange glances. I hear Todd whisper, “What the fuck?” Our eyes don’t tear away as Gavin does most of the talking. Carina listens, more tears welling up in her eyes.
She nods.
He wipes her tears.
She cups his face.
He kisses her lips.
They utter more words. A conversation that looks too intense for a moment meant for a celebration between two lovers minutes away from getting married. Gavin’s mouth moves rapidly now.
An explanation?
His chest heaves, face contorted in grief.
“Oh, shit,” I hear Vernon murmur.
Oh, shit is right.
Carina’s flowers drop to the ground. Her shoulders shake as tears fall from her eyes.
I press my face closer to the window, my breath fogging the glass. A knot forms in my stomach. It’s crystal clear to us all what Gavin is doing.
43
perfect narrative
MARLEY
A senseof calm rushes over me as I melt into my shaded daybed. Outside the sheer white curtains, the resort’s shimmering infinity pool water seems to be spilling into the deep blue of the Pacific. It’s surprisingly peaceful out today. The crowd is thin, the therapeutic sound of the ocean washing over the silence. I’ve read several chapters ofSeven Days in June, and now I’m marinating in the pure serenity of doing absolutely nothing. I close my eyes and focus on my breathing, letting my thoughts mimic the slow, rhythmic pull of the tide.
In, out.
Deep, shallow.
Behind my closed eyes morphs a vision of Othello’s muscular chest and handsome face. It’s hard to concentrate on anything but him these days. He has become a constant thought.
Needing a distraction from my thoughts of him, I reach for my phone resting beside me to start a mindless scroll on Instagram, but my screen lights up, sending my heart straight into my throat.
OTHELLO: how’s your pool day going?
MARLEY: So far, so good. How’s the wedding?
OTHELLO: null and void.
To this I call him, and he answers before the first ring ends.
“What do you mean? What happened?” I ask, sitting up straight on the daybed.
I imagine Carina at the altar, gorgeous and beautiful, telling Gavin she doesn’t want to marry him this way. But I’m all wrong. It was Gavin who put a stop to it before they even reached the altar.
“He’s mourning his mother. Says he’s been running on autopilot since she passed and hasn’t really had a chance to mourn her. I think he’s in some kind of depression.”
I sigh and drop my head in my hands. I’m devastated for Gavin. I can’t even imagine what it must be like losing a parent. And depression was a beast that couldn't be outrun.
“Well, how did Carina take it?”
