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“No,” Erik declared flatly.
“And how would you know that?” Jason finally opened his mouth to speak.
“These two weeks wouldn’t end this way. The sky is just restless enough to get us moving.”
“I don’t need the sky to goad me,” Matthew declared.
“But perhaps someone thinks we do,” Jason returned.
“Are the ladies getting packed?” Erik asked.
“Laney’s dressed and in the kitchen,” Jason reported, “and I know Sandra was closing up our suitcase as I left. Didn’t see Elise.”
“She’ll be ready.” Her husband was quite sure of himself.
Returning to the house, the three ate a breakfast of cold muffins and juice, then hauled their suitcases and camping gear to the dock, while the women followed their tracks to the beach.
“Sky looks strange,” Laney noted staring up.
“Doesn’t it figure?” Sandra said.
“We’ve already noticed and written it off, ladies,” Erik told them, as he pulled their luggage into the boat.
“Full tank of gas?” Matthew wondered as he hopped aboard.
“Looks that way to me,” Jason said. “Old Archie was ready for us.”
“Makes sense,” Erik noted. “You ready?” he looked up at the three women on the dock, where they waited as though they needed a direct order to get inside.
Suddenly embarrassed by her hesitation, Laney moved first and the other two quickly boarded with smiles. As they cast off, the six stared back to the small rocky beach where they’d run aground two weeks before. Just barely over the sand dunes beyond, they could see the tops of the palms and the roof of the house. It was their last glance, before Erik piloted the boat out of the bay into the open seas, where he headed for the Florida coast. Marquis Island quickly disappeared from view.
Epilogue
Six Months Later ….
They sat in a booth at the back of Checkers Bar; Laney facing Elise on either side of the table.
“What’s keeping Sandra?” Laney asked.
“She has a new client,” Elise rolled her eyes teasingly as though that should mean something.
“Who?”
“She’s not saying, though she keeps mentioning Robert Divine.”
“Who’s that?”
“Laney, where have you been? Robert Divine is the hottest artist in the village right now.”
“Oh?” The news wasn’t particularly earth shattering.
“She’ll get a swelled head.”
“Who’s gonna get a swelled head?”
“Sandra! We’re talking about Sandra!” Elise noted her friend’s vacant expression. “Are you even here?”
“I am—just a little distracted.”
