It’s Sunday morning. A more tolerable fifty-two degrees and sunny. I woke to the usual cacophony of dog shuffling, licking, and barking, not that I slept much. My sleep marathon must’ve confused my internal clock and made it think I’ve met my quota for the week. Real rest proved impossible with guilt keeping me awake and bad dreams circulating whenever I managed to circumvent it. I spent most of the day trying to lose myself in chores, dog care, and Marigold’s comics. Nothing worked to distract me, though I have enough firewood chopped to last three winters, and my dogs have never been so clean and groomed. Even with small accomplishments, it’s hard not to hate myself.

While filling my coffee pot with water at the sink this morning, I flashed back to Marina’s face, wincing in agony, and her words. There’s no one else… I’m glad you’re here… You always seem so sad… You look like a man with a million thoughts but no one to tell them to. That she thought of me at all dredged up more anger over what I stole from her. I smashed the carafe into the sink, shattering it into a thousand pieces.

After destroying my coffee pot, I latched on to a tiny shred of clarity. If Marina is truly okay, I should move on, call it what it was—an accident—and do nothing, beyond paying her expenses.

It’s best for everyone if I don’t get involved. So, that’s the plan.

Once I fill my thermos, I’ll spend the day on the lake, catching tonight’s dinner and drinking many beers. Alone.

The line inches up, but the spandex and ponytailed women in front of me hardly notice outside their engrossing conversation.

“I bet Cora tampered with her brakes,” one whispers to her friend.

She looks aghast and scoffs. “Why would she?”

“Are you kidding? Marnie lives in a shed, drives a crap car, and works in a grocery store. She’s not Cora’s first pick for Ashe. Everyone in the Women’s Club says so.”

The friend nods. “Yeah, my book club says the same thing. I heard Marnie got her wedding dress from a thrift store, even though Cora offered to buy her one.”

“Gross.”

“Yeah, gross. Think they’ll still get married?”

“Don’t know. I heard Cora canceled everything yesterday afternoon—not postponed. Canceled.”

“Marnie’s been canceled? She’s so sweet. She helped me find the perfect gift for my granny last year, and that woman doesn’t like anything. She still talks about those handmade soaps⁠—”

“She’s Sunny’s sweetheart, for sure. But is she still Ashe’s? That’s the question.”

“Maybe Marnie drove herself into that tree, you know? To get out of it? I don’t think I could handle Cora being my mother-in-law.”

“Me, neither.”