Chapter 24 - The Night We Went Back to the Pacific
Five years after gala, Nathan and I went to a charity dinner.
Not on yacht.
Beachfront hotel in Santa Monica.
At sunset, we walked outside.
Ocean beyond.
Music.
Glasses.
Formal clothes.
My dress was dark blue.
Sapphire earrings.
Nathan noticed.
“Brave.”
“They’re earrings.”
“Still.”
I smiled.
We stood by low terrace wall.
Not railing.
The sound of helicopter crossed sky.
My body tightened.
Nathan noticed.
Did not touch.
Waited.
I breathed.
The helicopter continued north.
No spotlight.
No danger.
“Okay?” he asked.
“Yes.”
We stayed.
At dinner, a woman knocked over red wine.
It spread across white linen.
She gasped.
The host laughed.
“Occupational hazard of white tablecloths.”
Everyone moved on.
I looked at Nathan.
He understood.
Some people learn.
Some rooms are safe.
Later, Celeste Warren approached.
“Foundation audit is officially closed.”
“Everything?”
“Everything.”
“Adrian?”
“Restitution schedule locked.”
“Tessa?”
“Happy at university.”
“Good.”
“Would you ever come to Pacific Benefit Night?”
I laughed.
“Maybe when it’s at a diner.”
“We’re working down.”
Then she became serious.
“I’m sorry our institution put you in that position.”
“You didn’t push me.”
“No. But institutions create environments.”
Fair.
I said:
“Then keep fixing environment.”
“We are.”
No photo.
No speech.
No award.
I went home.
That night Nathan pulled storage case from closet.
“Why?”
“We’re updating estate inventory.”
Inside:
Invitation.
Black card.
Legal notices.
A copy of Veronica plea.
A photograph of yacht? No need.
He said:
“Keep?”
I looked.
Then took invitation out.
Recycled it.
Nathan blinked.
“That’s anticlimactic.”
“Perfect.”
The black card stayed.
Maybe Lily? There is no child. Fine.
I looked at it.
“Tomorrow.”
“What happens tomorrow?”
“I’m mailing it to Compass Rose archive.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“It belongs with vessel records.”
Not mine.
May you like
That was the last object tying me physically to the night.
Time.
