Chapter 4

But I never expected Terry to follow me to my hotel and book the empty room next door.

He bought a bag of first-aid supplies and gauze, and clumsily set about bandaging my hand.

I'd barely held out my hand when a shriek came through the wall.

"Ugh, there's a bug in this room. Terry, help!"

"Aren't you always the brave one? Scared of a bug? Pathetic."

Terry said it wasn't a big deal, and rushed over anyway.

He didn't even set the iodine down properly.

It spilled across my white dress, staining a whole patch of it.

When Mom was leaving us, she said I looked pretty in white, and told me to wear it when I sent her off.

Now I could only wear black.

I changed my clothes.

I dug the little box holding Mom's ashes out of my bag.

Ready to go to the cemetery I'd chosen long ago.

Just then I ran into Terry coming out of the room next door, hair a little messed up.

One button on his shirt was gone.

"Sybilla and I got into it. That little lunatic."

His ears were red as he offered the explanation.

But I didn't take any of it in.

Looking at the box of ashes in my arms.

Something like guilt and pity surfaced in his eyes.

"I rented a car. Let me take you."

I checked the ride app. I was over a hundred in line.

So I nodded and agreed.

I hadn't expected Sybilla to be in the car too.

Or to follow me all the way to the cemetery I'd chosen.

The sky was dark, and soon it began to rain.

We climbed the mountain side by side.

Sybilla suddenly spoke low in my ear.

"You know, I've always wanted to ask Terry something."

"If he and I hadn't been fighting back then, would he ever have accepted your confession?"

"When your mother entrusted you to him, did she know you were the other woman?"

"Did she know that on the busiest day of her funeral, Terry never showed up, because I'd changed my mind and ended up in the hospital?"

I went cold all over, staring at her in disbelief.

Wanting to know if this was another one of her games.

"I'm not lying to you. This time it's real."

Everything I'd swallowed these past days broke loose at once.

I swung my hand and slapped her, hard enough to knock her down.

"Iris, what are you doing? Have you lost your mind?"

Terry roared at me and shoved me away.

The stone steps were too slick. Holding the box of ashes, I lost my footing and tumbled down who knows how many steps.

Before I blacked out.

I saw Terry checking the cut on Sybilla's face over and over, then carry her hurriedly back down the mountain.

When I woke, the rain was still falling.

I staggered to my feet and wiped the blood from my temple.

I cradled the mud-splattered box of ashes carefully against me.

I canceled my flight back to Elmwood City.

Mom, I'm giving up everything in Elmwood City.

I'll stay here with you, in this place that faces the sea, where it's spring all year round.

Even though my whole body hurt, I followed the arrangements I'd booked in advance.

Limping, I laid Mom to rest.

Leaning against her cold headstone, I finally couldn't hold back my tears.

When Terry missed my mother's funeral.

I'd told myself that at least he'd be beside me when she was finally laid to rest, so I wouldn't be alone again.

I never thought the man who once said he'd always be by my side would let me down again and again.

When it was all over.

I took a train to the town where Mom grew up.

I rented a house with a view of the sea, and made up my mind to start a new life.

......

That night, back at the hotel, Terry still hadn't cooled off.

"Iris, what the hell was wrong with you today?"

"Look at Sybilla's face. Look what you did to it."

Still talking, he pushed open the door.

The room was empty. My luggage was gone.

Terry froze for a moment, then hurried down to the front desk, only to be told I'd already left.

"Oh, right, Mr. Swanson. Miss Henson asked me to give you this."

Terry took the thin sheet of paper.

It was a signed set of divorce papers.