Page 20 - Where the Dream Ends ebook

Marc Erdrich

In hindsight, Harry and his wife should have picked up on
the signals from Dawn and Russ when they returned. Some-
thing unspoken clouded their relationship. First, Russ couldn’t
find a substantial amount of cash that he had apparently hid-
den before they left. There was an implicit accusation that
hung in the air even though neither Harry nor his wife knew
anything about the money. After the second day of their return
with a sense of gloom hanging in the air, Dawn found the cash
right where Russ had left it. He had forgotten where he put it.
While the situation improved somewhat after that, something
was still not right.

At the end of August, Harry and his wife left, planning to
return at the beginning of October, before the start of the high
season.

At home, they announced their intentions to family and
friends. They settled their affairs and prepared for a new life.

In late September, unbeknownst to Harry and his wife, the
waves from a freak storm far from any land mass pummeled
the leeward side of the island. There was nothing about it in
the media. When they returned in early October, they were
shocked at the extent of the damage. The recently completed
cruise ship dock was nearly destroyed; the airport was a mess.
Their driver informed them that the skiff used to transport
guests to and from the resort had been destroyed by the waves.
The only way to reach the hotel was on foot. When they fi-
nally arrived, hot and sweaty from the overland hike, anxious
for a shower and a rest, they discovered the cottage that Russ
had promised he would build for them was not finished; they
had no place to live. The beach, which was the primary attrac-
tion, was strewn with boulders carried in by the sea; several of

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