A Certain Grace by Binnie Brennan

Author:Binnie Brennan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Quattro Books
Published: 2012-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

A bench beneath a palm tree beckons. Clifford is tired from the long haul; didn’t sleep well in back of the cab last night, his hip sore from the drive. Gainesville is such a bright place, the sky a violent blue, the sidewalks glaring in the sunlight. It’s always sunny in Florida, Marion once said, her eyes lit with the thought on a dreary March afternoon back home. Too sunny, Clifford now thinks, pulling his Deere cap low on his forehead.

He lands hard on the bench, half-growling, half-groaning. It’s as good a place as any to release Ludwig. He lifts the lid and holds the box out in front of him, like an offering; gives it a shake when nothing happens; brings the box back to his lap and looks inside.

The butterfly is no longer moving, is tipped over to one side, its frayed and splinted wing pointing skyward. Clifford touches the wing and then places the box on the bench beside him. For a long time he looks at it, breathing the scent of rotted pear. Above him the palm leaves rustle and clack, tossed by a breeze. Marion had been so excited about the palm trees.

Clifford brings a callused hand to his eyes, ambushed by grief. He takes two choked breaths, and then a clean one. He wrestles the cell phone from his pocket and presses the buttons that will find the girl. I’m here in Florida, yes… Yes, a safe drive, thanks... Good weather here… Clifford tells her what she wants to hear, the words he needs to say. Her squeals and laughter help make up for his lie. He can just see her pretty blue eyes, her braided hair.

Clifford lays the phone on top of the shoebox, stretches his legs, and unzips his jacket. He can’t complain about being warm in November. Already his hip feels better; must be the warm air.

Maybe he’ll just stay here awhile.

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