The Castaways

THE CHIEF

H e waited a few weeks to let the dust settle, and then he called a meeting.

Everyone agreed: they had things to talk through. Strange, difficult, secret things.

Where to meet? The Chief wanted them all to meet in the conference room at the station, but Andrea said, “Good God, Ed, no.”

Addison suggested the opposite end of the spectrum—the Begonia—but that was shot down immediately.

Delilah offered to have everyone over to her house after the kids were asleep. They agreed on ten o’clock. Delilah lit candles and set out hummus and olives and Marcona almonds and fresh figs and soft cheese. All of them sat around the table as they would have to play Scrabble. The house was silent except for the sound of their breathing.

The Chief said, “Okay, then.”

And it all came out, like stuffing from a pillow.

Addison in love with Tess. Are you going to tell him? Are you going to tell him you love me?

Greg’s continuing relationship with April Peck. I was with him the night before he died.

Delilah seeing Greg parked at Cisco Beach with April Peck but not telling Tess.

Phoebe giving Tess a black market opiate.

Andrea and Jeffrey meeting in the farm attic.

Tess leaving a letter for Addison. I’m going back to Greg and the kids.

The Chief meeting with April Peck. He said he loved his wife. He wrote her a song.

“Beyond Beyond.” The song’s title was taken from a poem, apparently.

And then, seemingly apropos of nothing, Andrea said, “And I didn’t become a nun.”

The Chief covered her hand with his own. “Thank God,” he said.

“We all blame ourselves,” the Chief said. Even he, the chief of police, held himself accountable; he could have confronted the Greg and April Peck situation back in February but had chosen to turn a blind eye. “If you look at what we know, it went like this. Greg was going back to Tess, Tess was going back to Greg. Greg had written her a song, Tess had agreed to a sail. They drank champagne, they ate their picnic lunch, and Tess took the pill—because it was windy on the water that afternoon, the seas were rough, and she was scared. The Coast Guard report, corroborated by evidence from the medical examiner, is calling this an accident. Tess and Greg were drinking, Tess was loopy from the pill, Greg was not a good enough sailor to be out on the water under those conditions, the boat capsized, and they drowned. From the injuries sustained, it looks like they were trying to save each other.”

The candlelight flickered. Delilah placed her index fingers along the sides of her nose. “They were trying to save each other,” she said.

“They were trying to save each other,” Addison said.

“It was an accident,” the Chief said. “It was nobody’s fault.”

“It was nobody’s fault,” Andrea said.

“Forgiveness is a powerful thing,” the Chief said. “I forgive myself, and I forgive each of you. I forgive Tess and Greg. But we have a job ahead of us. We have two kids to raise. Chloe and Finn are going to live with Andrea and me, but it’s going to take all of us to help turn them into healthy, productive adults. It’s going to take all of us to love them the way their parents would have. Okay?”

“Okay,” the table echoed.

Jeffrey said, “I think we should have a moment of silence.”

“Agreed,” the Chief said. And for a long time they were quiet. Andrea and Phoebe had their heads bowed; Delilah stared out the dark window. Addison took off his glasses and pressed his eyes.

Then Jeffrey cleared his throat. “Thank you,” he said.

The Chief nodded, and reached for a chip. Delilah turned on music: Stevie Wonder singing “I Believe.” Andrea said, “Can I please have a glass of chardonnay?”

And then Phoebe stood up. “Wait a minute,” she said. “Wait a minute! ”

They all stopped.

Phoebe said, “Addison and I have something to tell you.”