Chapter 36: Gillian Leaves
Gillian leaves the island. Before she climbs into Brett’s flat-bottomed boat, she clings to me, kisses both cheeks, and says, “I’ll call you from California, Jay. Something tells me this is the right thing to do in my life, and the perfect time to carry it out.”
“I’ll miss you, Gillian Shank,” I say, provide her delicate frame with a squeeze, and wish her well one final time.
“How does my nose look, darling? Is it still swollen?” She touches the bridge of her nose with a few fingertips, inspecting the damage. Gillian is the type of woman who won’t ever have to worry about being ugly, I have learned. She’s beautiful from the inside out, no matter what her physical appearance entails.
“Not like it was.” Her nose was a mass of red and almost twice its normal siz
