This, I would learn, was Laura’s MO. Perennially pleasant, a do-gooder, the type of girl who always did what was expected of her. Even when she was angry or upset, it was often hard to tell.
“Crap,” I said as I scraped the sole of my espadrille along the narrow sidewalk.
“Oh no,” said Laura when she saw the problem.
I had stepped in a pile of dog crap, which wasn’t all that surprising, considering that the island had its fair share of strays.
“My hotel’s right up here,” said Laura, pointing up the hill. “They’ve got a hose in the garden.”
The Villa Marina didn’t have the Excelsior’s curb appeal, but its gardens were extensive, and Laura was right about the hose. I turned on the spigot, removed my shoe, and set to work cleaning out all the tiny grooves with a twig.
“Do you think Maureen’s really pregnant?” asked Laura as she watched me work.
It was something that I hadn’t given any thought to whatsoever. “I have no idea.”
“Makes sense, though, right?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“When I was pregnant, I threw up all the time.”
I stood up straight because, although she hadn’t explicitly said so, I would have sworn Laura didn’t have kids. “I didn’t know you were—”
She scrunched up her face. “It didn’t work out.”
“Oh, you mean—”
“I had a miscarriage. At about ten weeks.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, and stopped messing with the stupid shoe so I could give her my full attention. “When?”
She kicked at a clump of moss that had grown between two pavers. “A couple of months ago. Right before we got our orders.”
“What’d the doctor say?”
“Just to give it a month and try again.”
“So, did you?” I asked, eying her stomach. “Are you—”
“Oh, no,” she said. “Bobby wouldn’t even consider it until we got over here and got settled.”
“Why?”
“Didn’t you read the welcome packet?” she asked. “If you’ve got anything going on healthwise that’s even moderately risky, they can cancel your orders. That goes for dependents, too.”
“I guess I didn’t think about it.”
“The navy doesn’t want the liability. We knew a family back in NewLondon, and they really wanted La Madd, but their kid has diabetes, so it was a no-go.”
“Huh,” I said, and turned back to the task at hand.
“You and Paul want kids?” asked Laura.
I nodded. “Yeah, I mean, I think so.”
She laughed a little. “You sound enthusiastic.”
“I don’t know.”
