A Book of Dust and Breath

Chapter Twenty Two

Lily walked next to Delwyn through the festival crowds. The carnival rides had rolled into town on Monday afternoon and started setting up. Now, on Thursday night, just in time for the Independence Day celebrations, the little town's city park overflowed with tents and food wagons, wandering clowns, stilt walkers, little boys selling popcorn for the scouts, old men selling raffle tickets for the Rotary club, and more people than she had seen since arriving in Michigan. "I can't believe so many people come to this tiny little town to eat fried food on a stick and listen to old men sing country music."

Delwyn shrugged. "It doesn't surprise me. People feel most alive when they are together. They seek any reason to congregate. It's true now more than in any part of history. Seven billion souls on earth and most of them perishing from loneliness."

Lily sipped at her too-sweet lemonade. "What a sad thought." Her own loneliness gaped, a bleeding, stinging wound in her heart. Eager to change the subject she pointed out a tent selling handmade leather goods. "I should get new boots." She gestured to her feet. "These are so old my socks'll be showing through the soles soon."

"He's OK," Delwyn said, placing a gentle hand on Lily's arm.

Lily blinked away the tears that suddenly threatened. She cried every night. She was sick to death of crying. She'd cried more in the past few weeks than she had in the past few years. Who knew being happily married could hurt so much? "You don't know that," she said without meeting her friend's eyes.

"I do, though." She leaned close. "God whispers to my heart. He tells me your husband is safe."

Lily sighed. "I wish He'd whisper to mine."

"Come on," Delwyn said pointing to a row of men's belts. "Choose one for your man. It'll be a coming home present. What's his favorite color?"

"I honestly don't know," she answered. The absurdity of being married to a stranger struck her full force and she laughed. "My life is so weird."

Delwyn nodded. "All life is weird. Therein lies the beauty."

Lily ran her hands over the soft, sun-warmed leather belts hanging from the rack. They weren't Max's style, but she loved the idea of a coming home present. It made his arrival feel closer, more imminent. She chose a deep brown belt with "Harley Davidson" stamped across it.

"Let's watch the boat races," Delwyn tugged on her sleeve. "I love water!"

Her child-like enthusiasm soothed Lily's sadness. In the weeks since they'd met, Lily had come to value the other woman's friendship. She faced the world with a unique combination of distant observation and utter enthusiasm that somehow reminded Lily of Daniel.

After Max left to attend to his Superman duties, Lily had returned home, laid on the couch, and stared blankly at the TV screen until a knock interrupted her self-pity. She had forgotten entirely about her dinner invitation. "I'm sorry. My husband was called away and I guess I just got caught up inside my own head."

Delwyn's dark eyes gave nothing away. "Girls night in, then," she said, and brushed past Lily into the house.

The intrusion had been a thorny prickle of irritation to Lily who just wanted to watch sad romance movies and make herself sick on ice cream, but Delwyn's presence turned out to be a blessing. She was easy to talk to. Lily poured out the story of her crazy, whirlwind courtship with Max, her fears about his secret life, her uncertainty about what it would mean for her future, even her worries about her parents.

In turn, Delwyn had shared that she was raised with several sisters by a strict but loving father. Her family shared a deep, abiding faith in God but, despite her manner of dress, did not adhere to any particular religion. "It's more of a cultural thing," she said about her burka. "And it's great. You have no idea the number of surprising things you can hide in this much fabric."

Lily asked her how she'd ended up in Blissfield.

"I had a job opportunity," Delwyn said.

"What kind of work do you do?"

"One of my father's associates made an investment he cares very much about. I'm just keeping an eye on it for him. Making sure everything is on the up and up."

Before Lily knew what happened, they'd talked through the night and become fast friends. Over the days that followed, Delwyn saved her from spending all her time worrying about Max and watching the hands on the clock move forward.

Together, they perched on the riverbank just as the starter pistol announced the beginning of the boat race.