Chapter Two: Through the Dark Night: The Dreaded Call to Action

We were having our usual late Thursday night dinner at the local barbeque house. It was mid January. Just me, my partner, Brad, and the old postman at his corner table, finishing up our chopped pork plates and randomly discussing our day.

I was drifting to thoughts of seeing my daughter, Alex, soon. She had been traveling in Europe for the past 7 months with her boyfriend, Steve, and they recently sailed across the Atlantic to Barbados on their journey home. It was the hardest month of my life with no communication from Alex, not knowing if she was dead or alive in a 17-meter sailboat with 7 men on the open seas. When I found out 2 days after Christmas that she was finally on land, my frightened soul was soothed.

Then, in one brutal instant, my world froze again. It was a call from my oldest sister, Gail.

“Mare, this is Gail….”
 
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