The Expats

by Chris Pavone

She’d stayed in Washington, stayed in her career, because one thing led to another. She hadn’t made her life happen; it had happened to her.

Then in the middle of last night Kate had committed herself to making a final decision, had sat in bed and wrung her hands, bolt-upright at four A.M., agonizing. Trying to figure out what she wanted. She’d spent so much of her life—all of it, really—considering another question: what was it that she needed? But figuring out what she wanted was an entirely different challenge.

But Kate was determined to try. She needed friends, and a life, and this is how you acquired those things: by talking to strangers. Everyone was a stranger, all on equal footing in strangerhood.

KATE KEPT RETURNING to the phrase benefit of the doubt. She should give it to Dexter; he should give it to her. This should be in wedding vows. More important than richer or poorer, sickness and health, have and hold, parting at death. Benefit of the doubt.