Act II of The Island of Always
a novel by Stephen Evans
In this funny and endearing sequel to The Marriage of True Minds, Nick and Lena are propelled through more animal rescues and courtroom dramas toward an ending only Nick could foresee.
Let Me Count the Ways is a fast-paced comic novel about a partnership that extends beyond law, beyond marriage, and possibly beyond reality.
Publisher’s Note: The Marriage of True Minds and Let Me Count the Ways are available together in one volume in The Island of Always.
ISBN: 978-1-953725-11-0
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Praise for The Island of Always:
“A charming literary screwball comedy.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“…smart and well-crafted….highly entertaining “
— Starred Review, BlueInk Reviews
“…a zany and unpredictable comedic literary novel.”
—Foreword Clarion Reviews
“ A surprise twist at the end will leave readers smiling.”—The BookLife Prize
—BookLife
Excerpt:
“Lena Grant stepped off the elevator on the skyway level of the Wells Fargo Center in downtown Minneapolis, slipped quietly down the deserted corridor until she reached the atrium, paused as she took two deep breaths leaning against the Italian marble wall near the museum with the working telegraph, slid into the historically accurate fully restored red and gold stage coach, hunched down low on the rear bench, and sang, very softly, the Wells Fargo Wagon song from The Music Man.
The lobby was deserted, except for the lone security guard at the front. Lena was sure he was aware of what she did. But he was discreet enough not to notice her singing and she was discreet enough not to mention how little affect his thermos of coffee was having.
Qui tacet consentire videtur was the common law maxim: silence gives consent, as Nick would surely have reminded her, after which he would have quoted the entire summation by Thomas More at his trial for treason in 1535, then perhaps a chapter or two of Utopia. Lena was a superb attorney, but she did not have her husband’s legendary legal memory.
De facto husband, not necessarily de jure, she reminded herself. Nick had signed the divorce decree. But was he competent to do so? Nick had suggested that he was not. But in making that argument, wasn’t he contradicting the argument? How can he argue that he wasn’t competent if he was competent enough to argue competency?
Lena sat upright, rocking the coach. Exactly, she thought. This was exactly what being married to Nick was like, even when you weren’t. Nothing was what it was, and everything was something else entirely that you had never imagined or anticipated.
She couldn’t live like this, she decided. And she was going to go home and tell Nick to his face. After no more than three more choruses.”
