To Never Be - Dialogue Sequence

[Vigi Mathers]

Here's a passage I've been working on for the first chapter in my new
novel. Let me know what you think. How is the progression? Does it
feel authentic?

Maggie was sitting on the beach, arms folded across her lap, staring
out across the river. Jack shoved his hands in the pockets of his
jeans and slowly made his way across the street. She didn’t move; he
wasn’t sure if she noticed his arrival at all. He stood at the edge
of the street, watching her for a few moments.


“I don’t know why, but it never occurred to me what it would mean to
come back here. Pretty foolish, right? I thought I stopped caring,
when in all actuality I just left a piece of me behind to hold on to
the pain for me.” She paused.


“So how have you been, Jack?” He stepped closer to her and leaned
against the fence, ignoring the sarcasm.


“Yeah. You know, it’s like everything here—the trees, the house,
everything—“Jack made a sweeping gesture with his hand, “everything
remembers. I can’t take a walk on the bike path without some memory
popping into my head.” Maggie sighed. Jack knelt down to pick up a
rock. He rubbed the smooth surface between his fingers.


“So, how is everything down at the cottage? You settling in
alright?” They weren’t looking at each other, just speaking into the
wind, both of them concentrating their eyes on the river. Maggie
laughed.


“Am I settling in alright?” She turned the question over in her
mind. “How can you be so nonchalant?”


“Oh, you know me. Years of practice.” Jack finished the sentence in
his mind, <i>‘pretending not to feel anything.’</i>


“Same as always, I guess.” She meant for it to sting him. He sank
down beside her, finally daring to look her in the face.


“Why did you come back here, Maggie? Why here?” She shrugged.
After
a short pause she closed her eyes and lowered her head.


“Because this is where I’ve felt the most at peace in my entire
life.” They were quiet again. Maggie hated the way he could still
make her open up; she composed herself before the tears came,


“I thought it would be good for writing my next novel—to be somewhere
peaceful, without all the distractions.” <i>There, that’s it. This
is
all you have to do to keep him at arm’s length.</i>