Ten Thousand Rocks

Summary

Will’s abrupt decision to leave his medical practice in Atlanta and take up a new job in Virginia Beach catches Laura by surprise. But moving back to their hometown was always going to be complicated since Will never told his family about their eight-year marriage. Still fresh in their minds is the stinging memory of Laura’s disastrous first meeting with his parents, particularly his mother—for whom a white daughter-in-law is an anathema. As Will settles into the tedious routine of his new job, the simmering estrangement between him and Laura gradually deepens, until the day comes when he is involved in a near-fatal car accident. Laura is left reeling in the aftermath and forced to come face to face with her in-laws at the hospital, when complex medical decisions need to be made in the absence of clear-cut answers, and where strong opinions and poorly disguised animosities seem to have the upper hand. Weeks later, Will emerges from a coma, and upon discovering he is quadriplegic becomes uncharacteristically vicious towards Laura, sending their relationship into dark, unfamiliar territory. Amidst this rising turmoil, the ocean remains a source of serenity, with the rhythmic breaking of waves and joyous cries of seagulls serving as an abiding reminder that life is worth living even when we go astray and need help finding our way back home.