Finalist for the Governor General’s Award
Late September, 1995. Cathy and her family are waiting for her youngest brother to call them on his birthday. For years it has been a family tradition that no matter where in the world David might be—from Australia to China to England he will call on his birthday. The day passes and by evening there has been no call. Could he have forgotten?
A month before, David and his girlfriend Sarah set sail from Ireland in their boat Mugwump, headed for the tropical island of Madeira. What should have been a two-week journey becomes a mystery as days and months pass with no sign of the missing boat. Unable to wait helplessly at home, Cathy travels to Madeira determined to uncover information, or better yet, find her missing brother. Instead of finding answers, the beautiful and sensual island of Madeira stirs Cathy’s longings and she begins to examine the choices she has made in her own life. How can she care for her three young children and a husband recovering from cancer, when she no longer sleeps, and is up every night wondering what happened to Mugwump?
Female roles: 1