The Simple Wild: A Novel

Calla’s first meeting with her father is awkward. He has little to say and doesn’t hug her. Agnes sees Calla’s disappointment with his detachment and apologizes, claiming he doesn’t express his emotions well. Calla reviews the photo Agnes took of her at the airport, and she’s annoyed to see Jonah in the background. She crops him out and drafts an Instagram post pretending to be blissfully happy in Alaska.

Calla awakens to a slew of messages from her mother, showering her with questions about Wren. Her Instagram post is popular, so she must have convinced people she was having a good time. The house is empty, and Calla assumes everyone has gone to work, but she’s hurt that her father couldn’t stay home and spend time with her. He left a note directing her to take his truck to the supermarket and left her a stack of money for her to buy groceries. Calla has no driver’s license, so she’s stuck at the house until someone returns. Opting to go for a run, Calla gets a glimpse at the flat expanse of Bangor. Dirty roads and swarming mosquitoes make the run unpleasant, but Calla is happy to see some people gardening, proving her mother wrong that no one can grow anything in Bangor.