The Not | Page 8

the Beaufort area, then suddenly doubted she would
need to. Lon wasn’t the type to check up on her.
She reached for the soap, lathered up and began to shave her legs.
As she did, she thought about her parents and what they would think
of her behaviour. No doubt they would disapprove, especially her
mother. Her mother had never really accepted what had happened the
summer they’d spent here and wouldn’t accept it now; no matter what
reason she gave.
She soaked a while longer in the bath before finally getting out and
towelling off. She went to the closet and looked for a dress, finally
choosing a long yellow one that dipped slightly in the front, the kind
that was common in the South. She slipped it on and looked in the
mirror, turning from side to side. It fitted her well, but she eventually
decided against it and put it back on the hanger. Instead she found a
more casual, less revealing dress and put that on. Light blue with a
touch of lace, it buttoned up at the front, and though it didn’t look
quite as nice as the first one, it conveyed an image she thought would
be more appropriate.
She wore little make-up, just a touch of eye shadow and mascara to
accent her eyes. Perfume next, not too much. She found a pair of
small hooped earrings, put those on, then slipped on the tan, low-
heeled sandals she had been wearing earlier. She brushed her blonde
hair, pinned it up and looked in the mirror. No, it was too much, she
thought, and she let it back down. Better.

When she was finished she stepped back and evaluated herself. She
looked good: not too dressy, not too casual. She didn’t want to overdo
it. After all, she didn’t know what to expect. It had been a long time—
probably too long—and many different things could have happened,
even things she didn’t want to consider.
She looked down and saw her hands were shaking, and she laughed
to herself. It was strange; she wasn’t normally this nervous.
She found her handbag and car keys, then picked up the room key.
She turned it over in her hand a couple of times, thinking - You’ve
come this far, don’t give up now. She nearly left then, but instead sat
on the bed again. She checked her watch. Almost six o’clock. She
knew she had to leave in a few minutes—she didn’t want to arrive
after dark—but she needed a little more time.
“Damn,” she whispered. “What am I doing here? I shouldn’t be
here. There’s no reason for it.” But once she said it she knew it wasn’t
true. If nothing else, she would have her answer.
She opened her handbag and thumbed through it until she came to a
folded-up piece of newspaper. After taking it out slowly, almost
reverently, she unfolded it and stared at it for a while. “This is why,”
she finally said to herself, “this is what it’s all about.”
NOAH GOT UP at five and kayaked for an hour up Brices Creek, as
he usually did. When he finished he changed into his work clothes,
warmed some bread rolls from the day before, grabbed