swim against the tide and just be strong enough to get
past it, too. Sometimes, you don't give up and give
in."
"Really?" he said, amused by my defiance. "Yes, really."
"Well, first chance I get, I'm going to take you
out in my sailboat and let you buck the tide." "Good."
He shook his head, his smile widening. "The girls in school told me Laura and her
boyfriend went out in your sailboat. Was that so?" The smile quickly faded. "I have a different
sailboat now. And I told you," he said, turning away,
"I don't talk about Laura's disappearance with anyone.
Especially strangers."
I watched him walk away, shoulders sagging,
his head bent, his hands clenched in fists.
The wind grew stronger and whipped past me,
catching my hair. Sand began to fly from the beach
into my face. The small patches of blue had
disappeared from the sky, now completely overcast
with dark, brooding clouds. I could feel the ocean
spray even this far from the beach. It all began to
terrify me. How could weather change so rapidly? I started for the house, bucking the wind, every
step harder than the one before it. My feet slipped on
the sand that gave way beneath them. It was harder
than walking on ice. The wind was so strong, my eyes
began to tear. I had to keep them closed and pump my
legs hard. I tried to run. My blouse flapped over my
breasts and ribs.
Just before I reached the house, the first sheet
of rain tore down, washing over me. I screamed and
ran harder for the front door. When I burst in, Cary
stood in the hallway, a look of glee in his eyes, an "I