That night, they took the helicopter back to the house. Back home. There, Nadya noticed how the marble steps gleamed in the moonlight. This was how they were meant to be seen, she thought. This was how all of this was meant to be seen – with the heavy filter of guilt and fear removed.
She found she didn’t want to go bowling. The world was too bright, with the moon in the sky and their hearts up with it. So they set off through the forest, heading towards the lake.
Nadya stripped off her clothes and went skinny dipping in the cool, cold water. It was a shock to the system, but a welcome one. She turned her gaze back to the shore, looking for Salman there.
But he wasn’t there. He was out in the water with her, swimming in the lake. Bright and light and free.