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36
Elizabeth was packed and ready to go. Her Jeep contained the few boxes she’d filled with important belongings—including Will’s guitar. Her father had offered to take her clothing to store at their condo, and she’d been hesitant to accept his offer at first, only because it meant a trip to collect everything when she returned from South Carolina. In the end she acquiesced, knowing she didn't have much of a choice. She’d kept only a few articles of clothing she would use over the next few days.
She fastened her bike to the Jeep's rack, and at the last minute, took the colorful beach buckets from under the deck, refusing to examine her motivation for doing so.
The house was dark from having the windows boarded up, so she turned on a few lights and wandered from room to room aimlessly. When her thoughts began to wander to Will, she picked up her phone, found the number she wanted, and pressed the call button.
“Lizzy!”
“Hi, Aunt Dee, how are you?”
“I’m well, and how are you? How is South Carolina?”
“Well, it was fine when I left, but I'm home because of the hurricane—though it's turning out to be nothing more than a nasty nor'easter at this point.”
“Oh, I didn't even think about you having to come home. Couldn't your dad take care of the house for you?”
“I have so much stuff here that I was worried about, and I don’t want it to be washed away! My plan is to go back to South Carolina on Friday afternoon. Do you mind if I come for a visit in the meantime?”
“Of course not, we would love to have you! Is Will coming with you?”
“No. Um, he–we–we’re not…” Elizabeth swallowed. “We’re just not.”
“Oh, Lizzy. I'm sorry to hear that.”
“I'm sorry too.”
“Well, you get your fanny over here, and we can have some girl time. The tourists have completely abandoned the island. Well, most of them anyway. The storm has scared them off, and this is the first August in a long time that we're not booked. You can sleep here at the inn or stay at our place—the choice is yours.”
“Thanks. I'm going to park my Jeep at the rec center in town, and I’ll bike to theIsland Queen. Once I dock in Oak Bluffs, I'll ride to the inn.”
“Your uncle will be thrilled! We'll see you this afternoon. Please be careful.”
“I will. I'll see you in a while.”
After hanging up she called Jane, and when it went to voice mail she left a message, letting her sister know she’d be on the Vineyard for a couple of days.
She packed her extra clothes in a backpack, grabbed some toiletries and her phone charger, and with one last lingering glance, she bid her house a silent farewell, locked the door, and left.
* * *
The ferryto the Vineyard was nearly deserted. The ocean was starting to churn, and every so often, the boat would rise up on a swell and slam back down, making the entire vessel shudder. Elizabeth loved it; she stood at the stern on the lower deck, inhaling the ocean air, the water roiling below her and the wind whipping her hair as the salty spray misted her skin.
Thoughts of her trip to the Vineyard with Will swirled through her mind, but she pushed them away. She couldn’t allow thoughts of him to intrude. She knew her aunt would ask what happened, and when she did, Elizabeth would allow those thoughts back in, but not right now.
The ship finally sailed into Oak Bluffs harbor, and Elizabeth disembarked. She hopped on her bike and began the six-mile ride to Edgartown, following the winding road along the coast. The wind was strong, but she made good time and bounded up the steps of the inn.
“Aunt Dee?”
“Aunt Dee? What about Uncle Ed?”
Elizabeth smiled when her uncle strolled into the lobby and wrapped her in a hug.
“How's my favorite niece?”
“Jane? She's doing well.”
He laughed and planted a kiss on her cheek. “Glad to hear it. And how are you, Lizzy?”
