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And now, she and Cole stood in front of it, their chins lifted to take it in. They’d been sailing three days in total, stopping in little ports and harbors to rest, drink wine, and talk the nights away, both swimming in one another’s eyes as the moonlight hung over whichever bay they’d stopped in for the night.
At the front desk of the bed and breakfast, a woman named Rhonda told them they were in luck. Due to most of the students leaving for the summer semester and their families not visiting, they still had a room available in the bed and breakfast.
“It’s a queen-sized bed,” Rhonda explained as she checked her computer. “How does that sound?”
Aria’s throat tightened as she glanced at Cole. Cole did not look at her. Throughout their journey and even their friendship, they hadn’t slept in the same bed even once.
“That should be fine,” Cole finally said, still not looking at Aria.
A wave of fear and excitement fell over Aria. They told Rhonda they wanted to stay for at least two days, maybe three, and Rhonda took their information down with a ballpoint pen and then gave them a pamphlet informing them about Savannah— where to eat and where to explore.
The room itself was ornate, with enormous windows and floral wallpaper. The queen-sized bed was a four-poster, and Cole jumped up on it, crossed his ankles, and leaned against the luxurious pillows.
“After sleeping in the boat for a few days, a real bed always feels so dang good,” he said, his eyes wistful.
Aria had to stop herself from jumping onto the bed with him and wrapping her arms around him.
They decided to shower, change, and then head to the architecture offices before they closed at five that afternoon. Aria paid extra attention to her makeup and hair, beautifying herself in a way she hadn’t since before she’d left Savannah last September. At the time, she’d been exhausted, at the edge of her creative spirit and unsure if she could draw anything worthy of the university. Around her, the other students had seemed so sure of themselves, opening themselves up to their creativity with a courage Aria couldn’t comprehend.
When Aria had told one of the students that she planned to go on a vacation with her family but work from the sailboat, he had scoffed and said, “You’re not coming back. I can see it in your eyes.” Aria had often wondered how he’d known.
Aria and Cole waved goodbye to Rhonda and stepped out onto the front porch of the historic bed and breakfast, ready to face the world. As they walked along the tree-lined boulevards, moss shifted dreamily in the soft breeze, and Aria’s fingers briefly swept across Cole’s.
“This place is magical,” Cole said. “It must have inspired you to make beautiful architecture.”
Aria crossed her arms over her chest. “It did, at first. I thought I was going to become someone special in the world of architecture.” She paused at a stop sign to watch several cars burst past, then added, “I was really naive.”
Cole arched his eyebrow. “It’s not naive to think you can make something special. Something that could change the world in a small yet significant way.”
Aria met Cole’s gaze and shivered once more at the energy behind his eyes.What on earth was he thinking about? Why could she never guess it?
Outside the architecture building, Aria took a deep breath, stepped through the massive, heavy wooden door, and led Cole to the front office. The woman behind the front desk blinked at Aria and smiled without recognition. Aria had probably spoken to the woman upward of ten times, and the lack of friendliness felt like a smack in the face. But then again, Aria hadn’t been back on campus since September of last year.
“Good afternoon! Can I help you with something?”
Aria placed her hands on the smooth wood of the front desk. “I was curious if you have any records regarding the graduating classes of 1994, 1995, and 1996.”
The woman raised her eyebrows curiously. “We have graduating records, yes. We also have graduation projects from all classes dating back to the seventies.”
The woman led Aria to a back room, wherein they stored files upon files from architecture students from previous years. She pointed out the drawers that included information from the mid-nineties, then said, “We close up at five, and we don’t allow any files to be taken from the premises. You can always come back tomorrow if you don’t find what you need.”
With a shivering hand, Aria selected one of the folders from 1994 and began to parse through the pages. Cole stood directly behind her, watching her flip. Names and dates whizzed past, none of them familiar.
“What’s your mother’s name again?” Cole opened a drawer filled with documents from 1995 and rifled through.
“Her maiden name was Quinn. Bethany Quinn,” Aria explained as she slid 1994 back into its slot.
Cole flipped open the new folder, his eyes widening. “I think this is it.”
Aria hurried over to see a list of the graduates from 1995, which included Bethany Quinn. Her heart dropped into her stomach as she flipped through the pages to find photographs of architecture functions and even graded assignments. Apparently, her mother had written an essay about Prague's architecture, which required her to study abroad for three months during the autumn of 1994. A photograph of Bethany Quinn as a young woman in Prague was included in the file, her arms slung over the shoulders of other architecture students. Her smile was open, genuine, and far happier than Aria had ever seen.
The essay was included. Aria skimmed the first few lines, engaging with her mother’s words. Cole watched her as she read and finally commented, “It must be something special.”
“It is,” Aria affirmed as she wiped a tear from her cheek. “I can’t remember ever reading anything my mother ever wrote. It makes me feel so strange. Why didn’t she ever tell me she came here? Why was her big architecture past a secret?”
Cole shrugged. “Did something happen here? Something that hurt her?”
Aria continued to scan the artifacts within the folder, unsure how to answer Cole’s question. In her mind, Bethany Baldwin had always wanted to live within the shadow of Kenny Baldwin. She’d wanted children, a big house in Texas, and enough money to brag to their friends about. When had Bethany Quinn transitioned to Bethany Baldwin? When had she given up on herself? And had giving up on herself like that been worth it?
