j Her heart was saying yes, her head, no.

“I don’t think fo, Rory,” she said. } “Come on,” he pleaded.

“Just for a while.”

Against her better judgment, she walked with him out [the dark beach and helped him spread the blanket on e sand. She lay next to him, and the instant her head uched the blanket, three stars sailed across the sky. “I told you it would be worth it,” he said.

How did he think she could simply lie there with r after what had happened the night before?

“How was your visit with Cindy?” she asked. “Interesting,” he said.

“She looks just like she did b;

in the old days. Even had on a bikini. “

“Did she shed any light on your story?”

“Oh, she has her theories, just like everyone else.”

“What are they?”

“She has kind of a crazy one,” he said.

“Don’t lau Her primary suspect is your cousin Ellen.”

Another white diamond, this one with a tail, shot acr the sky, but Daria barely registered its existence. She too stunned by what Rory had just said. “What makes think that?” she asked.

“Well, first of all, I got the sense that Cindy could stand Ellen, so this probably needs to be taken with a gr of salt. She said that Ellen once baby-sat for Cindy’s co ins, and she apparently hit one of the kids a few tiff. That made Cindy think that Ellen was capable of dump a baby on the beach. Seemed kind of a stretch to me.”

Daria shut her eyes. This was it. Time for the tn “Cindy’s very perceptive,” she said.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“I mean she’s right. Ellen is Shelly’s mother.”

Rory sat up abruptly, turning to look at her, and ;

could barely see his face in the darkness.

“Do you kn this for certain?” he asked.

“Have you known all along ” Shelly wasn’t the only thing I found on the beach t morning,” she admitted. ” I also found a pukka-shell ne lace that I knew belonged to Ellen. It was lying on beach right next to the baby. ”” My God, Daria. Did you ever tell anyone? ” he ask ” No one,” she said.

“I was horrified to realize t Ellen could have done such a thing, but she was fam and she was also one of the older kids. I wouldn’t dare say anything to anyone about her.” “Did you ever talk to Ellen herself about it? Does she know that you know?”

She turned her head to look at him.

“I’ve never said a word to anyone, until now. Ellen doesn’t have a clue that I know. It’s one of the reasons why I have such a hard time tolerating her. She’s always trying to tell me what to do with Shelly, and she makes me feel as though everything I’ve done with her has been wrong. But I don’t believe she really cares about Shelly; sometimes she’s even cruel to her. And she’s a rotten mother to her own two daughters, as far as I’m concerned.”

Rory stared out at the ocean, his arm resting on his knee, and she could only imagine how he felt about her having kept this from him.

Reaching up, she touched his shoulder.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner,” she said.

“I simply didn’t want you to find out. I didn’t want anyone to know.”

Rory lay down again and let out a sigh.

“No one will know, Daria,” he said.

“Revealing the fact that Ellen is Shelly’s mother can bring no good to anyone, least of all Shelly. I’ll just have to be satisfied that the mystery is solved for me, personally.”

Daria’s eyes burned with relief.

“Thank you for understanding,” she said.

“Come here,” he said, slipping his arm beneath her shoulders and pulling her closer.

“No, Rory,” she resisted.

“I can’t go through that again.”

Rolling over, he propped himself on his elbows and looked at her. ‘ “Remember when I told you that I saw you working on a roof?” he asked.

She nodded.

“Well, I didn’t realize it was you at first,” he said.

“All I knew was that I wanted the woman who was up there. I wanted her bad.

When I realized it was you, I was sort of shocked that I could have those feelings for you. I’d al ways thought of you more like a kid sister. “

“I know you did,” she said. “This has been a wonderful summer, even without get ting a story for my show,” he said, “because I’ve gotten to know you again.” He smiled at her, and she couldn’t resist reaching up to touch the tips of her fingers to his lips. He turned his head instantly to kiss her hand, then looked at her again. “Our old pal Cindy and I had a little chat this afternoon that opened my eyes,” he said.

“You were right about me being a caretaker. Glorianne needed that. Grace did, too. You don’t.

And I think it’s time I broke out of that role. Time I had an equal partner. I’m not quite sure how to run a relationship with someone as strong, if not stronger, than I am,” he said, ” but I’d like to try. If you’re willing, that is. “

That made her smile.

“I love you, too, Daria,” he said.

“The feelings snuck up on me when I wasn’t looking. I’m sorry I was so blind.” He pulled her close to him, and this time, she gave no thought to resisting.

jr ace found Rory at his cottage, where he was repairing some of the siding that had been damaged by the storm. She had come without calling, afraid that if she’d called first, he might have told her he was busy, and then she would have no opportunity to see Shelly. It had been too long since she’d seen her.

Rory spotted her as she walked toward him.

“Hi.” He stood up, and she knew she’d surprised him.

“I was out all morning and didn’t have a chance to call,” she said, “so I hope you don’t mind that I just stopped by.”

“No,” he said.

“I’m just about finished up here. Why don’t you wait for me on the porch?”

“Okay.” She turned and walked around the cottage to the front steps.

From Poll-Rory’s porch, she studied the Sea Shanty. There were no cars in the driveway; Daria and Chloe were probably at work. Shelly might be at work, as well. She hoped not; she had no good reason to stop by | St. Esther’s today.

After a few minutes, Rory walked up the steps and sat near her on the porch.

“I’m glad you’re here, actually,” he said.

“I wanted to talk with you.”

His voice was so serious that her heartbeat quickened. There’s no way he could know, she told herself. No way. Unless maybe. Could he have somehow found the nurse?

“What about?” she asked.

“Well, it’s a bit awkward,” he said.

“I need to tell you that, over the past few days, I’ve come to realize that I care about Daria as more than a friend.”

It took her a moment to understand.

“You mean… you’re in love with her?” she asked.

“Yes.”

She could not help but smile, despite the implications of that news for herself. Daria and Rory. She had certainly never thought of them as a couple, but it made very good sense. They were a team.

“I’m glad for you,” she said.

He leaned over to take her hand.

“Thank you,” he said.

“I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it.”

“I can’t blame you for that,” she said.

“I haven’t exactly been an open book with you, have I?”

“No,” he admitted.

“You haven’t.”

“Well, I’ve enjoyed the time you and I spent together, but I think it’s really good that you and Daria found each other.” She kept the smile on her face, but inside, her heart was twisting. She no longer had an excuse to come to Kill Devil Hills or to see Shelly. She’d hoped that somehow she and Shelly could have developed a bond that would transcend her need for a relationship with Rory, but that had not happened. And now, she’d run out of time.

“I guess I won’t be seeing you again, then, huh?” she asked.

“You don’t need to be a stranger,” Rory said, although he had to know as well as she did that there was no point in her visiting Kill Devil Hills again.

She struggled to find a way to shift the conversation to Shelly.

“It must make Shelly happy, that you and Daria are together,” she said.

Not exactly a seamless transition, but it was the best she could do.

“I don’t know if she knows yet,” he said.

“Daria and I just came to this conclusion last night, and I think Shelly was at Andy’s.”

“Oh, yes, what’s that all about?” she asked.

“Apparently, they’ve been seeing each other for a couple of years. And Shelly is pregnant. They want to get married, but Daria’s worried about” — “She’s pregnant?” Grace leaned forward. The rapid heartbeat again. Her doctor would have a fit if he knew the stress she was putting herself under.

“How far along?”

“Not far,” Rory said.

“You’ve seen her in her bathing suit.”

“She should probably have some prenatal testing, shouldn’t she?” Grace proposed.

“I mean, given her… you know, her… the brain damage.”

“But brain damage isn’t inherited,” he said.

“There’s no reason to think her baby wouldn’t be perfectly normal.”

He probably thought she was an idiot.

“Oh.” She smiled, trying to make herself look sheepish.

“Right.”

“No, the real question is whether she should have this baby at all.

And if she does, can she take care of it. “

The baby’s grandmother could help her. Grace thought, and she felt tears rush to her eyes. She quickly lifted her sunglasses from her lap and slipped them onto her face.

“Well,” she said, standing up.

“I

think it’s time I was on my way. Thanks for putting up with me, Rory.

“

He stood up to give her a dispassionate hug.

“Keep in touch,” he said.

“I hope things work out for you.”

“Thanks,” she said. She left the porch and walked across the sand to her car, not daring to look back at Rory—or across the street at the Sea Shanty.