Ivy played with her straw, then dove into the conversation she felt they couldnʹt avoid any longer. ʺI guess Will told you about the fight.ʺ Beth glanced sideways at her. ʺYeah.ʺ
ʺI was surprised at Will, the way he acted toward Guy.ʺ
ʺHow did you expect him to act?ʺ Beth asked. Ivy heard the prickliness in her friendʹs voice. ʺUnderstanding. Guyʹs in a really bad situation.ʺ Beth didnʹt reply.
ʺHe doesnʹt know who he is or where he belongs. He tries not to show it but heʹs scared. You can understand that, canʹt you?ʺ After a moment, Beth nodded.
ʺGuy has no idea what happened to him. Beth, I need a favor. Would you use your psychic gift like you did last year for me, and touch the clothes Guy was wearing when he was found, to see if you could access clues about what happened? Would you help him?ʺ
ʺHelp him?ʺ She sounded angry — disdainful— not like Beth. ʺYes, him. Beth, you canʹt automatically adopt Willʹs view of others.ʺ
ʺ1 donʹt,ʺ she snapped.
ʺIʹm sorry,ʺ Ivy replied, ʺbut in this case, you are blindly accepting what Will says. How can you judge Guy? You havenʹt even met him.ʺ
ʺHow can you trust Guy?ʺ Beth countered. ʺYou donʹt even know his name.ʺ
ʺBut I know his. . heart,ʺ Ivy said. ʺIʹm not psychic like you, but I can sense the goodness in him.ʺ
ʺWill told me that you helped Guy sneak out of the hospital — skip out without paying bills, and worse, leave without understanding why he was there. Ivy, he was in a violent fight — Will saw his bruises and the cut along his throat.ʺ Ivy looked away.
ʺFor all you know,ʺ Beth continued, ʺGuy could have killed somebody.ʺ
ʺWhat?!ʺ
ʺIvy, this isnʹt like you,ʺ Beth said, ʺto turn your back on Will—ʺ
ʺIʹm not turning my back on him!ʺ
ʺ—and take up with some guy who is obviously using you. I don’t know what is going on, but you havenʹt been yourself since the accidentʺ
Ivy turned to her friend. ʺI could say the same thing about you.” Beth ran her hand along her gold chain with the amethyst and fingered the stone. Letting out a long breath, Ivy gazed at the sea lapping against the breakwater.
ʺIvy, listen to me,ʺ Beth said, her voice pleading rather than angry now.
ʺSomething is very wrong. I canʹt shake the feeling that something terrible is about to happen.ʺ ʺLike what?ʺ
ʺI donʹt know.ʺ Bethʹs voice quivered. ʺBut you must be careful. This is no time to trust strangers.ʺ Ivy laid her hands gently on her friendʹs. ʺI know what Iʹm doing. If s time for you to trust me.”
WHEN THEY ARRIVED HOME, IVY SAW THAT GUYʹS backpack and bedroll were gone. Beth regarded the empty swing with a look of apprehension and peered through the screen door before entering the cottage, as if Guy might be waiting inside.
Following her in, Ivy was surprised to find Will there, sitting on the sofa, working — the puzzle. ʺHey, Will.ʺ
ʺHey. Have a good time?ʺ he asked. ʺYeah! The art is awesome,ʺ Ivy replied, hoping to sound upbeat and easy with him. ʺYouʹd love it there.ʺ
Will studied her, as if trying to tell whether things were ʺrightʺ between them, then said, ʺThereʹs no way you can see it all in one trip, so maybe youʹll want to go a second time with me. How about it?ʺ
ʺOf course!ʺ Ivy sat in a chair facing the coffee table. ʺAnd this time, with plenty of cash. I saw about ten sets of earrings and an armful of bracelets I liked. I could do all my Christmas shopping there.ʺ She leaned forward and pushed a puzzle piece into place.
ʺBeth, come sit down,ʺ Will invited. ʺI have an idea I wanted to talk over with both of you.”
Beth had reached the kitchen and turned back reluctantly. ʺIʹve been thinking about next Sunday,ʺ Will said as Beth perched on the edge of the sofa.
ʺTristan’s anniversary and how to honor him. They allow bonfires at the National Seashore. And thereʹs a beach called Race Point, which seems right for him. What do you think?”
Ivy knowing how hard Will was trying, felt tears rising in her. ʺItʹs a great idea.”
“I was thinking of picking up the permit Tuesday afternoon at the visitorsʹ center.ʺ Will looked hopefully at Ivy. ʺHow about that and dinner in Provincetown?ʺ
She smiled at him. ʺPerfect.ʺ Beth rose silently and returned to the kitchen. Will turned and gazed after her. ʺBeth, are you okay?ʺ
ʺFine,ʺ she called back. Ivy leaned close to Will. ʺSomethingʹs really bothering her.ʺ ʺI think itʹs the anniversary,” Will said, reaching for Ivyʹs hand. ʺShe went through a lot with us. You canʹt just erase memories like that. Things will be easier for all of us after the twenty‐fifth.ʺ
Ivy looked down at her hand resting in Willʹs and nodded silently, wishing she could believe that the way he did.
LATE MONDAY MORNING, SPLASHING THROUGH A puddle in the innʹs lot, wondering whether Guy had found shelter during a late‐night storm. Ivy threw a bag with a beach towel and music books into the backseat of the Beetle. ʺHey, just in time!ʺ
Ivy jumped at the sound of Guyʹs voice. ʺYou sure are easy to sneak up on,ʺ
Guy observed, emerging from the shrubs surrounding the innʹs parking lot.
ʺWhat were you thinking about?ʺ
ʺMusic,ʺ she lied — no point in feeding his ego. ʺIʹm headed to practice.ʺ
ʺWhat direction is that?ʺ Guy asked. His clothes were damp and wrinkled, his backpack slung over his shoulder. ʺChatham. I use the piano at a village church.ʺ
ʺCan I get a ride that far?ʺ
She double clicked her key. ʺDoorʹs open. Whereʹre you going?ʺ she asked, as he stowed his backpack in the rear seat.
“Lighthouse Beach.ʺ
ʺHave you remembered something?ʺ
ʺNo,ʺ he replied. ʺI was hoping I might if I saw the place.ʺ Ivy thought about offering to go with him, but she had come to think of Guy as a cat, a creature who comes to others only when heʹs ready. Guy was wearing his old shoes again.
As Ivy pulled out of thr lot, she glanced through her rearview mirror at the new shoes, still tied to his pack. ʺDid I get the wrong size?ʺ
He followed her eyes. ʺYup. But they make a nice souvenir.ʺ
ʺWe can exchange them for a pair that fit,ʺ she said. ʺWe could, but thatʹs a lot of trouble. And if youʹd like to have them back,ʺ he added with a sly smile,ʺ I have a hunch theyʹll fit Will.ʺ
ʺIf youʹd come into the store with me,ʺ she replied brusquely, ʺI wouldnʹt have had to guess your size.ʺ They didnʹt speak again till she reached Route 28.
ʺSo… if you practice music during the summer, you must be pretty serious about it,ʺ he said. 1 am.
He twisted himself around in his seat to reach the books. His arm brushed hers, his body hovering close in the small car. For a moment Ivy felt dizzy, overwhelmed by a powerful sense of his presence.
He grabbed a music book and turned forward again in his seat. She was glad he was thumbing through it and didnʹt see her biting her lip, trying to focus on the road.
ʺSo, what kind of music do you like?ʺ she asked. ʺI mean, other than an off‐key version of ʹIf I Loved You.ʺ He laughed. ʺI donʹt remember, but my favorite band is Providence. No, wait — thatʹs the next town over from the hospital.ʺ
She laughed with him. ʺWill you play for me?ʺ he asked. The request surprised her. ʺI play mostly classical.ʺ
ʺDonʹt worry,ʺ he said with a wry smile. ʺI canʹt remember what I like.ʺ
A few minutes later she parked the car in the church lot ʺI need to get the key from the rectory.ʺ Guy followed her to a small, shingled building that was attached by a covered passageway to the church. Its windows were open and Ivy could hear the doorbell ringing inside. Then Father Johnʹs voice called from behind another building. ʺIn the back!ʺ