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Part XVII

Posted on Wednesday, 26-Aug-98

Nantucket Island, MA:
July 11, 1998

hea didn't remember driving home after seeing the Rose leave the harbor. Here she was, though, safely inside Diana's cottage. She found herself crouched down on the cold kitchen tiles next to the sliding glass door, wet head resting on the pane of glass. She was still sopping, but couldn't imagine gathering up the energy it would take to change into drier clothes. She felt as if it were taking all of her strength just to continue breathing normally.

She had rescued the piece of ivory from the carpet in her room and was now clutching it in one hand. She fingered it almost like a talisman as she watched the ocean storm away at the beach. Neither the sea outside nor the piece in her hand seemed able to show her the progress of the people on the Rose, but she kept vigil with them regardless.

Thea had long since lost track of time. It didn't matter to her now what hour of the early morning it was. All she knew with any certainty was that it would be completely useless to attempt to go to sleep. She was too worried about the fate of those on the ship.

And the ship itself? Thea knew that it was just an object like any other, as soulless as the toaster, but to her it had taken on an almost human form.

She knew now that it had been the Rose that she had watched evolve on the bit of ivory and felt a deepening sense of responsibility towards it. She knew now that the piece had be revealing itself to her for the purpose of saving that ship and all of those on it.

And she had failed. She had failed them completely.

Thea could not understand why she hadn't recognized the Rose right from the beginning. Attempts to rationalize her inability to see it for what it was meandered through her brain. Could it have been because she had never seen the entire ship from a distance? When she had visited it that day with Connor, they had walked towards it from the bow, not from the side. Could it have been because the sails had not been furled? Could it have been because she was too busy being angry at Andrew and charming towards Connor to notice the ship's similarity to her scrimshaw?

The last thought disgusted her. How could she have become so narrow minded, so focused on her own happiness?

Where had all of her plans to learn the purpose behind the magic of the scrimshaw gone? Thea knew that magic only occurred for a reason, how could she have become so irresponsible? She could hardly believe that she had turned her back on the bit of ivory at the first sign of frustration. She shut her eyes, trying to block out the memory of chucking the piece into her suitcase the morning after she had arrived on the island. And all because she had found it too enigmatic, too unwilling to divulge its secrets, too difficult of a puzzle to solve.

Thea could have wept at her own cowardice and thought about how different things might have been if only she had solved the mystery sooner. Surely with enough time, she could have persuaded Andrew to reconsider. Perhaps she could have even made Crystal see how foolish and dangerous a stormy trip on the Rose would be. With more time, she might have convinced Connor to go against his word and forbid it.

Guilt and fear welled up inside Thea and threatened to consume her. She heard herself mumble hundreds of reproaches, all beginning with the words, "if only." She held the bit of ivory in both hands and stoked it in silent supplication, pleading with it to reveal what was happening on the Rose. Each sinister lightning bolt that struck through the sky seem to be directed towards the middle mast of the Rose. The roll of the thunder sounded menacingly.

Then, unbelievably at first, Thea saw something move down the beach towards the direction of their porch. She scrambled to her feet awkwardly. Hours of sitting huddled in the same position had created cramps in her muscles and made her move even more clumsily. She put her face to the glass and peered out at the dark form, now on the stairs that led from the sand to the deck. Another bolt of lightning lit up the sky for a moment, long enough for Thea to see that it was Andrew coming from the other house. Andrew was back on land! Everything must be all right!

Thea gave a cry, a sound somewhere between joy and relief, and started to fumble with the latch on the sliding door. Cold fingers tore at it and endless seconds passed before she was able to throw the door open.

Not bothering about the rain, or the lightning and thunder, or the anger she had harbored towards him for so long, Thea ran to him and threw her arms around his neck.

"I was so worried," she said in words muffled by the fact that she had buried her face against his chest. "I'm so glad that you're safe!"

Thea didn't even notice the moment when his own arms went around her frame and began to hold her as tightly as she was holding him. She was too numb with relief to feel the newness of his embrace. All she could feel was the comfort in it. She sighed deeply and memory took over from there. She didn't feel awkward when she put her hand up to stroke his cheek, convincing herself of his presence and it was a reflex that guided her mouth towards his as he bent his head to give her a kiss.

Thea abandoned all rational thought as the kiss deepened. Nothing had ever mattered to her as much as the fact that he had returned to her, unharmed and whole. Her hands sought out the back of his neck and she ran her fingers through his short, wet hair. Rain pounded Thea's bare arms and ran down the sides of her face, but it didn't matter as much as the fact that she could feel the mass of his body pressed against her own. Nothing mattered save the fact that he was there, holding her close.

Another lightning bolt raced through the sky and the thunder sounded jarringly close. They broke apart at the noise and were reminded of the danger of being still outside.

Andrew's arm went around Thea's shoulders protectively and he guided her towards the open door. They pushed inside and he closed it after them.

Then, she found herself facing him, dripping streams of water on the kitchen tiles.

"How did you know?" Andrew asked, barely audible against the raging of the storm outside.

Thea looked at him, momentarily confused. How did she know what? How did she know that she still loved him? Perhaps she always knew, but couldn't bring herself to admit it. Thea was very good at lying to herself. She would never truly get over him even though loving him still wasn't convenient considering that she had left her for the other side of the continent and returned with someone else at his side.

Someone else? Wasn't there still someone else? Thea realized that she still didn't know what happened to Crystal.

"Thea?" Andrew claimed her attention, hand reaching out towards her own. "How did you know about the lightning?"

Thea's eyes widened with surprise. Did he know that she had predicted that lightning would strike the boat? She gasped as she realized that Andrew's presence had made her assume that everything had turned out well.

And she had acted on that assumption, letting go of all pretense between them, acting only on the relief that she had felt.

But she didn't even know what had happened on the ship, did she? Thea fell back, her hand reaching behind her in an effort to find a chair to collapse into. "What happened?" she whispered urgently.

Andrew looked at her, dark eyes unblinking. "You know what happened," he reminded.

"A lightning bolt struck the mast," she heard herself speak.

Andrew nodded in confirmation.

So the lightning had found its mark after all. Thea's head dropped and her hands went up to support it. Just because Andrew had escaped unharmed did not mean that damage had not been done.

"Then what happened?" she repeated.

Andrew walked over to the table and pulled a chair out for himself as well. He sat down in it, sinking heavily into the seat before he could respond. She could see how tired he had become. "The mast broke in two."

Thea began to shake when she thought of the next. Scott had said that it was the middle mast that Crystal had planned to climb. What had happened to her when the mast crashed down? "Crystal?" Thea's voice cracked as she spoke her name.

Andrew said nothing in response. It was only when Thea looked up and directly at him that he was prompted to speak and, by that time, she had already noticed the odd look of his face. He spoke the next in a voice filled with amazement. "That's the strangest thing of all. Scott had insisted that Crystal come down from the mast less than five minutes before."

"What?" Thea's voice rose.

"It was almost as if Scott knew what was going to happen and wouldn't allow it." Andrew described, looking over at Thea. "He was quite adamant about the fact that we had gotten the shot and that we didn't need to do a second take."

Thea closed her eyes and thought of how stubborn Scott could be when he was sure of being in the right.

"I even fired him for insubordination when he wouldn't stop. It didn't make any difference. He just climbed up on the mast himself and pulled her down when she refused to come back to the deck on her own," Andrew explained further. "They weren't on the deck ten seconds before the lightning struck the mast."

"Was anyone hurt?" Thea asked.

Andrew shook his head. "No, the wind blew it into the water, sails and all."

"How did you get back into the harbor?" Thea asked, incredulous.

"We had two tugboats with us and a Coast Guard cutter came to our assistance," Andrew said. "It took awhile, though, but we're all in."

Thea, at last, began to breathe normally. Everyone was fine, the ship had been damaged, but could be repaired. She could start to forgive herself for not acting sooner.

And, here she sat, a table's length away from Andrew. She wasn't quite sure what to think about that. What was going through his mind right now? So finally decided to speak her thought aloud.

"So, what happens next?" she heard herself ask in a low voice.

Andrew deliberated for some time, as if he were formulating an entire plan. "Connor has to be called," he admitted. "He's not going to be happy about the damage to the Rose. Then, we pack up the equipment and go back to Los Angeles for the editing."

Thea's heart sunk. She couldn't hear herself in that "we" he spoke of. He seemed to be worrying only about the business of finishing his movie.

"He was supposed to return in three days," Thea whispered, remembering Connor's plans.

"No doubt he'll move that up a bit." Andrew said flatly. "I'll call him as soon as the sun is up in California. He'll probably be here by this evening."

Thea nodded in agreement, suddenly noticing how heavy her head now felt. She began to rake her fingers through her hair and realized how wet she still was. She shivered suddenly, recognizing for the first time just how cold she had become.

"You should go to bed now," Andrew looked over at her, concern registering in his eyes. "You've been up all night, haven't you?"

Thea nodded in affirmation. "So have you," she said.

"We both need a hot shower," Andrew mused.

Thea looked back over at him and wondered again about what he was thinking. Had he given no thought to what had just happened between them? Did he even remember that kiss on the back porch? Thea could hardly think of anything else, she felt completely distracted by the closeness of him and wanted more than anything else to reach over and touch him. She wanted to assure herself that something had occurred between them, that some wall had been breached.

But she could only see in his eyes the dull confusion of a man worn out by last night's events and worry about what the future would bring. Andrew's thoughts were not on Thea, they were on his job.

She remained seated across the table from him.

"You're right," she lied. "A hot shower does sound good."

Part XVIII

Posted on Sunday, 30-Aug-98

Nantucket Island, MA:
July 11, 1998

Thea never did take that hot shower. After watching Andrew walk back towards his parent's house next door, Thea just pulled off all of her clothes and crawled under the covers, too exhausted by events and emotions to even find herself a night gown. She woke up late the next morning to the sound of Diana and her family returning. They must have taken the first flight back from Boston and taken a taxi from the airport.

She pulled the sheet over her head and considered feigning some sort of illness. All Thea really wanted to do was go back to bed and ignore the fact that she had managed to complicate her life even further by not being more guarded last night. She winced when she remembered running out of the screen door and directly into Andrew's arms, too glad to see him alive and unharmed to think of what consequences there might be. In the harsh light of day, she couldn't believe that she had allowed herself to do something so wrong headed. He didn't love her anymore, that much was clear from his stunned behavior last night.

Thea groaned when she thought of his expression as he sat down at the table across from her. He looked trapped, just like a deer in a pair of headlights, not able to figure out which way to run. Thea realized now that he hadn't known what to think of her behavior and certainly hadn't known how to respond to it. Maybe he was just trying to figure out a way to keep from hurting her feelings. After all, how would she have felt if he had pushed her away? Devastated? Of course! And Andrew had too much compassion to wish to see her devastated.

Regardless, they had already had their chance for happiness and it didn't matter who was to blame for it ending, him for getting on that train without her or her for expressing doubt in the first place. Last night's kiss could not change the past. She was a fool if she thought that it would.

But there certainly were going to be consequences for the future, weren't there? A woman can't just go up to an ex-boyfriend and begin kissing him like some love-sick fool without there being some very serious repercussions. The first one that came to Thea's head was the fact that she couldn't imagine being in the same room with Andrew ever again. This, she knew, was very problematic considering that baseball season was not yet over and David didn't seem capable of watching a game on his own. Or maybe Andrew would be going back to Hollywood with Crystal now that filming was over? And Connor? Would Thea ever see him again? Did she even want to?

Well, the film crew would still be on the island for a few more days, if only to clean up the mess that they had created on the Rose. Maybe Thea could hide away just long enough for their departure to be achieved. That seemed somewhat rational: hide away until Andrew and Connor left. Then she could go back to Tenafly and continue her own quiet and very private life.

Thea rolled over and tried to push a feeling of dissatisfaction out of her mind. She knew that going back to her lonely life in Tenafly was the most rational thing for her to do, but she didn't take in pleasure in it. Maybe she would make frequent trips to see her sister and little nephew; that might make her life more interesting. Thea thought about Diana and realized that she would actually miss her when she left that fall. While still somewhat silly, Diana had developed into a caring and compassionate individual.

She was just the kind of person who would decide to check on a little sister still in bed on a sunny morning. And, considering how suspicious Diana could be, it would soon become apparent to her that Thea wasn't wearing anything under that sheet. And Diana was just the kind of person who would want to know why. Thea began blushing at the thought of all the assumptions that would fly into her sister's mind. What could Thea have done with an evening in an empty house?

Thea jumped out of bed and ran towards the closet where she kept a bathrobe. She threw in on and belted it tightly just as she heard Diana's footfalls coming down the hall.

"Thea? Are you still asleep?"

"Thea threw the door open before Diana had a chance to knock. "You're back!" she exclaimed with false cheerfulness.

"Did you miss us?" Diana raised an eyebrow, skeptically.

"Of course!" Thea attempted sincerity.

"Really?" Diana drawled, syllables laden with sarcasm.

"Really!" Thea exclaimed, beginning to be somewhat unnerved by the expression on Diana's face. She seemed to know something very incriminating. "I had a very boring night just --" Thea tried to think of something safe to tell her sister. She didn't dare try to explain about the bit of ivory, her vigil next to the door, and Andrew's visit. " -- I had dinner, watched a video, and went to sleep early."

Diana snorted derisively. "Thea, there's a completely thawed and terribly soggy TV dinner on the counter, an unopened video still in a bag on the coffee table, and water all over the kitchen floor. You did not go to sleep early!"

Thea blushed furiously and attempted to pull the lapels of her bathrobe together.

"And you're completely naked under that bathrobe, aren't you?" Diana accused.

"People generally are!" Thea retorted.

"But not you!" Diana exclaimed, "You always had to have a nightgown on underneath your bathrobe, just in case it fell open. You're a terrible prude about things like that." Diana leaned up against the door jamb and folded her arms across her chest. "What happened last night, Thea? There isn't anyone in your bedroom with you, is there?"

"No!" Thea shouted, offended.

"I don't suppose Connor flew in after we left?" Diana dug further, using her finger to punctuate her sentence. Thea looked at her sister and thought how like their father she was when she began plumbing for answers. She really should have followed him into the law, she would have made a very dangerous advocate, one that would always get to the truth.

But this time Thea was already telling the truth! "Connor isn't here," Thea said, swinging the door open, as if to prove the point. "And, as for the water on the kitchen floor, I forgot to close the sliding door before the storm."

"Ah, that would also explain the reason why there are two kitchen chairs with soaked cushions as well," Diana pretended to think. "Except for the fact that the table is nowhere near the sliding door!"

Thea's face turned the color of an overripe tomato. She felt like a fish in a trap, with nowhere to go until the keeper came to pull her in.

Diana looked down her nose at Thea, just like their father. Thea knew now that her sister had inherited his way of looking at you and noting all of your secrets.

All that was needed for Thea to tell all was another little jab. "Just one more thing," Diana went on smoothly, opening her hand to show her sister what she had hidden inside. Thea's heart sank: it was the bit of ivory. "I found this strange little piece of artwork on the floor right next to the door. I believe its a picture of the Rose, isn't it?"

Diana placed the piece of scrimshaw into Thea's stunned hand and helped her sister curl her fingers around it. "Fess up, Thea," Diana whispered in her ear. "Take a shower, get dressed, and meet me on the beach. It's time to come clean."

Thea would have liked to stay in the shower until the pads of her fingers had assumed the texture of a desiccated prune, but Amy, for some reason, needed to get into the bathroom as well. Thea emerged from the steamy room with great reluctance, head wrapped in a towel and bathrobe tied firmly around her.

Perhaps Diana was right, it was time to let her sister in on the truth. She had been hiding it away for too long.

Thea found her sister exactly where she said she would be: out on the beach sunning herself on an extra large towel, one actually made for two. When she saw her sister, Diana patted the space next to her own, signaling to her to sit.

Thea eased into the spot and felt immediately nervous. "I'm not sure where to begin," she said.

"Let's start with last night and move backwards from there." Diana said, all business. "Who was with you?"

Diana never did know how to pull a punch. Thea winced and turned away. "Andrew," she admitted in a whisper.

"Really?" Diana sounded completely amazed. "What was he doing here?"

"He came to see me after they finished shooting on the Rose."

"Why?" Diana asked, confused.

"Because of something I said to him and Scott just before they boarded the ship and left the harbor." Thea tried to keep the facts straight in her head. It was an odd story to begin with and didn't need any further intervention from to make it sound strange.

"And what was that?"

Thea gulped. "That the boat was in great danger."

"How did you know that?"

This was the moment of truth. If Diana didn't believe her explanation, she was sure that no one else would. "Because of this," she said and held up the bit of ivory.

Diana looked at it, perplexed.

Thea had already noticed that the scene had reverted back to the original one, the one that she had purchased at Mystic Seaport, but Thea had thought to bring out her photo album record of the etching's evolution. The changes that it had undergone were documented, all but the last storm scene. She opened the photo album and placed it on her sister's lap. "You're going to find this hard to believe, but I've had this piece of scrimshaw for a month now and its been slowly changing picture." Thea began to point out moments that were significant to her. "Here's where I realized that there was a horizon line and here's where I realized that the ship was coming into a port. The day I came here, I realized that it was really Nantucket harbor." Thea pointed to the last picture. "Then, I got mad and didn't look at it for two weeks. Last night, I pulled it out and finally realized that it was trying to tell me that the Rose was going to be struck by lightning."

"But there's no picture," Diana said.

"I was in a state of shock last night," Thea explained, "I didn't even think about taking a picture of it."

Diana flipped through the pages and seemed to absorb it all. She picked up the ivory.

"And now, its reverted back?" Diana asked.

"It seems so, now that the danger is over." Thea agreed.

"So Andrew came by?" Diana prompted.

"Because he wanted to know how I had managed to tell their future, I guess." Thea supplied.

"But you don't know for sure?" Diana probed.

Thea looked away again, "We didn't get to that point," she said quietly.

"What happened instead?"

"I -- " Thea searched for the right way to describe what had happened. " -- I put my arms around him and kissed him."

"What?" Diana shouted, mouth dropping in surprise.

Thea met her sister's gaze straight on, "I fell in love with him four years ago."

"What?" Diana's mouth remained agape.

"We met the night of your wedding," Thea explained.

"You had a relationship?"

"Yes."

"How could I have not known?" Diana's mouth closed, but the look of incredulity remained.

'We only dated that summer, while you were away in Europe. He asked me to go with him to Los Angeles at the end but Father --"

"Refused to let you?" Diana looked horrified.

"Persuaded me to reconsider," Thea softened.

Diana looked at her sister as if she were a completely different person. "Did you really love Drew?"

Thea bit her lip and looked away, "Yes."

"And do you still?"

Thea shook her head, thinking of the four years she spent longing for him and all of her attempts to get over him in the last month. She thought of Crystal and Connor and all that had passed on Nantucket. "I've spent the last four years trying to forget about him," she finally said.

Diana sighed, a long sympathetic sound. "You poor thing," she said, putting her arm around her sister's shoulders. "I had no idea."

Thea managed to smile back, a small, regretful gesture.

"When I think of all the time we've forced you to spend with him in the last month!" Diana said, finally beginning to understand her sister's behavior. "It's no wonder that you didn't want to go to that party that first night!" she nearly smacked her head with her hand.

"It has been a bit frustrating," Thea admitted.

"But are you still in love with him?" Diana asked.

"I don't know," Thea admitted.

"But you kissed him last night!" Diana exclaimed.

"I did, but it was just because I was so glad to see him safe!"

"That sounds like you still love him --"

"But I don't want to!" Thea shouted her down.

Diana sat back, silent. Thea went on, "The only thing that he could seem to think about last night was how to finish the movie and that Connor had to be called. Then, of course, there's Crystal."

"And Connor," Diana reminded. "How do you feel about him?"

Thea looked away and searched the ocean for a good answer to that. "I don't know. It was really only supposed to be an interesting little fling, something to help me to get over the shock of seeing Andrew again after all these years."

"But it's more than that now?" Diana asked.

Thea frowned and thought, "I don't think so, but he had been very good to me."

"So, what's your plan?" Diana asked.

"Avoid Andrew at all costs," Thea stated. "It would be almost too embarrassing to meet him. I'm sure that he would feel as if he had to explain why what happened last night can never happen again and he'd be right. Besides, we already had our chance together. We screwed it up."

Diana clucked sympathetically, "I'm so sorry, Thea. I can think of a few things that I would have done differently had I know about you and Andrew."

"You mean that you wouldn't have forced me to go to the film shoot so that you could be an extra?" Thea smiled weakly.

Diana grinned, "No, I think that I would still have done that!" Then, glancing behind Thea for a moment, went on. "So, you're really planning to hide if Andrew comes to visit?" she asked.

"That's the plan so far," Thea stated, shrugging her shoulders.

"Well, you'd better hurry and find a spot to hide, because he's walking over right now."

Thea nearly jumped out of her skin and whipped her head in the direction Diana had indicated. Andrew was indeed walking down the beach and, judging from the sense of purpose in his stride, had already seen them. Thea had only time enough to arrange her features into a pleasant, yet concerned mask, before he was there, blocking the sunlight. His face was in shadow and it was difficult to read the expression in his face.

Thea didn't know what to say to him, and it was evident, from the silence on his part, that he didn't know how to begin either.

Diana, deciding that it might be best to leave them alone, invented an excuse to go inside. She flashed him a cheerful smile, noticed the time, and mumbled something about Little David's one o'clock feeding.

Of course, Thea knew that Little David wasn't on any timetable that included a one o'clock feeding. For a moment, Thea considered trapping her sister in the fib, just to keep her from being left alone with Andrew. But that seemed like a cowardly thing to do.

But then, so was her plan of hiding from him for the rest of the week.

So much for that plan.

Thea sighed, realizing that the embarrassing conversation that she had sought to avoid was going to happen and the only thing that she could do to make it more manageable was to have the first word.

"It was a mistake," she blurted out, shielding her eyes and squinting in an attempt to see his face. "A real mistake and I'm sorry for it," she added, pasting on a light smile that she hoped would convey some degree of ease with the subject.

"A mistake?" Andrew repeated, sounding confused.

"Last night?" Thea reminded quickly. "My --" she searched for a word to term it and lessen it's power at the same time. "-- My -- greeting -- you on the porch," she emphasized the word greeting, it was a good one, now that she had found it.

"I guess that I was just so glad to see -- anyone -- alive from the ship that -- my relief ran away with my sense," Thea nodded emphatically, wishing that she could see his eyes and know how he was receiving it.

"You didn't mean to --" Andrew began.

"No!" Thea interrupted quickly, attempting to laugh but managing only to hear a hard cough stick in her throat. "After all, you're dating someone else." Her next took on a more urgent, sympathetic sound. "How is Crystal today?"

Andrew didn't respond to that right away, he just stood there in the shadow caused by having his back towards the sun. The only thing that she could see with any clarity was the fact that he was wringing his hands. Thea began to worry. Was there something upsetting that had happened to Crystal?

"She's still okay, isn't she?" Thea prompted.

"Oh! Yes, she seems fine. Scott tells me that she's resting quietly today and that she'd prefer to be left alone for a bit."

Thea wondered about that. Why was Scott telling Andrew this?

"Well, that seems like a good plan," Thea said nonsensically. Then, because she feared breaks in the conversation, went on quickly. "So, how is the Rose?"

"We're working on the damage estimates right now," Andrew explained, "We should have a solid figure by the time Connor arrives tonight."

"You've talked to him?" Thea asked.

"Yes," Andrew said, voice sounding clipped and one hand reaching up to rub the back of his neck.

"When do you think that you can get back to Hollywood to start the editing?" Thea asked, still too worried about difficult pauses in conversation to make much sense.

Andrew didn't seem to share her fear of silence, however. He allowed that question to hang in the air for an almost unbearable amount of time. "I'm not quite sure," he said eventually.

"Well, I'm sure that you're looking forward to it," Thea responded, beginning to feel quite hot and somewhat feverish. She really could use a glass of water and a rest in the shade. She stood up awkwardly and began to collect the beach blanket, bit of ivory, and photo album. "I think that I'll just go see how Diana is doing with Little David," she made up an excuse and, with a quick nod towards Andrew, walked off towards the house.

Part XIX

Posted on Tuesday, 01-Sep-98

Nantucket Island, MA:
July 11, 1998

Connor Douglas did arrive in Nantucket that evening, having ridden in an airplane for the better part of the day. He appeared to be in a very dark mood, which was lightened only by a degree of triumphance in his expression whenever he thought of the fact that he had been proven correct. It had been extremely risky to take the Rose out on a stormy night and he was insistent about Andrew paying the price.

This led to a discussion about the finances behind filmmaking, insurance rates, and exorbitant director's salaries.

Thea found herself only half listening to his comments, but the portion that did register began to make her worry for Andrew. Connor seemed quite determined that Andrew shoulder the entire responsibility for the accident, something that would not make him such a sought out director in the future. What other production company would really want to hire a proven shipwrecker?

Thea thought about reminding Connor of the part that he played in the fiasco, but decided against it. Connor, she suspected, would not appreciate being questioned in that way.

That was the only clear thought she had been capable of making. The rest of her brain was busy struggling with the mess she had made of things the night before. Thea was completely confused. The only thing that she knew with any certainty was that she shouldn't have kissed Andrew. It had done no good whatsoever and she wasn't even quite sure why it had happened. And now, here was Connor, going on and on about Andrew's recklessness, which only served to remind herself of her own foolish recklessness.

Thea wished that she could find a way to get Connor to stop bringing up Andrew's name. It was really getting quite annoying.

"Would you like some wine?" Thea stood up from the sofa, where they had been sitting and walked towards the kitchen. "I know that I could certainly use a glass."

"Sounds good," Connor agreed and followed her into the other room.

Thea found a bottle of red wine on the floor of the pantry and brought it out. She had to hunt for the corkscrew and struggled with the cork. Thea was not used to opening up bottles of wine. Eventually, Connor realized her difficulty and took over. She pulled two glasses from the shelf and turned quickly around to bring them over to him. But he had come up behind her carrying the now opened bottle of wine without her hearing. She bumped right into him, spilling some of the contents of the bottle onto his brilliantly white shirt.

"Oh!" Thea gasped as the red stain grew larger on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry!"

Connor smiled ruefully, not upset. "No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have snuck up on you."

"I think that David has a shirt he could loan you," Thea said, touching his sleeve. "If you take it off now, I might be able to get that stain out."

Connor agreed and Thea sent him into the bathroom to take off the shirt while she went into David's closet and found another for him to wear. They made the shirt exchange at the bathroom door, giving Thea an opportunity to see his bare chest, deeply tan and nicely toned. Thea gulped at the sight and looked away quickly. "Oh my!" she thought, "what have I gotten myself into?" Connor seemed way out of her league. He was almost too attractive.

"Mind if I take a shower?" Connor asked, smilingly. He seemed to be quite pleased at Thea's reaction. "It's been a long day."

"Um, sure," Thea mumbled. "There are some towels under the sink."

Thea took the stained shirt back to the kitchen sink and was rinsing it out when the doorbell rang. She left the shirt to soak and went to answer it. She opened up the door and recognized Andrew standing on the porch, waiting to be let in.

For a moment, Thea wondered if there was a baseball game on tonight. David had said nothing about Andrew's coming over for a visit. In fact, Thea remembered Diana asking him about it. "David and Diana are out on the porch," Thea supplied, opening the door for him.

Andrew entered and turned around to face her instead of heading towards the porch. He paused for a moment, pressing his lips together. "Actually, I came to see you."

"See me?" Thea asked weakly. "Why?"

Andrew didn't answer, apparently too busy noticing the videotape that was peeking out of a bag on the coffee table. It was a copy of his Dionne Quintuplets film that she had rented the night before and hadn't watched. She wished now that she had bothered to move it from its prominent position in the room. He reached down and pulled it out, confirming that it was one of his own.

Andrew smiled knowingly and Thea blushed in embarrassment, something that angered and frustrated her. "What do you need to see me for?" she asked again.

Andrew looked up. "Actually, it was something that I've been trying to ask you ever since our meeting last night. But, so far you've been able to --" he looked directly at her and lifted one eyebrow, amused, " -- divert my attention from it."

Thea blushed further, remembering that first diversion all too clearly.

"How did you know that lightning would strike the ship?"

Thea turned away. She should have known that he would want to know the answer to that question sooner or later.

"I suspected that was a difficult one for you to answer," Andrew said. "So, let's forget that question for the moment."

Thea turned around, "Forget it?"

"Yes," Andrew agreed. "There's something else that I wanted to tell you."

"Tell me?" Thea repeated, beginning to feel like a parrot.

Andrew smiled wryly. "It's something else that I learned from working with 15 babies on this film," he held it up in illustration, then placed it back on the table.

Thea was mystified. Where was he going with this?

Andrew put his hands in his pockets, looked down at the floor, and began. "There was one little actress in particular who always seemed to go into these fits of anger whenever she was frustrated or tired. Well, what do you expect? She was only fourteen months old at the time. She would throw her pacifier across the room just for the satisfaction of making one of us retrieve it for her. And she would push people away with her little hands if they ever came too close. Heaven forbid that someone would actually wish to touch her."

Andrew looked up just long enough to note that Thea was listening, then went on.

"But the thing was that all the little girl really wanted was for someone to pick her up and comfort her. You just had to get past her pushing you away in the first place."

Thea's back arched and she pulled herself up, beginning to feel offended. "Are you trying to tell me that I'm just like an angry little child?" she asked.

"No," Andrew said, calmly. "But you are trying to push me away when your heart doesn't want to."

"I'm doing nothing of the sort!" Thea exclaimed.

Andrew crossed the room to stand close to her. He laid his hands on her arms and pulled her closer, "Last night you kissed me and it wasn't a mistake. And I'm not sorry that it happened."

Thea felt her eyes widen in surprise.

"Actually, I'm really very glad that it happened," he smiled, his face not twelve inches away from her own. "For it made me realize that I'm still very much in love with you." With that, he would have kissed her, but she backed away and wrenched her arms from his grasp.

She walked to the other side of the room, trying to pull herself together and make sense of the situation. Here was Andrew, now not twelve feet away, professing his love for her. She looked back at him in shock. And there was Connor, still taking a shower in the bathroom down the hall. She listened and could still hear the water running.

She turned around and looked at Andrew, feeling herself begin to glare. There he stood, an almost annoyingly cocky expression playing across his face. Did he really think that a few words and a kiss were going to make up for four years of longing? And what about Crystal, not to mention Connor? Were they simply supposed to disappear?

"How does Crystal feel about this?" Thea blurted out.

"Crystal?" he asked, "She seems to be doing well enough with Scott."

"Scott?" Thea said.

"Well, she's very grateful to him for saving her life last night. Rescuing someone can be very a seductive act," Andrew rationalized. "He's a good guy, I wish them all the best with each other."

Thea could feel herself feel a tickle of happiness for the long-suffering assistant director. He certainly deserved some reward for his faithfulness, although Thea was not quite sure if Crystal was such a great prize. But there was something quite frustrating about Andrew seeming to think that she would just drop everything and return to him because Crystal was no longer his. "Oh, so now that she's no longer interested in you, you've decided to come back and see about me," Thea spat out, beginning to feel very offended at being considered the runner-up in some contest to win Andrew. "I'm sure that there are plenty of women in Hollywood who would be more than willing to fall madly in love with you."

"No!" Andrew shook his head emphatically, "Thea, I've --" he stopped in mid sentence and looked as if he were attempting to find the best way to continue. A wise decision on his part, because Thea could feel her anger towards him rising. She hated thinking of herself as second-best . But then, what did it matter what place she held in his heart? They had thrown away their best chance at happiness. How could there be any return to it?

Andrew continued, slowly and softly. "I realized four years ago that I should have never left you that night on the station platform. But I was too hurt. You said that we should take a little more time and all I could hear was that you didn't believe in me."

"I believed in you," Thea interjected, voice sounding bitter.

"We should have spoken, I know that I should have called, but all I felt like doing was becoming really successful." Andrew grimaced, "I wanted to prove myself, I guess."

"Well, you've done that, haven't you?" Thea whispered.

"And all I could think about was how you were probably in New Jersey somewhere going to see my films and reading my name scroll by on the credits." Andrew shook his head, "I'm embarrassed to say that it gave me a real sense of satisfaction." He glanced at her, "But it was a hollow, mean kind of feeling."

Thea didn't know what to say to that.

"I'm not proud of myself for that," Andrew went on, wincing. "And, I'm not proud of my behavior to you when you first arrived on the island, especially that party at my parent's house; how I paraded Crystal around, hoping to make you feel as much regret as possible and how you left early through the sliding glass door."

Thea remembered the embarrassment of breaking Diana's heel and limping back to Diana and David's cottage.

"I thought that I could love Crystal and be happy with her, but seeing you again --" he stopped, and for the first time Thea noticed how hard he was breathing. "Seeing you again has made me remember all of the reasons why I fell in love with you in the first place and that I should have never let you go."

It was a very pretty speech and Thea was having some difficulty not giving in to it.

"And then, last night when you kissed me, it was as if the four years hadn't happened." Andrew said, smiling for the first time since he began his explanation.

"But it did happen," Thea reminded, "And we can't live those years over again."

"But we can go on from here," Andrew said, smile broadening into a optimistic grin. It was a bold expression, carrying with it all of the confidence that she remembered in him. But, to Thea, it wasn't a welcome gesture. Too much had happened since then. It presumed too much.

"Perhaps Thea doesn't want to go on with you," a voice said pointedly from the hall.

Thea turned to look and saw Connor enter the room, still drying his wet hair with a towel. She hadn't heard the shower cut off or Connor open the bathroom door and she immediately began to wonder how much he had heard of their conversation. Connor walked over to Thea and placed a possessive arm around her shoulders. She couldn't pretend not to see how his presence might look to Andrew, regardless of the fact that Diana and David were on the porch with their son. Connor hadn't bothered to put on the shirt that Thea had borrowed from David's closet: his faultlessly toned chest hinting at the idea that his relationship with Thea had taken a more physical turn.

If Andrew was surprised by Connor's presence or frustrated by doubts about how much he had heard of their conversation, he did an impressive job of hiding it. "I suppose you think that she'd much prefer to go on with you," he said evenly.

Connor smiled charmingly at the other man. "That appears to be the case, but we probably should ask her opinion."

"And you're planning on doing something more than breaking her heart?" Andrew said skeptically.

"What if I am?" Connor sounded offended.

"Well, Cherisse, Jessica, Amanda, and Elena might find this new side of you quite interesting," Andrew said, names flicking easily off his tongue.

"I never felt for them half of the love I feel for Thea," Connor emphasized, surprising Thea greatly. What was this about love?

"And you expect me to back away, don't you?" Andrew said.

"A gentleman would," Connor challenged.

"Well, then I'm no gentleman, because I'm not going to leave her again. She means too much to me," Andrew insisted.

Connor scoffed, "As I have already heard, you had your chance."

"We deserve a second chance," Andrew insisted. "And I'm going to make sure that we get it."

"Even if it means losing your job?" Connor asked.

"Are you threatening me?" Now it was Andrew's turn to scoff. "Might I remind you that the rights to the story are mine as the writer of the screenplay? You can't go forward with 'The Pirate Queen,' without me."

"We'll see about that," Connor said, sounding in earnest. "Regardless, Thea has already told you that she is no longer interested."

"I'd prefer to hear that from her own lips and after she has been given sufficient time to think things over," Andrew said boldly, "And away from your influence."

"What makes you think that she's going to change her mind?" Connor shook his head.

"The Thea I remember will give us a second chance," Andrew said, dark blue eyes looking directly into Thea's. She had to turn away from the brilliance of those eyes. She knew from experience just how easy it was to become lost in them. And she wasn't sure if she wanted to be lost.

"I have a feeling that she's changed quite a bit since then," Connor continued lightly. Then, quite pointed and weighty, he went on. "We all grow up eventually."

Andrew shook his head, disbelieving. "She may have grown wiser, but her heart hasn't changed." With that, Andrew walked over to Thea and touched her arm lightly. "Last night, Thea," he reminded her, "that's what came through. That's what's important. I'm sorry that I wasn't paying attention to that before, but I'm all yours now and I don't care how long it takes to get you back."

He left then, apparently having said all that could be said of his own feelings. It was a smart move on his part, because all Thea really wanted was some time to think. She wished that she could get Connor leave as quickly.

Part XX

Posted on Thursday, 03-Sep-98

Nantucket Island, MA:
July 12, 1998

Thea had disappeared with the car very early the next morning, the piece of ivory tucked carefully into her bag. She had driven over to the other side of the island in order to visit an art gallery that specialized in scrimshaw. She felt that it was well past time to investigate the origin of that maddening little piece of work.

Actually, Thea didn't know why she was attempting to learn more about it now, especially since it seemed to have served a purpose and had reverted back to its original form, but it had given her a reason for leaving the house and spending some time alone. After being caught in between Andrew and Connor during last night's conversation -- no -- after being the subject of the argument between those two, Thea needed all the time by herself that she could get.

But the trip to the other side of the island had been completely unsuccessful. The scrimshaw dealer had only confirmed what Thea already knew: that it was probably a reproduction, but a very good one and well worth the $50 that she had paid for it. Thea noticed the price sticker that she had left on the back when it was turned over.

The dealer, who knew most of the scrimshaw artists around New England, couldn't identify the creator of it and was somewhat surprised by the fact that the person hadn't etched a signature. Modern scrimshaw artists almost always signed their work.

Thea drove back to Diana's completely perplexed. What kind of person would have made so beautiful a representation of the Rose and not signed it?

As she drove past Nantucket harbor and noticed the Rose, two-masted now but safely tied to its dock, Thea considered stopping and asking a crew member if they knew any scrimshaw artist who might have done the etching. She decided against it, though. Andrew or Connor were probably there, dealing with the broken mast. Perhaps they were there together, continuing their argument from last night or fighting over a different topic.

Regardless, Thea was sure that she did not want to see either of them right now and certainly did not want to see them together. Their behavior last night had been ridiculous in the extreme! If it hadn't been happening to her, she would have found it hilarious. The sense that she was living an 'I Love Lucy' or 'Laverne and Shirley' plot intruded and Thea felt the embarrassment of it all over again. Her life had been reduced to a silly situation comedy.

Of course, it should have been very enjoyable to have two attractive men fighting over her, but Thea took no pleasure in it. She had to wonder if she weren't just a pawn in the power struggle between them. Was it possible that she was just another object to argue over, just like a potential scene or reel of film? Could it be that neither one of them liked her as much as they had professed last night? It was a humbling thought and made Thea feel even more anger towards the pair.

Unfortunately, there was nothing she could do about the fact that she was having dinner with Connor that night and would probably see Andrew when he came over to watch the Red Sox game with David.

Thea was in a foul mood by the time she drove up to her sister's cottage for lunch and noticed a familiar car in the driveway, bearing New Jersey plates. She was sure that she had seen that car before, but couldn't remember from where. She stared at the car, running through a list of people the car might belong to. With New Jersey plates, it probably was either a relative or an old friend of Diana's. Thankfully, Thea knew that it didn't belong to their parents, but was in no humor to entertain any relatives.

She groaned at the thought of welcoming an aunt or uncle as she opened the door and walked through the cottage to the deck, where she knew she would find her sister. Diana and David spent most of their day out on that deck, and today was to be no exception. Diana was sitting at the table, facing the sliding door and David was at the grill, cooking hamburgers for lunch. The owner of the car was sitting across from her, a mop of ginger-colored frizzy hair discernible over the back of the chair. Thea was puzzled, she couldn't think of any aunt that would match that hair. Yet the hair was also familiar.

"There you are!" Diana welcomed her sister, as Thea pulled open the sliding door and stepped onto the porch. "Where have you been? We almost had to start lunch without you and your friend Daphne has been waiting for hours!"

"Daphne?" Thea nearly shrieked, turning quickly towards the other person. Oh no! It was Daphne! How could it be that Daphne Slocum, the busybody from her school who had suggested that she take this vacation in the first place, was sitting on her sister's porch? If it weren't for Daphne and that pitcher of sangria, she would be in Tenafly right now, working at the school's summer camp and planning literature units, blissfully ignorant and alone. "What are you doing here?" she said, not sounding pleased.

Daphne stood up and pulled Thea into a smothering hug, cutting off her air supply momentarily. "Thea!" she trilled cheerfully, pushing her away in order to get a better look at her. In this, Daphne was very much like an aunt, pushing and pulling Thea around like some rag doll. "You look great!" she commended loudly. "I love what you've done to your hair!"

Embarrassed, Thea pulled at her hair, remembering that she had changed it somewhat since Daphne Slocum had seen her last. She had become quite used to the new color and length in the last few weeks. "What are you doing here?" Thea repeated weakly.

Daphne grinned cheerfully and proceeded to sit back down in the chair, arranging her long skirt easily. "I got bored," she admitted.

"You were bored?" Thea said, incredulous.

"And Tenafly is so hot at this time of the summer," Daphne whined on, "And then I remembered how beautiful Nantucket looked in that website that I printed out for you."

"So, you decided to drive up here?"

"It was a real spur-of-the-moment decision," Daphne admitted. "And, now, there's a problem."

"What's the problem?" Thea asked, glancing over at her sister.

"The hotel is full," Diana explained. "Which is not surprising considering the fact that Drew's film crew hasn't left yet."

"Oh," Thea said, feeling relieved. If the hotel was full, then Daphne wouldn't be staying on the island. Perhaps she could find a room on Martha's Vineyard. The President wasn't expected there until later in the summer.

"So your sister has invited me to stay here with you!" Daphne exclaimed gushingly. "It's so kind of her!"

"What?" Thea spluttered, looking from Diana to Daphne in rapid succession.

"I invited your friend Daphne to stay with us until the film crew leaves the hotel," Diana said, lifting her chin up and nodding to Thea significantly. It was a gesture easily read: 'You're not being very polite to your friend, Thea.'

Thea thought about the fact that all four rooms in the cottage were currently being used. Of course, there was an extra bed in her room. Thea felt her eyes widen when she realized what Diana was planning. "In my room?" she asked.

"There is an extra bed in there," Diana agreed.

Thea swallowed and thought of spending the next few nights with Daphne in the same room. It wasn't that she didn't like the other teacher, she did. But Daphne had a wonderful way of worming information out of her and using it to her disadvantage. She didn't feel safe around her.

But it looked as if Diana had already offered and Daphne had accepted. There wasn't anything for Thea to do but be pleasant about it. "What a good idea," Thea smiled wanly and looked away quickly, just in case her eyes decided to roll of their own volition. She sat down at the table next to Daphne and poured herself a glass of water from a pitcher, noticing that the table had been set for five, not four.

"Oh! And here comes Drew!" Diana said, pointing in the direction of the Carroll's cottage.

Thea whipped her head around and saw that Andrew was indeed headed this way. "What is he doing coming over here now?" Thea hissed to her sister. "Shouldn't he be working? I thought the game wasn't until tonight!"

"We invited him over for lunch," Diana said, with another meaningful lift of her chin.

Thea returned that look with a significant glare of her own and wondered about her sister's motive for inviting Andrew to lunch. She knew that Diana liked her husband's friend a great deal, but surely she understood how uncomfortable this situation was for her!

But Diana was already welcoming Andrew cheerfully. Thea watched Andrew glance her way, sending a smile that appeared to be for herself alone. Thea's heart leapt involuntarily; she had forgotten how appealing the light in his eyes could be when directed only at her. She tried to suppress that emotion quickly, she didn't want to remember how much she used to love him. Diana then went on to introduce him to Daphne, "My sister's friend from school will be staying with us."

Thea watched helplessly as Daphne recognized the director from the website printout she had given Thea earlier in the year and added the situation up. Now it was Daphne's turn to look at Thea significantly, an expression that conveyed quite a bit of surprise. What was Andrew Carroll, Hollywood director and former love of Thea's life, doing on her sister Diana's porch?

"Andrew's parents own the cottage next door," Thea whispered to Daphne breathlessly. "He's been staying with them while his crew films on the island."

"I thought he was filming in Ireland," Daphne returned honestly, not bothering to whisper.

Andrew sat down next to Thea and placed a napkin on his lap. "That's just what Thea thought!" he exclaimed to Daphne, remembering their first conversation together in his parents' living room. "You must have gotten that information from the same source."

"Well, we found out from a website on you," Daphne explained, embarrassing Thea completely. The last thing that she wanted Andrew to think was that she had been following his career.

"Really?" Andrew said, grinning at Daphne charmingly.

"Really!" Daphne enthused. "We read all about your new movie, didn't we?" turning to Thea for confirmation. "It's called, 'The Pirate Queen,' isn't it?" she asked her friend.

"Yes," Thea said unwillingly and felt her face grow even redder. Thea wondered if they would let her leave the table if she said that she wasn't very hungry. She certainly wasn't anymore, not for a lunch with Daphne on one hand and Andrew on the other.

But who knew what Daphne might say to Andrew if she weren't there to keep the conversation on safer topics? "My sister was an extra in it," Thea told Daphne, hoping to initiate some discussion of Diana's film experience.

"That's wonderful," Daphne looked over at Diana, now helping her husband put the hamburgers in buns, before turning back to Andrew. "Why didn't Thea get a chance as well?" he asked the director.

"That's a very good question," Andrew nodded in agreement. "I would have put her in the scene but --"

" --Someone had to hold the baby," Thea interrupted. "And, besides, I'm not very photogenic."

"I think you are," Andrew said warmly. Thea blushed further.

"Oh! She is!" Daphne agreed with him, "And far too modest. She hardly ever accepts a compliment and never sings her own praises!"

"I'm sure you're right!" Andrew said, "We'll just have to do it for her, won't we?"

"Yes, we will," Daphne returned, chummily. "Did she tell you what her class gave her as an appreciation gift this year?" she began.

Andrew, appearing to be quite interested, leaned over Thea and allowed one of his hands to brush her forearm lightly. "It was really nothing," Thea said, recoiling slightly from his touch and wondering how they had traveled so far away from the innocent topic she had attempted to introduce.

"Nothing?" Daphne nearly screamed, and went on to describe how much her students and parents appreciated all the work that she had done for them and the party they had thrown for her on the last day. Thea winced as she watched Andrew's rapt expression. Why in the world did he appear so interested in what Daphne had to say about Thea's life in Tenafly?

The rest of the lunch was not much better. Andrew and Daphne improved in each other's acquaintance, mainly from swapping stories about Thea. Diana offered a few of her own childhood memories as well. It was all very embarrassing and Thea would have sunk under the table, if not for the fact that the table leg would have prevented her from finding a comfortable position on the floor.

Eventually, fed up with her role as the topic of discussion and frustrated by her many failed attempts to change the subject, Thea offered to wash the dishes and stood up to begin clearing the table. That, at least, gave her a reason for leaving.

"I'll help you, Thea," Andrew offered, and began to gather a stack of plates as well.

"That's so kind of you, Andrew," Diana heard her sister accept his help before Thea could reject it. Which she would have, had she been given the opportunity. It was all getting to be too much! Did Andrew really think that he would be able to wear her down by his continual presence? Did he really think that she was impressed by his efforts to get to know her friend Daphne? Was he planning on playing the Prince Charming until she fell into his arms again?

The answer was obvious: that was the current strategy.

Thea turned on the water in the sink and opened the dishwasher. She began rinsing food off the plates, clattering them as much as possible. Seething inside, she attacked greasy, sticky spots as if her life depended on it. Andrew, she could see from the corner of her eye, was warily watching her progress.

Thea thrust one of the plates into the dishwasher with a loud crash and started in on the next one. Andrew kneeled down and pretended to inspect it carefully, "You missed a spot," he joked, lightly.

"Oh!" Thea exclaimed, flicking beads of water from her fingers of her hands in frustration at his easy manner. "Andrew, what are you trying to do?"

"I'm helping you with the dishes," he returned, just as cheerfully.

"You know that I'm not talking about the dishes," Thea said, barely concealing her irritation.

"I'm trying to get to know you again," he answered honestly, voice still calm.

"By letting Daphne tell you all kinds of stupid school stories?" she asked, incredulous.

"How else do people become reacquainted?" Andrew shrugged.

"I don't like being forced into the center of attention," Thea went on.

"Why shouldn't you be the center of attention?" Andrew shot back. "Why shouldn't people be interested in your life? Especially those that love you."

His last comment unnerved Thea completely. He delivered it with such optimistic conviction. "Andrew, you don't love me," Thea spat back bitterly. "You're just trying to get back at Connor."

"Is that what you think?" Andrew's eyes narrowed.

"That's what it looks like!" Thea crossed her arms, wet hands still dripping dishwater. "I'm not sure why you and Connor hate each other so much, but I don't appreciate being forced in the middle."

Andrew raked a hand through his dark hair distractedly and looked almost sorry that he had placed her in such a position. "I can't speak for Connor," he began to explain quietly. "But I know that my feelings for you have nothing to do with him."

Thea nodded her head but didn't believe it.

Andrew put down the collection of forks that he was placing in the dishwasher and walked over to her. "Eventually, Thea, you are going to have to accept the fact that I've fallen in love with you again," he pulled one of her hands away from her body and held it, beginning to lightly stroke the palm of her hand with his index finger.

She pulled it away quickly, closing her hand into a fist and hiding it behind her back. "You can't be sure of that!"

"Oh yes I can," he attested smilingly.

Thea threw up her hands in dismay, "You're such an arrogant fool!" she exclaimed.

For a moment, Andrew looked as if he had been hit. The smile disappeared from his face and was replaced by an expression of doubt. Then, slowly, his trademark grin returned. "You used to call it 'quiet confidence'," he said, recalling the fact that she had thought he was an arrogant fool when they first met as well.

Thea colored, remembering that first night just as clearly.

Andrew leaned towards Thea and placed a light kiss on her cheek. It was the work of an instant, any longer and she might have batted him away. He returned to the dishwasher and loaded the rest of the silverware, glasses, and plates while Thea watched.

Closing it up, Andrew turned his attention back to her. "I'm going to wait this time, Thea," he said with conviction, "As long as it takes." Then, with a parting smile, he walked out on the deck to thank David and Diana for lunch, letting Daphne in through the door at the same time.

Daphne walked over to, Thea, eyes glassy with appreciation for Andrew. "Thea," she oozed, "Now there's a man worthy to be called Captain Wentworth!"

Dinner with Connor that night was almost as stifled and uncomfortable as Thea's lunch with Daphne and Andrew had been. Thea couldn't fault Connor for this, though. He was just as attractive as ever and managed to keep his end of the conversation with ease. Thea, however, felt very dull and uninteresting. She couldn't put aside the thought that he was just using her as a way to revenge himself on Andrew. She found herself staring at him through dinner, searching his face for some confirmation of this or an opposite notion. Did he like her for who she was or was he just playing a game?

Daphne Slocum certainly seemed to think badly of him. Thea's supposed friend looked Connor up and down disdainfully when they were introduced earlier that evening and didn't even attempt a further discussion with him. Of course, that woman had already signed up as a founding member of the Andrew Carroll fan club, so enthusiastic was her opinion of the man who had almost charmed the pants off of her at lunch. Thea grimaced as she recalled Daphne's glowing appreciation for him. Daphne thought Thea a fool for not falling gracefully into the arms of Andrew Carroll and didn't mince words when she told her this.

It was Daphne Slocum's icy behavior towards Connor that Thea was thinking of as she drove back to the cottage with him. Daphne was never cool to anyone, much less a person who was introduced to her as the boyfriend of a good friend. Her range of emotions ran from polite interest to effusive appreciation. There was no such thing as distance in Daphne's relationship vocabulary.

"I don't think that your friend liked me very much," Connor commented, breaking into the silence in the car.

Thea stiffened in response. Was it possible that Connor was reading her thoughts? "She's had a tiring drive from New Jersey," Thea hedged apologetically. "I'm sure that she'll be friendlier tomorrow."

"Yes," Connor agreed absently, sounding as if he had already dismissed Daphne from his mind in favor of a more interesting topic.

Or a more weighty one.

"Thea," he began, "have you given any thought to what might happen to us after the summer?"

Thea was silent and forced her eyes to remain on the road. What could she say to that?

"I think that you know how I feel about you," he went on, "At least, I said as much last night."

Thea remembered his comment about feeling more for her than he ever had for those four women named by Andrew. But, the fact that there were four who could be named so easily was upsetting. And had their hearts been broken as Andrew seemed to believe? Thea had already nursed a broken heart. She didn't want to learn how to live with another one.

Connor went on, "I'd like for you to consider moving to Los Angeles and living with me," he said.

Thea glanced up at him, shocked. She searched his profile, attempting to find some mark of humor in it. Instead, all she read was a strong measure of earnestness. He wasn't teasing.

"I want to continue our relationship," he filled the gap and made sure that he was clearly understood. "I think that I've fallen in love with you."

Thea bit her lip, feeling something between excitement and discomfort. Or maybe excitement was only discomforting to her? She hadn't had much excitement in the last four years. Maybe if she had, she wouldn't feel so awkward now.

"What about my job?" Thea asked.

"You wouldn't have to work," Connor replied, "I can support you."

"But, I'm good at my job," Thea said, forgetting momentarily to be self-effacing.

"Then, you could find something out west, if you wished," Connor dismissed it as a concern. "But I'm sure that you could find many things to fill up your day without resorting to teaching. There any plenty of tennis clubs and gyms, day spas --" he drifted off.

"I'm sure there are," Thea agreed softly, feeling a little ill at the thought of entering into a world that she knew so little about. California seemed like a very strange place to her. But then, she also remembered a time when she had decided not to follow someone in the name of love. She hadn't liked the result of too much prudence and too little courage then. Perhaps it was time to err more riskily.

Connor reached over and grasped one of her hands, stroking her fingers with his thumb gently, a gesture that reminded Thea of Andrew taking her hand that afternoon.

Could it be that they both were in this to win something other than her love and affection?

Thea felt her hand tense at the thought, something at Connor must have realized. He stopped stroking it instantly.

"You don't have to decide right away," Connor said, "I'll be in Nantucket for a few more days."

Thea crept down the hall towards her room that night, eager not to disturb Daphne. She didn't want her now-roommate to wake up and begin interrogating her about her evening, especially since she knew that Daphne had an aptitude for it. She and Diana both were quite adept at worming out secrets. Really, they should go into business together, maybe learning to make a living with "discreet investigations" or something equally useful.

Thea opened the door, attempting to be as silent as possible and realized that a light was on. Daphne was still awake.

Thea walked into the room and saw that the other woman was sitting up in bed and had been reading from a very beaten up copy of Persuasion. She put it down when she realized that Thea was finally home.

Thea crossed the room to the bureau where she kept her nightgown. "Did you have a good evening?" she asked innocently.

"I should be asking you that," Daphne returned wryly. "You were the one who went out on a date. But I had a nice time here watching the game with your brother and sister. The Red Sox won."

"That should have made David and Andrew happy," Thea commented, beginning to undo the zipper of her dress.

"It should have," Diana agreed. "But, in Andrew's case, it didn't."

"No?" Thea responded, stepping out of her dress.

"Actually, I'm not sure that he saw much of the game, the way his eyes were fixed on the front door all evening," Daphne said.

"Really," Thea nodded, attempting to sound bored.

"Of course, he had to go home before you came back through that door," Daphne feigned innocence and began flipping through her book.

Thea didn't bother to respond and began to collect her toothbrush and other toiletries for a visit to the bathroom.

Daphne put her book down in a huff, frustrated by Thea's apparent lack of interest. "Oh! Come on, Thea!"

"What do you mean?" Thea looked at Daphne, face devoid of expression.

"Don't you see what's going on here?" Daphne whispered urgently, "You've been given a second chance with the greatest guy you are ever going to meet and you're not taking it!"

"I think that you've been reading too much Jane Austen," Thea replied airily, looking down at the novel. "Things don't work like that in the real world."

"Well, if that isn't the pot calling the kettle black?" Daphne scoffed, "I know that this happens to be your favorite book as well."

"It may be my favorite book, but I know the difference between fiction and non-fiction," Thea began, "Persuasion is just a story."

"I'm really starting to wonder," Daphne said, returning to her book.

"Wonder about what?" Thea asked, somewhat intrigued despite herself.

"About a few parallels," Daphne said, looking over her paperback at Thea. "Between this story and your life."

"My life?" Thea blinked furiously. "Are you trying to tell me that I'm Anne Elliot?"

"And Andrew acts a great deal like I always imagined Captain Wentworth would," Daphne mused. "And, of course, you're visiting your sister and brother-in-law just like Anne visited Mary and Charles Musgrove," she looked up just long enough to see that Thea was still listening. "And Anne was forced into renewing her acquaintance with Captain Wentworth in the same way that you were forced into meeting Andrew again."

"And, of course, Andrew's become such a great sea captain in the last four years!" Thea hissed derisively.

"Wouldn't you consider a director to be the captain of the filmmaking process?" Daphne looked down her nose at Thea. "And he certainly has become --," she flipped to the back of the book in order to quote correctly, "--as high in his profession as merit and activity --"

"Okay, that's enough!" Thea held up her hand.

But Daphne was not finished yet, she had an entire thesis to defend. "Do you realize that there's a Louisa Musgrove and a Captain Benwick in your story as well?"

Thea closed her eyes as the realization dawned. "I suppose you mean Crystal and Scott?"

"Diana told me about them," Daphne nodded her head.

"And I suppose that you've found yourself in this story as well," Thea mocked unhappily.

"Oh yes," Daphne agreed, proudly. "I'm the widow Mrs. Smith."

Thea didn't know what to say to that.

"You do remember that I am a widow, don't you?" Daphne probed.

"Yes," Thea said, still somewhat embarrassed by the fact that she hadn't known it until a month ago. "I'm sorry."

Daphne smiled sadly at her friend. "Of course, I have no land in the Indies to reclaim or a need for a Nurse Rooke to carry me into the bath," she elaborated. "But Thea, you've forgotten someone."

"Forgotten?" Thea said, mind already trying to fit other people into the story. "The Carrolls, I suppose are the Crofts."

"There doesn't seem to be a Lady Russell, unless you can count your actual mother, also missing is Mrs. Clay, Elizabeth Elliot, unless you can count Diana as both sisters, Henrietta Musgrove --" Daphne ticked off a few more names.

"There's no Henrietta --" Thea agreed absently.

"But there's still one more," Daphne pressed.

Thea heard the urgency in Daphne's voice and realized that it must be someone quite important. Her mind raced through her memory of the novel, searching for a missing character, finally discovering him walking down the stairs to the shore of Lyme and waiting for Anne and her party to pass. Thea looked back at Daphne, eyes widening. "You can't mean a Mr. Elliot!"

"William Walter Elliot," Daphne echoed, "Meet Connor Douglas."

Continued In Next Section