Allison woke on the beach as the sun was coming up. It was a beautiful sight, the orange strip gaining circumference as it creeped up over the horizon. That's the difference between the east and west coasts, the sun rises over the ocean in the east and sets over it in the west. It makes all the difference.

God it was beautiful. And to Allison it wasn't so bad -at all- to be alone out there on the beach.

And it was hopeful; ending her trip with the sunrise. Then she remembered that Gregg had said he missed her. Knowing she had been on his mind as he was falling asleep the night before—or maybe the thought of her had been keeping him up—either way he was thinking of her. Either way he wrote her and said he missed her. She loved him.

He had her phone number. Maybe in a month or so he'd realize he didn't love Jessica. They had broken up once  already– before he'd even met Allison.

She stood up and felt tired but courageous. Of course the longing for him gnawed at her insides. She knew it would for a long time to come. She collected her things and started back to the cottage. She stopped before she made it up to the path. She remembered that she'd placed her journal on top of the rocky bluff. The tide was much higher so she couldn't climb up to see if it was still there. She put her stuff down and walked the short distance to the rocky perch. With the water half way up, she couldn't tell if her journal was still up there but she suspected it had been swept away. The rocks were all wet. and the salty waves still crashed up high enough to reach it. She hoped it had been taken. She imagined it out there as she looked out over the slate gray ocean. She'd miss that little cove. Her small stretch of private beach rocky bluffs on both sides. She loved it there. Deep down she wished she could stay on for the rest of the summer.

She turned and went back to her small cottage. She had packed the night before. She wheeled her pink hard-shell suitcase to the living room and placed it by the door. Allison did one last look around to make sure the place was neat enough and to be sure she hadn't forgotten anything. Her eyes passed over every surface. When she got to the table next to the couch she remembered the night that the answering machine light that had flashed on. Back  when all that stalker stuff was just starting.

She stared at the obsolete box--bulky and heavy. Why would anyone leave an answering machine around? She realized that if she were writing a romantic comedy, it would be a pretty sweet ending for the heartbroken girl to press 'play' and for the message to be from the man she loves. He'd say something like-- "It's me. I forgot to tell you. I'm in love with you." She felt her heart race with the idea. She walked over to the couch and sat down. She looked at the machine. The little red light was still flashing, it was a slower flash than you'd see on some device  nowadays. She reached over and pushed 'play.'

There was a long silence and the grainy sound of a tape running through a short leader. Allison held her breath. She knew it wouldn't be Greg...but she was curious. And maybe it would end that way. She bit her lip and hoped.

After a moment an older woman's voice started up. The lady sounded like she thought someone had picked up the phone and was talking to a live person not a machine. "Joanie?" The woman said. There was a brief pause. "Hello?" Another pause. "Hi Joanie. I think I lost you on the line." Allison looked at the light. It still glowed the constant red indicating the machine was playing. "Joanie. It's Liz. Liz Farrell. Do you remember me? From Chicago?" There was more silence then the machine clicked off. "OK well I must have your damned machine. I'll call you later." The sound of the dial tone followed then the machine clicked itself off and automatically rewound the cassette tape inside.

That was it. Alison sat for a moment. Liz Farrell. From Chicago. That middle aged woman's voice would factor into a story someday. Allison got up and walked out of the cottage and left her bag on the cement slab of a porch. She made her way to Daryl and Mary's.

They were eating French toast and fixed Allison a plate.

"How are you today?" Mary asked.

"I'm good." Allison sat at the table with them.

"After you eat, we'll bring you down to the Ferry. Are you sure we can't take you over to Portland and drive you to the airport?" Mary asked.

 "No. but thank you. I have a few hours. I'll hang around Portland for a little while before I go." Allison stopped eating and her eyes teared up. "I'm going to miss you guys." Allison said. She wiped her eyes and offered a sad smile. She poured syrup over her toast and Mary handed her a bowl of fresh strawberries. Allison scooped out a few berries with her spoon and plopped them on her French toast. 

"You'll be back," Daryl said. "You still have to set up that apartment in Meredith's attic. You have to do that at least. And with that widows walk you have a straight shot into outer space if you decide to write sci-fi." He smiled at her.

Allison smiled. She'd forgotten about turning the attic into an apartment / studio. "Gosh I would still love that. What's it like in the winter here? Maybe I could comeback in the fall."

"Oh, it's the best place in the world." Mary said. "It's cold and snowy. Nobody's around so you have the island to yourself. Often there's ice around the edge of the shore and the frozen sand crunches under your feet. The skies are dark but dramatic."

"It's the perfect place to hole up and write." Daryl added.

She nodded.

Daryl continued before he took a bite of his breakfast. "You'll send me a copy of your novel when you've finished it?" 

"Yes. And I'll send it the old fashioned way." She paused for effect and then smiled. "Carrier Pigeon."

Daryl feigned seriousness. "I'll set up a coop first thing tomorrow morning." Allison knew that there was a good chance that he would.

After breakfast they drove Allison to the ferry terminal. She looked out at picturesque scene as she passed the ocean and breakers. She loved all the little (and big) houses, weather worn wood or white clapboard. It was a lovely place. Daryl and Mary parked and walked her down to the terminal entrance.

Allison let out a breath and tears came to her eyes. "I'll miss you."

"OK. OK." Daryl said. He put his arms around her and gave her a hug. When he let her go Mary did the same.

"We've got a couple of things for you." Mary said.

"Just somethings to remember us by." Daryl added.

Mary opened a large tote bag and Daryl pulled out his leather Hunter Thompson hat. "Here Keep this. For when you're writing. It's what made me a genius."

"I can't take this Daryl."

"Sure you can."

She looked down at it. Ran her fingers over the brim. "I love it. I will wear it when I'm writing. I may wear it all the time." She lifted it and placed it on her head.

"Oh it's perfect." Mary said. "you look beautiful and like a genius."

Mary removed a small item from the bag. When she handed it to Allison, she could see it was a deck of the Hieroglyphic playing cards.

"Really? These are works of art. I can't." Mary put her hands over Allison's. She held them there for a minute. "You brought so much joy and fun into our home sweetheart. We love you."

Mary kissed her forehead. "We want you to have them." She smiled at her. "You're a wonderful person Allison."

Allison started to cry just as the boat let out a long peal from it's horn. It was time to board. She gave them both a hug and then turned and walked on to the ferry.

She felt calm. She was sad but she couldn't say she regretted any of her summer on Peak's Island. She sat on the upper deck and watched the slate blue water part into a wake as the large boat pushed through it. Long angular waves spread out away from the boat. The wind blew Allison's hair and caused her sundress to flap in the breeze. She stood and leaned against the railing watching Peaks shrink in the distance. Once they were a little ways out, she put on her sunglasses and looked around. She could see the lower deck from where she was standing. She saw Kevin down below in his yellow rain pants. He was wearing a black t-shirt and he was talking to the older ferry operator. After a moment the older man walked away and Kevin looked up towards Allison. It was an extended moment so Allison knew that even with her sunglasses on he could tell she was looking at him. She smiled and raised her hand and offered a friendly wave. He knew she was leaving so it was a way for Allison to say goodbye and that everything was all right. It took him a moment but then he smiled back at her. He nodded, waved and then turned and went towards the lower deck. She let out a breath. That was all over too and it was OK. Allison realized that she didn't really know if he would have forced her that night. What he did was wrong and aggressive, but maybe that was all it was. She wished it hadn't, but the circumstances around the incident had almost completely faded from her conscious memory. The things she remembers most about that night were hitting him, crying as she waited for a cab, falling asleep to HGTV in the hotel room.

A strong gust of wind blew and she took off Daryl's hat and put it in the suitcase so she wouldn't lose it to the ocean. It takes what it wants. She didn't want it snatched from her. It felt magical to her and she suspected it would help her finish a novel. 

Once the boat docked, she carried her suitcase down the metal stairs and then up the ramp to the terminal. She saw Kevin on the lower deck directing cars out of the ferry, but by the time she did she was already off the boat and entering the outdoor terminal. There was nothing left to say anyway. The sky was bright and the brick buildings of Portland looked old timey and pretty. She'd have to find a cab and get to the airport but her plane wasn't leaving for a few hours. 

She walked outside of the ferry terminal and on to the sidewalk. She looked up and down the street wondering where she would find a cab. Then, when she looked across the street she saw Greg. He had been seated on a bench and when he saw her, he stood and waved. There it was again, a rush of desire. Oh my God. That was all she could think. Her heart stopped and she felt more nervous than she had ever felt around him before.

She just stared at him as he walked across the street towards her.

"Hey," he said and stood there in front of her.

"Hey." For some reason her voice was small. It was as if she couldn't summons enough air to speak.

He was holding a brown leather journal. "I don't know why but I got you this." He handed it to her and she took it from him. "I wanted to see you before you left."

Allison opened it. It was a blank leather journal. She smiled at him. "I need a new journal. I love it. And, I'm glad you came to say good bye."

He nodded. "I thought you could start a new story."

"I haven't even written the old one."

He smiled at her. "Are you leaving?" he asked.

"Yeah. I have to be at the airport in a couple of hours. My mom got me a ticket home." 

He nodded again. She wanted to touch him. Somehow she'd forgotten how completely perfect he was. She loved not only how he looked but how he held himself. She loved his self-assuredness and wit. She remembered how she'd held those things against him when they first met. She'd thought he was arrogant and cocky. He wasn't. he was just confident. She knew he could be vulnerable to. 

He let out a breath before he spoke again. "I was thinking maybe you should stay?"

She felt herself freeze up. "Why?"

"I thought we could stay in the cottage a little longer. There's still a few weeks of summer."

She smiled and felt overwhelmed with happiness. But, there was still this problem of him not being in love with her. Now that it was out in the open. That he liked her and was attracted to her but not in love with her, well she couldn't continue with it. Not given how she much she felt for him. It would feel masochistic.

"I know but—" she said. She looked down. "What about Jessica?"

"I'm not in love with Jessica."

"Oh." Allison whispered.

He stared at her for a long time. "I lied to you the other day." He said.

"What did you say?"

"I told you I didn't know if I was in love with you."

She nodded. She kept her eyes fixed on his. This was important. She wanted to make sure she heard him. She wanted him to know she was listening.

"I knew I was in love with you the night we slept out on the widow's walk. The way you looked. How you listened to me. I've never been able to talk to anyone the way I do with you. I want to be with you every minute. I'm in love with you."

Allison smiled. You would think her emotions would have exploded and swept her away, but they didn't. For some reason she felt calm. She wasn't fumbling or nervous.

"I guess I have to call my mom." She said.

He came closer to her and when he did she felt everything melt inside of her. 

He was intent. The same seriousness he had that day they were out in the ocean together. "I want to kiss you, OK?"

She nodded.

He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. 

Allison was hopeful that this was how her love story was going to end. The girl gets the boy. He waits for her outside of the ferry terminal (maybe she'd change it a little in the story--something more dramatic like a famous monument or an old historic church in Spain. Maybe they'd be at one of the seven wonders of the world). However, the story unfolded he'd be there waiting on a bench. Waiting just for her; holding a book, a blank leather-bound journal so she can start writing the next chapter of her life.

THE END