“Those are all secondary to the way you two work as people. Personally,” Savannah told her, “I think you’d be good for each other. Sammy is a wonderfully warm and compassionate person.”
Susan snorted. “You didn’t see him the other day.”
“He was very good to me,” Megan said, drawing both Susan’s and Savannah’s eyes her way. “He made me feel safe. I believed everything he said.”
“Oh, he’s honest,” Susan conceded, but more gently. “He means what he says. Not that I alwayslikewhat he says.”
“Would you rather he tell you only what you want to hear?” Savannah asked. “You’ve known too many men like that. I’d think you’d welcome the honesty.”
“Maybe I would if I had something more to offer.”
“What do you mean?”
“Hell, Savvy, Sam can’t respect me. He can respect you. You’re smart and accomplished. But what do I represent to him? A spoiled brat.”
“He’s fascinated by you, Suse. He sees great potential.”
“What about me as I am?”
“That’s what fascinates him. I think he likes the fact that you haven’t ‘arrived.’ He’d be intimidated if you had a career.”
“He should be intimidated because I have money, but he isn’t. He couldn’t care less about that.”
“Sam is Sam.”
“Uh-huh, and where does that leave me?”
“Where do you want to be left?”
“I don’t know!” Susan cried, then went silent.
For a time, none of them spoke. Then Savannah said in a pensive voice, “I do think life is about potentials. You say my expectations are too high, Suse, and maybe they are. But I want to be everything I can be. So I push myself. Sometimes I make it, sometimes I don’t. But if I don’t push, I’ll never know. I don’t want to be an old lady thinking of what might have been.”
Her words lingered in the night air for a long, long time. When the silence was broken again, it was on a lighter note, which was what they all needed just then.
***
By Sunday morning, the pace of the island had fully infiltrated Savannah’s system. She didn’t even try to read, but lay quietly on the beach listening to the rhythmic rush of the waves. When she moved, it was at half-speed and, even then, she moved reluctantly.
Megan and Susan seemed lost in a similar state. It was just like it used to be.
“This is heaven,” Susan murmured, barely moving her mouth as she lay utterly still on a lounge chair in the sun.
Feeling warm and relaxed, Megan hummed her agreement.
Savannah was feeling decidedly irresponsible. “Why is it that the more we rest, the more we want to?”
“It’s the sun,” Megan answered, moving her mouth no more than the others. “It’s a sedative.”
“That’s not the sun,” Susan said. “That’s old age.”
“Speak for yourself,” Savannah told her.
“I don’t care what it is,” Megan decided. “I’ll take it.”
Such was the general consensus of opinion. But time was passing, and Monday approached. Savannah didn’t want to return to work without having gotten some information from Megan. Still, she was torn. Megan was relaxed on the island. To start prodding would jeopardize that relaxation. So Savannah put it off for as long as she could, though she feared that if she waited until they were back in Providence, Megan might retreat inside herself again.
It actually started on the plane ride home. Megan got a distant look, and maintained a troubled silence. At that point, Savannah figured she had nothing to lose. Taking advantage of the fact that Susan had dozed off, she slipped into the seat beside Megan.
