Элизабет Чандлер: Evercrossed

A half hour later, after Will piled firewood, shovels, and a cooler in the trunk of his car. Ivy climbed in the backseat and Beth in the front. Kelsey and Dhanya followed Will in Kelsey’ s Jeep.

During the thirty‐mile trip. Ivy kept waiting for the right moment to tell them that Guy was coming, but couldnʹt find an opening. Both Beth and Will were quiet.

It occurred to Ivy that Will had invited the other girls as a buffer, to keep things from getting too intense. When the two cars arrived at the parking lot, Kelsey offered to drag the wheeled cooler across the dunes. Will carried the logs and Ivy the kindling. Beth picked up the beach towels and an armful of purple salvia that she had cut from Aunt Cindyʹs garden. Ivy entrusted Dhanya with the photo album she had brought.

Large dunes separated the lot from the beach and they walked in slow procession along the main path between the dunes. Ivy liked the effort of walking in the deep sand; the ocean breeze was cool, but the sand felt warm beneath her feet.

Ivy and Will dug the fire pit. Beth sat on a beach blanket holding the album that Dhanya had set down. Kelsey immediately plundered the ice chest, only to discover that no alcohol had been packed.

She and Dhanya played in the shallow foam of the ocean, laughing and splashing each other. When the pit was dug. Will placed the logs and arranged the kindling. Ivy gazed out at the indigo water. Race Point Beach lay along the northern edge of the National Seashore, where the Capeʹs long finger curled back toward the mainland. The bend in the beach, like the bend in the horizon, made Ivy feel as if she was standing on a ledge between two worlds. The world she had always known was glowing in the west, gold and rose‐colored.

But another world of mauve and starlight like the one on the night Tristan had kissed her, hung in the east She felt caught between. When the fire was roaring, Kelsey and Dhanya joined the others around it.

ʺAre we going to sing songs?ʺ Kelsey asked as everyone sat down. ʺWeʹre sharing memories of Tristan,ʺ Will answered quietly, ʺtalking about the kind of person he was and the things he did.ʺ

ʺThatʹs kind of depressing, isnʹt it?ʺ Kelsey said, then her face brightened as she looked toward the dunes ʺOh, hello!ʺ Everyone turned to follow her gaze. Guy was walking toward them.

ʺI got here as soon as I could,ʺ he said when he was close. ʺWho invited you?ʺ

Will demanded. ʺI did.” Ivy replied. Guy kept his eyes on her. ʺI brought you some flowers.ʺ

He held a bouquet wrapped in florist paper behind him, as if uncertain about offering it. Ivy smiled and stood up, holding out her hands. ʺOh!ʹ She looked from the roses to Guy, tears stinging her eyes. ʺTheyʹre lavender.ʺ

ʺI did the wrong thing,ʺ Guy said, quickly pulling them away. Ivy reached for the flowers, her hands catching and holding his.

ʺNo! No, theyʹre perfect.ʺ She looked into his eyes. ʺHow did you know thatthat I love lavender roses?ʺ He shrugged. ʺThey just seemed right for you.ʺ

ʺTheyʹre beautiful. Thank you,ʺ Ivy said, cradling the flowers in her arms.

ʺMy parents gave me lavender roses for my sixteenth birthday,ʺ Dhanya interjected. ʺI get a different color each year. And always the number of years I am.ʺ

ʺBefore Princess Dhanya tells us the details of each of her very special birthday celebrations,ʺ Kelsey said, ʺgrab a soda, Guy. Let’s get this wake going.ʺ

Ivy made room on her blanket. Guy sat next to her, across from Will and Beth.

Will spoke about Tristan as a top‐rated swimmer and Ivy recalled the day Suzanne and Beth had dragged her to her first school meet to watch him compete. ʺCan I look at the pictures you brought?ʺ Dhanya asked.

Beth passed the album, and Dhanya started turning pages. ʺHey, whoʹs this gorgeous guy?ʺ She carried the book over to Ivy, placing it on her lap and squeezing onto the blanket next to her. ʺGregory.ʺ

Ivy heard Beth draw in her breath. Will dropped his head and stared at the fire.

ʺThe murderer? Let me see,ʺ Kelsey said, scooting sideways and leaning over them. ʺHe doesnʹt look like a murderer.ʺ

ʺWhat does a murderer look like?ʺ Beth replied sharply. ʺHow can anyone tell?ʺ

ʺFor one thing,ʺ Kelsey said, ʺthere should be cruelty in either his eyes or his mouth. I canʹt see them in these little pictures.ʺ

ʺIvy, thatʹs you — in that cheesy dress!ʺ Dhanya exclaimed. ʺTell me you didnʹt choose it.ʺ

ʺI didnʹt. This is Tristan,ʺ Ivy said, pointing to a photo of a table of wedding guests, which Tristan happened to be passing. Guy leaned closer to study the picture, but she saw no flicker of recognition on his face. ʺThe Tristan?ʺ Dhanya asked. “But heʹs just a waiter!ʺ

Ivy laughed and told them about her motherʹs wedding and Tristanʹs short-lived catering career. ʺI think it was love at first sight for my little brother, if not for me.ʺ

Guy pointed to her brother in another photo. ʺPhilip. I recognize him.ʺ Ivyʹs heart skipped a beat. Then she remembered they had met at the hospital.

ʺHeʹs a cute kid.” Kelsey said, returning to her own blanket and flopping back to stare up at the darkening sky. Dhanya turned the page. ʺBeth, your hairʹs different. I like it better now.ʺ

Dhanya was looking at the picture of Beth, Tristan, and Ella. ʺI gave Ella to Tristan,ʺ Ivy explained to Guy. ʺI had to give her up and Tristan answered my ad. He knew nothing about cats, but he assured me heʹd take good care of hersaid heʹd ʹwashʹ and feed her.ʺ Guy smiled. ʺThat was just a ploy to see you.ʺ

ʺYes. But he soon got attached to her,ʺ Ivy replied. ʺWhereʹs Ella now?ʺ Guy asked. ʺGregory hanged her,ʺ Beth said.

Dhanya gasped. Kelsey let out a low whistle. Will threw a stick in the fire.

ʺAny which way he could get you/ʹ Guy remarked.

ʺYes, if it hadnʹt been for Will, Gregory would have succeeded. Will risked his life for me. He saved me.ʺ Will stared into the flames. Rising to her feet, Ivy went to him. Kneeling close, she put her arms around him. For a minute, he rested back against her, laying his hand over hers.

When Ivy looked up, Guy had shut the album and was watching them from across the bonfire. Dhanya sniffled loudly.

Kelsey sat up. ʺDhanya, youʹre crying for a cat and a guy you donʹt even know.ʺ

ʺI know Ivy and Will,ʺ Dhanya replied.

ʺIf somebody doesnʹt get cheerful around here,ʺ Kelsey said, ʺIʹm leaving.ʺ No one said anything cheerful. ʺAll right, boys and girls, Iʹm out of here. You coming, Dhanya?ʺ

Dhanya shook her head no. “I’ll go with you,” Beth said, standing up. Will and Ivy looked at her surprised. ʺIt’s over. Tristan is gone.” Beth told them, tossing her bouquet of salvia into the fire.

It flared, flames leaping skyward: far a moment, then dropped back. A shower off sparks, darkening to cinders, made Ivy think of falling stars.

“Rest in peace, Tristan,” Will said softly.

WILL AND IVY BURIED THE FIRE AN HOUR LATER . IVY wished she could ride home on the back of Guyʹs motorbike, but she could see that Will was still hurting and would feel betrayed if she didnʹt return with him and Dhanya.

All of them went to bed early, and Ivy slept solidly until three a.m., when she was jolted awake. Opening her eyes, she became instantly alert, as if someone had called to her.

She sat up, listening intently. Beth, Dhanya, and Kelsey remained asleep. Ivy knelt by the window, pressing her face against the screen, but she neither saw nor heard anyone outside.

Rising to her feet, she slipped on her T‐shirt and jeans, then picked up her shoes and wallet, and tiptoed down the steps. Outside the cottage the full moon was high, silvering the garden. Ivy paused only a moment to take in the quiet night, then walked to her car with purpose, as if she had planned hours ago to return to Race Point.