"Nothing. I told Dad we got caught in the storm. I guess you had already told Ma. He didn't say anything about it, but he was fit to be tied. I've never seen his face so red or his eyes bulge with so much frustration. Glad you missed it," he added. "You're not going to the brunch?"
I shook my head.
"I heard Ma tell Dad it was woman trouble. First time I ever wished I was a girl too," he said and I laughed. "I'll see you later. If I'm still alive," he added and pretended he was in a noose and being hanged.
"Stop it!" I said laughing. He threw me a kiss and backed out.
Aunt Sara stopped by as she had promised and I pretended to be asleep. She stood by the bed a long moment. I felt her hand on my forehead and then I heard her sigh before she turned to leave.
When the house was deadly quiet, I rose, showered and dressed, and went down to make myself some hot chocolate. A little before eleven, I heard the muffled beep of Holly Brooks's car horn. The beep that funny little car made sounded more like a groan.
Holly was wearing a pink, blue, green, and white tie-dyed one piece with a matching headband, and she was driving barefoot. She wore a rope of crystals around her neck. I was wearing the Moldavite, but I couldn't put on the sari because it was still a little damp and needed a good washing. I was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt with a pair of light pink sneakers and no socks.
"How did it go this morning?" she asked as I got in. "It worked," I said and she laughed.
"It always does," she said, driving away. "You should have worn the sari this morning."
I explained how I had gotten caught in a storm and it was still wet and full of sand and grime. I didn't want to tell her why I
was out in the storm, but she asked and I had to describe the events that led up to Cary's flight and my searching for him.
"Pagan? Devil? Is that what your uncle thinks? I thought I was in Provincetown, not Salem," she added. "You have a rough road to travel here. How did you come to live with these relatives?" she asked. Apparently, Kenneth hadn't told her much about my past, which I found curious.
I described it as quickly as I could and when I finished, she shook her head.
"I'm almost afraid to do your horoscope," she said and then laughed. "I'm sure it's all going to change for you now. You'll see."
When we arrived at Kenneth's, I saw his car was gone. Ulysses came running at the sound of the engine. I couldn't imagine Kenneth leaving him. He never did unless I was there, I thought.
"Where is he?"
"He had to go to Boston," she said, "so it's just the two of us. Do you mind?"
"No," I said, even though I was a little disappointed. I hadn't spent much time just relaxing with Kenneth and I wondered how different he would be away from his studio and his work.
"Besides, it's good to just be around feminine energy from time to time. Masculine energy throws us off. Too much of the other sort of static. Let me lend you something more comfortable to wear on the beach."
I followed her into the house and the bedroom where she had her things unpacked and hanging in Kenneth's closet. She pulled out a frilly, one-piece tiedyed dress similar to her own.
"Why don't you just throw this on for now? I've almost got our picnic all packed, just need to throw in a few last-minute things," she said. She went out to finishing packing while I changed.
I noticed that the bed was still unmade, the blanket twisted, the pillows practically on top of each other. Holly's bowl for incense was on the nightstand, full of ashes. Like Kenneth, Holly was obviously not much of a housekeeper, I thought.
"Now that's much better," she said when I came out wearing her dress. I was barefoot, too. "Wait," she said and ran into the bedroom. When she returned, she had a pink, blue, and white headband. "Here, wear this."
I put it on and she clapped.
"Now you're a true guru."
She gave me one of the baskets to carry and we headed out to the beach.
"I have a favorite spot," she said and pointed to a place not far from where I had found the discarded doll. Once there, we spread out a blanket. Holly turned on her tape recorder to play her music and then she assumed the lotus position, instructing me to do the same.
"It takes practice to get good at meditation," she explained. "Someday, you'll be at the point where turmoil can be raging around you, and you'll just close your eyes and tune it all out. Everyone will be amazed and then jealous of your power,' she promised. "People who bother you and get under your skin will become meaningless."
After what had occurred the night before, what she was promising sounded wonderful. I listened to her instructions and did what she said. The two of us sitting in the lotus position on the beach and facing the ocean must have made quite a sight. We were so far away from the tourists however, there was little chance of anyone discovering us. I understood why she cherished coming here.
"There are places in the world that have more spiritual energy than others," she said, "and Kenneth's beach is one of them."