The Things We Do for Love

She scooted under the bed and found the earring . . . and something else. Tucked way in the back was a long, narrow wooden box. It looked so much like the floorboards, youd have to be this close to see it.

Lauren grabbed the box and dragged it out from underneath the bed. Opening it, she found a heap of old black-and-white family photographs. Most of them featured three little girls in pretty dresses gathered around a dark, well-dressed man with a smile that lit up his whole face. He was tall and almost elegantly thin, with eyes that closed into slits when he laughed. And he was laughing in most of the pictures. He reminded Lauren of that actor from the old days--the one who always fell in love with Grace Kelly.

Mr. DeSaria.

Absurdly, Lauren thought of him as Papa. She looked through the pictures, saw the images of a childhood shed dreamed of: family road trips to the Grand Canyon and Disneyland; days spent at the Grays Harbor County Fair, eating cotton candy and riding the roller coaster; evenings at this very cottage, roasting marshmallows at a bonfire near the waters edge.

A knock pounded at the door. "Its six-thirty, Lauren. Rise and shine. "

"Im up. " She pushed the box back under the bed, then made her bed and picked up her room. When she left it and closed the door behind her, there was no visible evidence that shed even been there.

Downstairs, she found Angie in the kitchen. "Good morning," Angie said, scooping scrambled eggs from a frying pan to a plate. "Youre just in time. "

"You made me breakfast?"

"Was that okay? Do you mind?"

"Are you kidding? Its great. "

Angie smiled again. "Good. Youll need to eat well in the next few months. "

They stared at each other in a sudden, awkward silence. The distant hum of the ocean seemed to grow louder. Lauren couldnt help touching her stomach.

Angie winced. "Maybe I shouldnt have said that. "

"Im pregnant. Theres no point pretending Im not. "

"No. "

Lauren couldnt think of anything else to say. She went to the table and sat down, scooting in close. "Breakfast smells great. "

Angie handed her a plate with a couple of scrambled eggs, two pieces of cinnamon toast, and some cantaloupe slices on it. "Thats about the only thing I can cook. "

"Thank you," Lauren said softly, looking up.

Angie sat down across from her. "Youre welcome. " Finally, she smiled. "So, how did you sleep?"

"Good. Ill have to get used to the quiet. "

"Yeah. When I moved to Seattle, it took me forever to get used to the noise. "

"Do you miss the city?"

Angie looked surprised by the question, as if maybe she hadnt thought of it before. "I dont, actually. Ive been sleeping amazingly well lately; that must mean something. "

"Its the sea air. "

"Excuse me?"

"Your mama told me that if a girl grows up smelling sea air, she can never really breathe inland. "

Angie laughed. "That sounds like my mother. But Seattle is hardly inland. "

"Your mother thinks everything except West End is inland. "

They talked a bit more about this and that, then Angie stood up. "You do the dishes. Ill shower and meet you in ten minutes, then well go to school. "

"What do you mean?"