He shook away the inkling to call her exotic, because she was — in many ways — painfully familiar to him. Yet, often he felt, from across the emer...ld expanse that separated their mirrored dwellings, he was beholding a creature from another time, the incarnation of a siren or some lesser goddess. Nevertheless, he was bewitched by her. She seemed to live a quiet, solitary life like his. Everyday she came and went like clockwork, occasionally returning with only a few small parcels of common. But when the time was right, Adam would be certain to point out how poisonous the girls' attitude toward Mary could have been. But now didn't seem like the time."I'm sorry," Adam started but Shelly stopped him."We've heard you apologize a dozen times," she interrupted. "That isn't going to cut it here. You didn't think you could trust us. So now you need to prove it to us. Close your eyes and don't open them until we say you can."Adam took a quick glance to make sure no one had a baseball bat. Thank God. He was the one who created you ... for me." I meant ... thank you for the complement. For you...?" Yes for me ... Linda. For you I will be like Don Quixote, attacking windmills everywhere I go."Jose then showed up with their breakfasts. She wasn't sure she was hungry for food anymore, but decided to eat anyway. The cool sea breeze and the aroma of the ocean, made the food taste even better than normal. Linda sipped a little orange juice and frowned. It tasted funny. When she. Right?" You got it buddy. Take us there." We put the packs in our canoes and climbed aboard. When everyone was aboard the canoes I said, "Rob, Cindy, lead the way."Rob and Cindy pulled away from the dock. Abby and I followed with Alex and Terri behind us. Joe and Barb took up the rear. I watched the others looking around as we paddled north, trying to get used to this wilderness. I looked back. Gary's crew was a few hundred yards behind us. We paddled for twenty minutes when the rain started.