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some
supper before she did anything else. Liz pulled on a pair of running
shorts and a sports bra before heading down to the kitchen. She found
a covered plate on the island and lifted the paper towel to find a
turkey sandwich, made just the way she liked it, accompanied by her
favorite potato chips.
    Liz
smiled at Sabrina's thoughtfulness and took the plate over to the
refrigerator where she ate happily, standing with her face in the
open freezer. She never figured she'd have to deal with heat to this
degree when she moved from the south, but back home they had the good
sense to furnish every building and vehicle with air conditioning.
Why the idea hadn't caught on or was deemed unnecessary up here was
quite beyond her comprehension.
    She
finished quickly and reluctantly closed the door to the freezer
before opening the refrigerator door in search of something cold to
drink. The cool air felt good on her skin, but she knew the second
she closed the door, the air around her would seem even hotter than
it had before. She was surprised to find the fridge stocked. Sabrina
abhorred grocery shopping, but Liz quickly realized that the blonde
had opted in favor of the cool grocery store air and said to hell
with her dislike of shopping.
    Liz
smiled when she saw a six-pack of her favorite beer and reached for a
bottle, loving the little woman more in that instant. Deciding she
was alone in the house, she walked out back to see if Sabrina had
gone for a swim. The deck was empty and after inspecting the water
with her toe, she could see why it was unoccupied. The pool water
felt more like bath water, and Liz took a long swig of beer before
sliding the cold bottle over her bare midriff.
    Hot,
tired, drained, and lonely was a bad combination for the brunette,
and she returned to the house, slamming the door behind her. She had
no desire to sit down on the warm leather sofa and watch television,
nor did she feel the urge to boot up her computer and write. Truth be
told, she didn't have the energy for much of anything and decided to
walk down to the beach for a cigarette. She grabbed her smokes and
another beer and headed out the front door.
    The
sun had disappeared behind her, casting an orange hue over the quiet
neighborhood. The temperature normally would have begun dropping at
this time of evening, but she found the air outside just as hot and
sticky as it had been earlier. There was one difference, however, and
that was the smell. The unpleasant aroma of hot air had been replaced
with the earthy, musky scent of rain and she breathed in deeply. Liz
let the salty sea air fill her lungs and momentarily forgot about the
heat as a noisy fishing boat rattled and chugged its way past the
dock as it entered the harbor.
    She
was half way across the yard when the first few rain drops splattered
onto her overly warm skin. Liz looked toward the sky and said a
silent prayer that this wasn't another five minute sprinkle like
those that had teased of rain all week. She continued across the yard
and started down the steps to the semi-private beach that came with
the property. Lined on either side by tall bamboo stalks, a large
rock retaining wall and lush green bushes gave the impression that
you were descending into a very secluded haven. The sound of fishing
boats in the harbor was coupled with the gentle and rhythmic sound of
waves lapping at the sandy shore. The orange-pink glow was quickly
fading, giving the rocks and sand a soft purple tint that hinted at
the enveloping darkness to come.
    Every
step lent more to the sense that you were leaving the world behind
and walking into a cocoon of nature. The light rain tapped at the
leaves, and Liz felt the stresses of her day fall away at the urging
of the soft staccato beat on either side of her. Three more steps
remained before her bare feet touched the sand and she could almost
feel the tiny grains shifting beneath her weight as she drew nearer.
A sudden sense of boding washed over her as she