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tears, concealing his overwhelming sadness. He hoped others would not sense his heartbreak. The pounding of his body against the dirt path and the rapid beat of his heart kept him focused on what he must do. Once at the landing, he caught a packet to Provincetown where, later that night, he would set sail with Williams.
    ***
    Maria woke with the memory of their last night in her heart and thoughts. She stretched her arms lazily above her head. When her hand fell to the side she realized Sam was gone. She sat up calling his name, “SAM!” Her heart sank.
    Grabbing her shawl, she ran out of the old house and down to the sea, hoping to catch a glimpse of Sam as he sailed along the coast. As she ran, she knew that she had slept too long. He was nowhere in sight. Angry with herself that she had missed him, she ran up a high bluff to see the coastline. Breathless, she reached the top of the bluff and screamed over and over, “Sam! Sam!”
    Her futile calls exhausted her and she collapsed to her knees. She reached deep inside her thoughts, trying to encourage herself to believe: He WILL be back…he had promised. I must not be sad. He WILL return.
    Maria scrambled to her feet and stood tall. The spring air blew her hair back behind her head like ribbons in the wind. As she turned away from the coast, she noticed the bright green grass of the sand dunes and smelled the fresh salty air. She was sad, but began to feel light and excited too, as if she were beginning her own journey of waiting that would be filled with hope. Her course now would be different from her previous life. It would require planning for Sam’s return. She knew he would come back. He loved her. He would rescue her from her dismal life. She would wait for him.
    Soon a smile began to grow across her face as thoughts of Sam circled in her head. With each step she took toward home she imagined the two of them together, working side by side, as husband and wife. She became intrigued with what they would say to each other. She pictured Sam waking her up in the morning with a kiss before they would start their day. She felt good about their future together.
    By mid-morning, her father’s house came into view. She conjured another image of Sam standing in the door. As she reached out to grab its latch, her father’s loud voice jolted her from her day- dreaming with, “MARIA!” It yelled again, “MARIA, where you bin? Where’s my food?”
    “Coming....” She hurried over to the hearth to stoke the fire. She didn’t care that he was angry with her.
    “Where you bin?” he yelled as he hunched over the table.
    “Just walking,” she sweetly replied. “Sorry Father.” Maria was thankful he had kindled the fire and did not question her whereabouts during the prior night. She ran to her room, promising, “I’ll be right back Father,” and closed the door.
    Maria relieved herself in the nightjar and changed into a clean shift and skirt. A pile of soiled clothes lay in the corner by her bed, a grim reminder of laundry and her ongoing ordinary life. Today, it didn’t bother her; she was in love.
    As she prepared breakfast for her father, Maria again pretended it was for Sam. She placed the Dutch oven with biscuit dough on the hot embers, poured strong cider into a tankard and opened a jar of beach plum jam for the table. She liked the idea of Sam as her husband and imagined how this fine meal would satisfy him. Checking the biscuits in the hearth, she reassured herself that her future would be with Sam. She knew it.
    Suddenly the angry voice interrupted her thoughts again, “Hurry up, you worthless girl.”
    “Yes, Father.”
    She was accustomed to hearing her father’s fury in so many ways; his actions and words were always sharp towards her. This time she turned away from him. With her back to the old man, she held his plate of biscuits and closed her eyes. Whispering a pledge to herself, she mouthed, “I promise to keep my hopes and dreams in my heart