Anna hurried with her shower and final packing for the weekend ahead. Quickly checking first floor windows were locked and garden gate securely closed, Anna entered the garage and started up the old convertible.

Anna drove with the east wind blowing into her face. The miles of sandy beaches that she passed filled her weary bones with renewed energy. Children played in the edges of waves while anxious adults sat along shore. It was Saturday, Anna's Sabbath, her only full day of rest. Although she had not practiced her religion since leaving home at the tender age of 16 she still followed its one rule that had any meaning: resting and enjoying Saturday. Besides that most of her clients spent the weekends with their families leaving Anna alone in that old Victorian house in Savanna.

Anna's cream colored linen jacket offered little resistance to the cold air plunging through the cherry red 65' mustang convertible. But after leaving the cities traffic at 9am, snarling through car fumes that left her nauseous this wind felt cleansing. Glancing once more at the bottle of wine Anna smiled. It was Kaila's favorite. Visions of sitting beside the cottage's fireplace, arms wrapped around Kaila, sipping from a shared glass while the full moon shone on their naked bodies delighted her even more. This vision was riveted into all concise thoughts.

Anna's foot automatically pressed harder on the gas pedal. Rounding the curve in the road a flock of seagulls sailed beyond the car heading towards the salty water. Tapping the brake Anna slowed and pulled the car over to the shoulder of the road. Fully stopped Anna put the car in park and walked over the sand out to the ocean's edge. Seagulls crying to one another informing each of the stranger's invasion during their feeding time. Swinging her arms Anna reverted to a child running through the mass of seagulls, laughing at their antics as they hopped and flapped their wings at her.

The gulls floated above Anna's reach. Watching them flutter down the coast in the never ending search for food she lightly retraced her steps in the sand back to the car. The tide was coming in, a signal to Anna that if she wanted to get to the antique shop on the way to the cottage she had better hurry before it closed for the day. Betty, the owner, had left a message that she had gotten in a lovely vintage appliquéd scalloped Pansies quilt that was perfect for Anna's home in Savanna and would hold without showing other customers until Anna's next visit. Anna chuckled. The quilt was not for the house but a present for Kaila. When thinking of Kaila, visions of Pansies filled Anna's mind. Even when lying next to each other, half drowsy from an afternoon or evening adventure under the sheets, Kaila's scent was of pansies. Her lavender eyes and blonde hair only heightened the image of pansies to Anna.

The shop was open and a few others were wandering through the aisles admiring the various antiques. Spotting Betty with an older couple Anna browsed along the aisles, stopping here and there to enjoy an old item. Noticing the older couple thanking Betty and heading for the door, Anna proceded to Betty's desk. Exchanging a hug and pleasantries about the day, Anna followed Betty to the storeroom where the quilt was hung along the west wall. Her breath was stunned for a moment by the quilt's beauty. It was prefect. It was a queen-size quilt. Made around the turn of the century. A cluster of pansies in the center of the white quilt, with pansies going around the border, and the scalloped edges of the quilt were then embroidered with a miniature pansies in darker colors, giving it a contrast that was used in the appliqués lighter colors. Asking Betty to box and wrap it, Anna's heart sang with happiness. After wishing Betty a great weekend and thanking her for holding the quilt, Anna placed her treasure in the back seat, started up the car and continued her drive up the coast to the cottage.

As Anna pulled into the driveway she could see Kaila standing on the porch with the sun behind her. Kaila wore cut off jeans and an old flannel plaid shirt and scruffy old white socks. Tilting her head that way made Kaila look so much like her father that Anna panicked for just a second as she turned off the car. Waving to Kaila as she gathered up the different packages allowed Anna's mind and heart to pause for a spilt second as both caught up in the present. In the past year of becoming lovers Anna wondered if Kaila noticed those moments of confusion when Anna witnessed Jorge in Kaila's motions. Even the smile was an exact replica of her fathers.

Running up the four steps, Anna almost knocked Kaila down with the swift kiss and one arm hug. Dropping the three packages, the kiss and hug become longer and more passionate. Laughing both parted and bent to pick up the boxed wine, overnight case and the special gift-wrapped package. Kaila was the one picking up the wrapped package and asked, "Oh who is this for?"

Anna tried to keep a straight face when she replied "Oh that's just for the love of my life, you know -- that cute boy down at Ashbury's grocery store."

Laughing and gently punching Anna's arm Kaila asked, "Can I open it now?" Without waiting to hear the answer Kaila sat on the porch and peeled the tape from the wrapping, lifted the box's lid and cried out, "Oh my! This is lovely!" Pulling the quilt out completely and fingering the tiny stitch's tears sprang in her eyes. "Thank you, thank you, my darling!" Anna knelt beside Kaila, placing her hand over Kaila's and gently kissed her again.

As the fire glowed into embers, Kaila wrapped in Anna's arm under the quilt of Pansies, the moon rose.

The moon beams danced across the rolling waves, creeping up the cottages steps, its light filtered through the cottage's glass panes caressing the tiny hairs on each woman's naked body as they slept. Gently awaking Anna with its silent call to her. Anna pulled herself from the sleeping Kaila. Now was the time, her mind stated.

Picking up her silk shirt from the floor, hurriedly putting it on. Anna's quiet steps took her to the desk at the far end of the room. The note she wrote only took moments. Anna sealed it with a kiss, then followed the dancing moonbeams down the steps, across the sandy beach to the water's edge.

Dropping the silk shirt onto the sand, a hesitated step into the cold lapping waves, Anna allowed the coldness to seep through her mind as she glided out towards deeper water. Finally the water was deep enough and with long practiced arms Anna chased the moon. Swimming against the tide Anna's mind replayed the telegram she had read earlier that evening while Kaila had been preparing dinner. Anna had not meant to drop Kaila's handbag and was surprised when several items fell onto the bedroom floor. As she bent to pickup the mirror, lipstick and pieces of paper the words of the telegram leaped out at her.

STOP. YES I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU ARE RETURNING TO ME STOP. YES I STILL LOVE YOU STOP. I CAN NOT WAIT TO HOLD YOU ONCE AGAIN STOP. GLAD YOU ARE LEAVING AMERICA AND THAT WOMAN STOP. YES TELL HER THIS WEEKEND STOP.

Was it the salt of the ocean or her tears she tasted as she swam?

The water was so cold, Anna thought, just as her life had become. Stiff, frozen, isolated. It was becoming harder to fight the rising waves or the tides of her world. As her arms begun to fail, legs cramping from the steady long swim Ann's last clear memory was she saw Papa holding out his arms to her. Sinking, slowly downward, powerless against burning salt that skimmed across her eyes Anna blinked three times before the salty brine became an old friend. Releasing precious air, Anna swallowed the chilly water for her lung's nourishment. Savoring the blisters that rose in her throat, Anna relaxed as the ocean entombed her mortal soul in its caressing fingers of love.

A school of sardines filtered over and under the form of food that the ocean's goddess had left for them. Darting quickly, snagging a bite, the sardine's meal lasted an hour or more until the hammerhead shark's arrival and they also took part in the feast. Snapping two hundred-pound sea turtles swam after morsels that the others had dropped in their frenzy to gorge themselves.

Eventually the carcass settled upon ocean's sandy bottom. Crabs and lobsters ran over the frail bones taking minute parcels of flesh that others had missed as their own dinner. Battles of lust were matched between once breathing ribs by angelfish. Seahorses anchored their tails to parts of the spine that floated to the whim of the current. Starfish carried off cartilage, a rare treat indeed. The octopus had his gift behind him in hopes of enticing a female with the wonder of the item.

The octopus waited impatiently for a female. While guarding his prize puffs of black ink were released in bouts of anger. Desire for a female to wander close filled his every fibrous nerve. Hidden among the coral of his den was a treasure of all times. Its two matching holes with the attached gapping hinge that open and closed when ever he nudged the bottom of it with one of his tentacles. His senses were delighted by the fine long hairs still attached in pieces as they drifted in a spiral dance as if in tune with the ancient, circulating, muted water.

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