October rain sheeted itself against the windows, drowning out all other sounds. Theygave in then to everything they had fought the last fourteen years. Allie lifted herhead off his shoulder, looked at him with hazy eyes, and Noah kissed her softly on thelips. She brought her hand to his face and touched his cheek, brushing it softly withher fingers. He leaned in slowly and kissed her again,still soft and tender, and shekissed back, feeling the years of separation dissolve into passion.

She closed her eyes and parted her lips as he ran his fingers up and down her arms,slowly, lightly. He kissed her neck, her cheek, her eyelids, and she felt the moisture ofhis mouth linger wherever his lips had touched. She took his hand and led it to herbreasts, and a whimper rose in her throat as he gently touched them through the thinfabric of the shirt.

The world seemed dreamlike as she pulled back from him, the firelight setting herface aglow. Without speaking, she started to undo the buttons on his shirt. Hewatched her as she did it and listened to her soft breaths as she made her waydownward. With each button he could feel her fingers brushing against his skin, andshe smiled softly at him when she finally finished. He felt her slide her hands inside,touching him as lightly as possible, letting her hands explore his body. He was hot and

she ran her hand over his slightly wet chest, feeling his hair between her fingers.

Leaning in, she kissed his neck gently as she pulled the shirt over his shoulders, lockinghis arms behind his back. She lifted her head and allowed him to kiss her as he rolledhis shoulders, freeing himself from the sleeves.

With that, he slowly reached for her. He lifted her shirt and ran his finger slowlyacross her belly before raising her arms and slipping it off. She felt short of breath ashe lowered his head and kissed between her breasts and slowly ran his tongue up toher neck. His hands gently caressed her back, her arms, her shoulders, and she felttheir heated bodies press together, skin to skin. He kissed her neck and nibbled gentlyas she lifted her hips and allowed him to pull off her bottoms. She reached for thesnap on his jeans, undid it, and watched as he slipped them off as well. It was almostslow motion as their naked bodies finally came together, both of them tremblingwith the memory of what they had once shared together.

He ran his tongue along her neck while his hands moved over the smooth hot skin ofher breasts, down her belly, past her navel, and up again. He was struck by herbeauty. Her shimmering hair trapped the light and made it sparkle. Her skin was softand beautiful, almost glowing in the firelight. He felt her hands on his back,beckoning him.

They lay back, close to the fire, and the heat made the air seem thick. Her backwas slightly arched as he rolled atop her in one fluid motion. He was on all foursabove her, his knees astride her hips. She lifted her head and kissed his chin andneck, breathing hard, licking his shoulders, and tasting the sweat that lingeredon his body. She ran her hands through his hair as he held himself above her, hisarm muscles hard from the exertion.

With a little tempting frown, she pulled him closer, but he resisted. Instead helowered himself and lightly rubbed his chest against her, and she felt her bodyrespond with anticipation. He did this slowly, over and over, kissing every part of herbody, listening as she made soft, whimpering sounds while he moved above her. Hedid this until she couldn't take it anymore, and when they finally joined as one, shecried aloud and pressed her fingers hard into his back. She buried her face in his neckand felt him deep inside her, felt his strength and gentleness, felt his muscle and his

soul. She moved rhythmically against him, allowing him to take her wherever hewanted, to the place she was meant to be.

She opened her eyes and watched him in the firelight, marveling at his beauty as hemoved above her. She saw his body glisten with crystal sweat and watched as beadsrolled down his chest and fell onto her like the rain outside. And with every drop, withevery breath, she felt herself, every responsibility, every facet of her life, slippingaway.

Their bodies reflected everything given, everything taken, and she was rewardedwith a sensation she never knew existed. It went on and on, tingling throughout herbody and warming her before finally subsiding, and she struggled to catch her breathwhile she trembled beneath him. But the moment it was over, another one startedto build again, and she started to feel them in long sequences, one right after thenext. By the time the rain had stopped and the sun had set, her body was exhaustedbut unwilling to stop the pleasure between them.

They spent the day in each other's arms, alternately making love by the fire and thenholding each other as they watched the flames curl around the wood. Sometimes herecited one of his favorite poems as she lay beside him, and she would listen with hereyes closed and almost feel the words. Then, when they were ready, they would joinagain and he murmured words of love between kisses as they wrapped their armsaround one another.

They went on throughout the evening, making up for their years apart, and slept ineach other's arms that night. Occasionally he would wake up and look at her, herbody spent and radiant, and feel as if everything were suddenly right in this world.

Once, when he was looking at her in the moments before daybreak, her eyes flutteredopen and she smiled and reached up to touch his face. He put his fingers to her lips,gently, to keep her from speaking, and for a long time they just looked at oneanother. When the lump in his throat subsided, he whispered to her, "You are theanswer to every prayer I've offered. You are a song, a dream, a whisper, and I don'tknow how I could have lived without you for as long as I have.

“I love you, Allie, more than you can ever imagine. I always have, and I always will."

"Oh, Noah," she said, pulling him to her. She wanted him, needed him now more thanever, like nothing she'd ever known.

Our room*

Later that morning, three men‐‐two lawyers and the judge‐‐sat in chambers whileLon finished speaking. It was a moment before the judge answered.

"It's an unusual request," he said, pondering the situation. "It seems to me thetrial could very well end today. Are you saying this urgent matter can't wait untillater this evening or tomorrow ?

"No, Your Honor, it can't," Lon answered almost too quickly. Stay relaxed, he toldhimself. Take a deep breath.

"And it has nothing to do with this case?" "No, Your Honor. It's of a personal nature.

I know it's out of the ordinary, but I really need to take care of it." Good, better.

The judge leaned back in his chair, evaluating him for a moment.

"Mr. Bates, how do you feel about this?"

He cleared his throat. "Mr. Hammond called me this morning and I've alreadyspoken to my clients. They're willing to postpone until Monday."

"I see," the judge said. "And do you believe it is in your clients' best interests todo this?"

"I believe so," he said. "Mr. Hammond has agreed to reopen discussion on a certainmatter not covered by this proceeding."

The judge looked hard at both of them and thought about it.

"I don't like it," he finally said, "not at all. But Mr. Hammond has never made asimilar request before, and I assume the matter is very important to him." Hepaused for effect, then looked to some papers on his desk. "I'll agree to adjournuntil Monday. Nine o'clock sharp." "Thank you, Your Honor," Lon said.

Two minutes later he was leaving the courthouse. He walked to the car he had parkeddirectly across the street, got in, and began the drive to New Bern, his hands shaking.

Non expected visitor

Noah made breakfast for Allie while she slept in the living room. Bacon, biscuits,and coffee, nothing spectacular. He set the tray beside her as she woke up, and assoon as they had finished eating, they made love again. It was relentless, a powerfulconfirmation of what they had shared the day before. Allie arched her back and criedout fiercely in the final tidal wave of sensations, then wrapped her arms around himas they breathed in unison, exhausted.

They showered together, and afterward Allie put on her dress, which had driedovernight.

She spent the morning with Noah. Together they fed Clem and checked the windowsto make sure no damage had been done in the storm. Two pine trees had blown over,though neither had caused much damage, and a few shingles had blown off the shed,but other than that, the property had escaped pretty much unscathed.

He held her hand most of the morning and the two talked easily, but sometimes hewould stop speaking and just stare at her. When he did, she felt as though she shouldsay something, but nothing meaningful ever came into her head. Lost in thought, sheusually just kissed him.

A little before noon, Noah and Allie went in to prepare lunch. Both of them werestarving again because they hadn't eaten much the day before. Using what he had onhand, they fried some chicken and baked another batch of biscuits, and the two ofthem ate on the porch, serenaded by a mockingbird.

While they were inside doing the dishes, they heard a knock at the door. Noah leftAllie in the kitchen. Knock again.

"I'm coming," Noah said. Knock, knock. Louder. He approached the door. Knock,knock.

"I'm coming," he said again as he opened the door.

"Oh, my God."

He stared for a moment at a beautiful woman in her early fifties, a woman he wouldhave recognized anywhere. Noah couldn't speak.

"Hello, Noah," she finally said.

Noah said nothing.

"May I come in?" she asked, her voice steady, revealing nothing.

He stammered out a reply as she walked past him, stopping just before the stairs.

"Who is it?" Allie shouted from the kitchen, and the woman turned at the sound ofher voice.

"It's your mother," Noah finally answered, and immediately after he said it, he heardthe sound of breaking glass.

"I knew you would be here," Anne Nelson said to her daughter as the three of themSat around the coffee table in the living room. "How could you be so sure?" "You'remy daughter. One day when you have kids of your own, you'll know the answer."

She smiled, but her manner was stiff, and Noah imagined how difficult this must befor her. "I saw the article, too, and I saw your reaction. I also saw how tense you'vebeen during the last couple of weeks, and when you said you were going shoppingnear the coast, I knew exactly what you meant."