believe it is in your clients’ best interests to do this?”
“I believe so,” he said. “Mr. Hammond has agreed to reopen discussion on a certain matter 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 a similar request before, and I assume the matter is very important to him.”
He paused for effect, then looked to some papers on his desk. “I’ll agree to adjourn until 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 parked directly across the street, got in, and began the drive to New Bern, his hands shaking.
An Unexpected 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 as soon as they had finished eating, they made love again. It was relentless, a powerful confirmation of what they had shared the day before. Allie arched her back and cried out fiercely in the final tidal wave of sensations, then wrapped her arms around him as they breathed in unison, exhausted.
They showered together, and afterward Allie put on her dress, which had dried overnight. She spent the morning with Noah. Together they fed Clem and checked the windows to 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 he would stop speaking and just stare at her. When he did, she felt as though she should say something, but nothing meaningful ever came into her head. Lost in thought, she usually just kissed him.
A little before noon, Noah and Allie went in to prepare lunch. Both of them were starving again because they hadn’t eaten much the day before. Using what he had on hand, they fried some chicken and baked another batch of biscuits, and the two of them ate on the porch, serenaded by a mockingbird.
While they were inside doing the dishes, they heard a knock at the door. Noah left Allie 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 would have 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 of her voice.
“It’s your mother,” Noah finally answered, and immediately after he said it, he heard the sound of breaking glass.
“I knew you would be here,” Anne Nelson said to her daughter as the three of them sat around the coffee table in the living room.
“How could you be so sure?”
“You’re my 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 be for her. “I saw the article, too, and I saw your reaction. I also saw how tense you’ve been during the last couple of weeks, and when you said you were going shopping near the coast, I knew exactly what you meant.”
“What about Daddy?”
Anne Nelson shook her head. “No, I didn’t tell your father or anyone else about it. Nor did I tell anyone where I was going today.”
The table was silent for a moment as they wondered what was coming next, but Anne remained quiet.
“Why did you come?” Allie finally asked.
Her mother raised an eyebrow. “I thought I would be the one to ask that question.”
Allie paled.
“I came because I had to,” her mother said, “which I’m sure is the same reason you came. Am I right?”
Allie nodded.
Anne turned to Noah. “These last couple of days must have been full of surprises.”
“Yes,” he answered simply, and she smiled at him. “I know you don’t think so, but I always liked you, Noah. I just didn’t think you were right for my daughter. Can you understand that?”
He shook his