#41821 - When the last ball came out, both of us were exhausted and fell back on the bed – I rolled over to the edge of the bed and dropped the string of pearls into the plastic bag in the garbage can. The cottage was perfect – originally, many years ago, it had belonged to a fisherman, and now was refitted with period furniture – canopy bed, footed tub, wardrobes (no closets) but with a very modern kitchen stocked with food and wine and bottled water – no shopping needed, thank goodness! The back door opened into a small wood deck and courtyard, with wood privacy fence, and a gate that opened directly onto the Gulf beach. By noon, we dressed for the first time and prepared to return – we laughed a lot on the way home, my last view was her almost skipping as she went to the front door and disappeared, she never turned around even to wave.