58 pages • 1 hour read
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Alice Lake is a single mother of three who makes art out of old maps. She and her children, Romaine, Kai, and Jasmine, moved to Ridinghouse Bay from Brixton six years ago. Alice keeps an eye on her parents, who have developed Alzheimer’s, through a camera in their place that streams to her iPad. One day, she sees a man of about her age sitting on the beach in the rain. He stays there for hours.
Alice goes out with her three dogs; one of them used to belong to Barry, who rented the converted shed on Alice’s property. She briefly regrets sleeping with Barry as she brings his old coat to the man on the beach. The man thanks her, and Alice suggests he get indoors where it’s dry. The man asks where they are, and she tells him. Later, Alice goes to pick up Romaine from school, but she runs late because the dogs misbehave.
At the school, Alice’s friend Derry and her son, Danny, are waiting with Romaine. Alice thanks them and invites them to her place. Through the window, she shows Derry the man on the beach.