Free Secrets in the Lowcountry--The River by Janet Cooper

structure of discarded timber, e ven fo und paint. I brought an old blanket or t w o. Amazing, w hat one recalls .”
    “Ho w do you kno w he still came there?”
    “I don’t , but five years ago, he … ”
    She took a deep breath. “About that ”
    “Do you really w ant to go there?” Jeff raised his eyebro w s.
    S w allo w ing h ard, Taylor said, “Yes. I do. W e may never have another opportunity to talk like this. I’ve w anted to explain for a long time. I must explain. I hope you ’ll understand. ”
    She observed him. He appeared entire ly absorbed on the w ater ’s depth and ke e p ing the boat on an even keel.
    “ W hen I phoned telling you I had broken up w ith Rod for good, I meant every w ord. He and I had been planning our w edding . Then he announced he real ly required more time. He told me a n MBA w ould give him more opportunities . I suggested w e marry and I w ould w ork w hile he studied and received his degree. He totally disagreed, saying I’d find difficulty finding a stable to manage w here he planned to study. Next , I offered to get an MBA, too , something to enhance m y management skills, again, no sale.
    “ Much of this you kno w , but in case you’ve forgotten, let me tell the story in my o w n w ay.”
    He nodded . W ith his sunglasses on, she couldn’t read his face.
    S till, she pressed on , “S ince w e had started hang ing out in high school, dated off and on t hrough college, and began seeing each other , I thought, seriously after graduation three years before. I flipped. His expla n ation w as he w anted more money for us . ‘T hat paper’ w ould open the w orld for him. His goals included making money and being successful, in that order.” Remembering the scene still hurt.
    “You don’t need to explain his values to me. ”
    She thought she detected a little bitterness.
    “ W e argued. F inally , I conveyed my opinion. If money ranked over marriage, he should consider our engagement off. I gave b ack his ring , telling him to get out of my life. T hen I called you. Since you ’ re his best friend and mi ne too, I hoped you’d help me. Advise me . ”
    His face w rinkled . H e opened his mouth to speak.
    “Please let me continue. You w ere finishing the semester, w riting your thesis, and had exams.” She surveyed his face closely .
    He nodded, his ja w tightened.
    “Shortly before you arrived, Rod called and begged me to w ait for a fe w more years. He stated my family had mo ney. H e didn’t w ant me not to have all the material things I currently had. I n t w o or three more yea rs and w ith his MBA, he w ould. W e volleyed this point. Eventually, I gave him additional time.”
    “Five years is a little more time?” Jeff asked incredulously .
    “During the first t w o and a half years, he w o rked on his degree at Clemson. During the second year, I decided to visit an old roommate from college. She’d married an Ind ian. T hey’d moved to Delhi. I spent the follo w ing year traveling around India and Southeast Asia. Upon coming home, I experienced almost a compulsion to assist disabled people. I joined Horseback Heroes . Time drifted on. Finally , Dad said either marry Rod or break the engagement.”
    “So, he never actually set a date?” Surprise flavored Jeff’s w ords.
    “I have to admit sound s strange,” she managed , never actually considering this before .
    “Strange? The w hole thing is w eird . ” He peeked at her. “ Taylor, I’ll never understand you.”
    Feeling defensive, she retorted, “I’m loyal!”
    “Loyal? Rod doesn’t know the meaning of the w ord.” He gritted his teeth. “Sorry, that w as uncalled for. ”
    “Yes, it w as, ” she shot back.
    A curtain of silence cove red the boat. N either spoke. She stared at the w ide deserte d river, w hile, w hen chancing a look in his direction, Jeff appeared absorbe d in driving the skiff.
    “That’s the spot,” Jeff said finally .
    Taylor hope d this discovery w ould break