Joe had received Pearl's message and wasted no time in rushing to see her. For the last three days,
he had been distracted by recent events. Joe's gaze had been distant, his stomach often roiling,
the burning sensation unpleasant. Lottie, his mother, had noticed Joe's plate had been largely
untouched at tea time, and pressed him on it. Joe was forced to blur the truth on the spot, saying
he was worried about his job search.

The act of illicit late night meeting was actually quite exciting, and Joe had diligently followed her directions,
arriving at the tiny beach, he saw a solitary silhouette hunched upon a rock. He wanted to run toward it,
but the uneven ground made progress difficult.