She was in such a hurry that she arrived on the porch gasping for breath. As she prepared to knock on the door, she felt something watching her. She looked down beside the welcome mat and saw a keen pair of blue eyes staring up into her face. They belonged to a garden gnome. Molly had a whole collection of them, but this one was different. It was unusually large, and its head was tilted up at a grotesque angle. It couldn’t possibly have been made that way on purpose.
Lisa was still trying to arrive at a satisfying explanation for the garden gnome’s odd contortions when Molly opened the door. She was an enormous woman, both tall and wide, and everything about her was soft, from the sagging skin puffing out around her face to the billowing dress hanging on her shapeless body. Her hair was gray, and her eyes were so pale that they almost seemed to disappear into her face.
“Lisa, what a surprise!” she said. “I was hoping you would stop by. Why are you standing out here? Did you see my new garden gnome? I dropped him by accident and his head fell off, but I stuck it back on with modeling clay and baked him in the oven for a few hours. Isn’t he the most adorable thing you’ve ever seen?”
“I don’t know,” said Lisa. “He looks kind of strange.”
“Oh, don’t be silly,” said Molly. “I fell in love with him as soon as I saw him, and I’m sure you’ll feel the same way about him once you get to know him better.”
She beckoned Lisa inside, and when Lisa stepped into the house, she found herself in the presence of a strange man. He appeared to be about the same age as Lisa’s parents, but he might have been a little older. He was sitting in the living room with his ankle resting on his knee. His black suit was immaculate, and he smelled like cologne. He held a glass of wine in his hand. Lisa was so shocked to see him that she couldn’t move. She started to mumble an apology for intruding on what was obviously a private moment, but Molly grabbed her by the arm as if they were two teenage girls meeting a celebrity.
“Lisa, this is Graham,” she said. “I’ve spent the most wonderful afternoon with him. Graham, this is Lisa. Isn’t she cute? She’s my best friend in the whole world.”
Graham leaped to his feet with an ingratiating smile and extended his hand to Lisa. She took it with some reluctance.
“You must be Andrew and Nora’s daughter,” he said.
“Oh, do you know them?” said Molly with a delighted squeal.
Lisa, who was trying to remove her hand from Graham’s clinging fingers without being rude, felt him twitch. His smile became fixed, and his chin trembled. Sweat glistened on his forehead. He dropped Lisa’s hand. She resisted the urge to wipe it off. Graham shuffled over to Molly and draped his arm around her broad shoulders, a task that required him to stand on his toes.
“No, my dear,” he said. “You told me about them.”
“Did I really?” said Molly. “I don’t remember that.”
“Yes, my dear,” said Graham, “and I can’t wait to meet them. I like spending time with rich people. I’m a humble man, but it never hurts to get a taste of the other side. It’s like getting a glimpse into a better world. I saw their house on my way over here. It’s magnificent. I’m sure it’s just as exquisite on the inside. I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we invite them over for dinner later this week? It would be my pleasure to make a meal for them, if it’s not too presumptuous of me.”
Molly nudged Lisa. “Isn’t he wonderful?” she said.
“Yes,” said Lisa because there was nothing else to say.
“I’m glad I have your vote of approval, Lisa,” said Graham, beaming from ear to ear. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. Anyone who is important to Molly is important to me. You’re obviously an exceptional young woman, and I’m flattered to have your support. This is an excellent beginning.”
Lisa merely shrugged, but Graham’s good humor was restored. He finished off his drink in one gulp with the confidence of a man with a purpose. Lisa wondered what that purpose was, and had the uncomfortable feeling that it was something quite different than what he wanted everyone to believe.
“I should probably get going, my dear,” he said, leaning over and kissing Molly on the lips. “I would stay here forever if I could, but I’m a slave to obligation. My boss requires my constant attention. Until tomorrow then?”
“Yes,” said Molly with an idiotic smile.
“I’ll call you,” said Graham. “Good night, my dear.”
He nodded to Lisa and hurried away. It was only then that Lisa realized he must have walked to Molly’s house; otherwise, his car would have been parked along the street. This was a disconcerting thought. She glanced out the window and saw Graham meandering toward the dunes beyond her house, where the ruins of an ancient fort stuck up through the sand. There was nothing beyond the fort except an empty strip of land that eventually vanished into the sea. Lisa tried to see where Graham was going, but he disappeared into the shadows.
“Who is he?” she said.
“I don’t know,” said Molly with a nervous giggle. “I never thought I’d have a boyfriend at my age, but I like him. I like him a lot. He’s so interesting. Before you got here, he was telling me how much he likes being out on the water. Just by looking at him, you wouldn’t think of him as a sailor, but he’s full of surprises. I can’t wait to find out more about him.”
“But where does he come from?” said Lisa.
“I met him online a few months ago,” said Molly. “I never would have dared to reach out to him, but he said
