I found a doll museum in Wenham!
You’re killing me.
While the dollmuseumwas tempting, Caroline and Van spent Friday night at the brewery drinking beer, Saturday at Appleton Farms hiking, and Sunday at Van’s house ostensibly getting a pair of binoculars but, in actuality, taking off their clothes and having sex in the middle of the day. Van’s house was out on the marsh off Jeffrey’s Neck Road with long views out the back, a basketball hoop, and a big screened-in porch. As Van parked his car and led Caroline inside, shecaught a glimpse of herself in the hall mirror. She had left her long brown hair loose around her shoulders, her cheeks were pink from the cold, and you could just see the outline of her bra through her thin sweater.
“I have two sets of binoculars, but I think you might freeze out there.” Van brought her up the stairs to the bedroom and riffled around in his chest of drawers. “Why don’t you borrow some extra layers?” He handed her a long-sleeve thermal and a soft, cream-colored sweatshirt. Caroline was tired of waiting for Van to kiss her, so instead of taking his shirts to the bathroom, Caroline pulled off her sweater and smiled as Van looked at her with the unbridled delight of a child looking at a birthday cake. He kissed her and took her to his bed, and Caroline grinned through the whole thing, glad to finally get naked with a boy who didn’t taste like Pabst Blue Ribbon or want her to subscribe to his Substack.
After they finished,as Van dozed in bed in the late afternoon, Caroline wandered the house dressed in Van’s cream-colored sweatshirt, investigating various artifacts and treasures. His place was neat and masculine, but every bookshelf was full, every windowsill was lined with little clues for Caroline to study. A pair of long feathers, maybe from a hawk, stuck out of a glass jar on the counter. Geodes, spilling with purple and white crystals, were arranged in a careful row. A dried blowfish, spines sharp, mouth open, was perched next to a little dish of shark’s teeth, and beyond that was a fossil showing the ancient outline of a fish. It was like the home of a very tidy mad scientist.
“Come back to bed,” Van called down from his room, and Caroline skipped back up the stairs, her feet cold from the wooden floors. Vanhad pulled on a pair of boxers and was sitting propped up against the pillows. He patted the bed next to him for Caroline to climb in.
“I was just looking at your collections.” She crawled over and pulled up the duvet to warm her feet.
“Did you find the fox skull?”
“No?” She looked at him curiously.
“Oh, good. I was worried it would creep you out.” Van grinned.
“Well, I didn’t find it, so we can just pretend you don’t have one.”
“Perfect. I definitely don’t.”
Caroline laughed. “Nah, it’s great. You like what you like.”
“Yeah?”
“Yep. You like plants and animals, books, and beautiful things.”
“I do like beautiful things,” Van said, and jokingly raised an eyebrow at her.
“Smooth.” Caroline winked. “So, what don’t you like?”
“Mayonnaise?” Van suggested.
“What else? Tell me five things you actually hate.”
“Okay.” Van thought for a moment. “Corporate greed. Big oil. Golf. Mint-flavored chocolate. Astrology.”
“Spoken like a true Capricorn.” Caroline nodded seriously, and Van snorted.
“What are five thingsyouhate?” he asked her.
“Hmm.” Caroline thought. “Nepotism. Waiting in a long line for some hyperspecific food item that was featured on TikTok. Bad grammar. People who correct other people’s bad grammar. Sun-dried tomatoes.”
“I believe it’s ‘peoplewhomcorrect other people’s bad grammar.’ ”
Caroline snickered. “Is this a bad time to tell you that I actually love mayonnaise?”
“No…”
“Mmm, so white and squishy.”
“I’m going to be sick.”
“Sometimes I just squirt it into my mouth.”
“Please tell me you’re kidding,” Van groaned.