I definitely wanted a motorbike. No, I wanted a rather special motorbike. It would have been easier to rent a car, except for our age.

So, the easiest way to get there? Crib a ride. We piled into a van with several of the older girls. I95 south to Richmond was a mess – a mess of traffic and trucks and maniacs with New York plates that made us glad to get there and turn off onto I64.

Which was a mess of traffic and trucks and people driving RVs who didn’t know how to drive RVs. Down through Newport News and into Norfolk, then south onto smaller roads through Harbinger, Point Harbor and, of course, Kitty Hawk. The hotel they’d arranged for us was in a place called, poetically, Whalebone.

“You know I’ve never been out here,” Kanesha said once we were on our own and looking for a place for dinner.

“Neither have I. Any bets we’ll be interrupted?”

She looked sour. “Not taking that. I’m not sure which of us is the worst weirdness magnet.”

“Oh, me. You’re just one from contagion.” Which was probably true. We found a homely seafood place not far from the hotel. Expensive, but delicious. I got crabcakes and Kanesha went for the marinated tuna steak. The place was full of people who were apparently planning on adding to the available seafood.

Thus, we stood out slightly. And this was also the south. Not the deep south, but the south nonetheless. If it hadn’t been a tourist trap, I’d have worried about our safety.

As it was, I decided it was wisest to avoid any PDAs while we were here. Just in case. But the food was good and the breeze off the sea was cool. After dinner, we went out onto the beach.

“I hope there aren’t any sea serpents,” I quipped.

“Mermaids. I want to see a mermaid.”

I looked out at the waves. “I don’t think there are likely to be any sea spirits at a beach this crowded. The tourists probably scare them off.”

In fact, the only thing resembling a mermaid I saw was a gorgeous woman in a bikini that I studiously kept my gaze away from. I didn’t want to be in trouble, after all. But there was some pretty nice looking people out here.

I still had the best looking, of course. “Maybe we should take fishing lessons,” Kanesha suggested, pointing to one of the fishing piers.

There was indeed a sign offering equipment rental, supplies and lessons. “Let’s see how busy they keep me.”

Which was likely to be very…although a beach shoot would be fun. It was going to be swimwear, of course. And probably on a quieter beach than this one. Even as the sun descended inland, there were still a lot of people out here.
And every one of them seemed to be completely ordinary. I let out a breath of relief.

Not that I expected it to last, but a quiet night was worth appreciating.