JUSTIN: * Shane sighs, staring down at the contents of his pack, not a single one dry. He begins to hang them out where ever he can find a place, even slipping out of his wet pants and leaving them with his shirt. With nothing but his damp shorts to keep him decent, he plops down on the floor with Jo's deck of cards -- smiling as he recalls when he purchased them for her, when they got their first big break.

JENNA: * Jo does very little reminiscing as she bathes, mostly drawing the process out until she's absolutely certain no part of her is cold anymore. The washing process goes smoothly, once she gets to it, by then feeling remarkably languid. By the time she gets out of the water, only a strong desire not to have her clothes clinging to her compels her to dry thoroughly, leaving only her hair wet when she steps outside.

JUSTIN: * Shane hasn't moved much from his position, though he's taken to lying on his stomach while he flips cards in front of him. He's nearly dry by this point, though his clothes -- strewn about in dozens of locations -- are faring less fortunately, being much more absorbant than his skin. He looks up at Jo's arrival, and quirks a slight smile. "Was afraid you might have drowned, for a few minutes there. I was going to check after this game. Didn't want to spoil my train of thought."

JENNA: * Jo snorts faintly, ambling over to the bed and sitting next to him, scooting back so that she can lean lazily across his back and still see the game. "Oh, yes, let me drown in favor of a gripping game of solitaire ..." She wrinkles her nose, blowing a puff of air at his hair. Then she rubs his back and straightens. "Hurry up and bathe, you're still cold."

JUSTIN: * Shane arches his back a little, turning a look over his shoulder and grinning. "What, you don't like cold? For someone who swims in rivers, I'd think you'd have a special fondness for it." He turns over and sits up, leaving his game unfinished -- in contrast to his earlier claim. "Just can't compete with a piping hot bath, hm?" He takes ahold of her arm, rubbing the dry, smooth skin with his cold and clammy thumb.

JENNA: * Jo makes a dismissive noise, catching his hand in both of hers and frowning threateningly. "Well, if you don't go warm up in there, I may just have to warm you up myself." She releases him, permitting him to take that threat any way he chooses, and leans over to start gathering up the cards.

JUSTIN: * Shane arches an eyebrow, pausing his exit long enough to tease her with a quiet "hmmm". He gets to his feet anyway, though, giving her wet hair a brush with his fingers. "Tempting, but I need to get clean, too... and I don't think you excrete soap from your hands." He wanders over to test some of his clothes -- none dry -- and sighs, grabbing an extra pair of shorts before disappearing into the bathroom.

JENNA: * Jo glances down at her hands and decides that excreting soap from them would be mildly disgusting. Then she finishes gathering the cards and treats herself to a game or two before she gets bored and puts them away, flopping down on the bed with a long yawn and a stretch.

JUSTIN: * Shane strips off the last piece of his soaking outfit, tossing it carelessly into the corner, and hangs his cleaner pair up to (hopefully) finish drying while he's busy. Hoping Jo left him enough hot water to have a decent bath, he starts it filling up, and steps over to inspect himself in the mirror out of sheer boredom. He clearly is in need of a shave, face bristling with dark stubble.

JENNA: * In the meantime, Jo has managed to kick the covers open on her side of the bed and curled up under them, head drooping against her pillow. She makes an effort to stay awake at least until Shane gets out, but now that she is out of the rain and comfortably ensconced somewhere warm and soft, it isn't long before sleep overcomes her.

JUSTIN: * Shane deposits himself into the bath, shutting the water off and sinking into the pleasantly hot pool. It feels wonderful to have days' of dirt and rainwater lifted from his pores, and he gets straight to scrubbing without hesitation. Only once he's satisfied that he's made up for the week of sweat and grime does he climb out and give himself a good shake and towel-dry.

JENNA: * Jo, predictably, has not stirred, except to curl up a little tighter under the blankets, though she is dangerously close to the edge of the bed. One leg, in fact, slips out from under the covers to dangle over the edge, but she takes no notice of it, well past any waking awareness.

JUSTIN: * Shane spends extra time with the towel, only his hair a little damp by the time he's through, and then he slips into his spair shorts with a grimace. While no longer sopping wet, they are chill and somewhat moist, and it's a rather uncomfortable feeling on his newly warmed and dried buttocks. Not letting it dampen his spirits, however, he marches back into the bedroom -- surprised to find his girl already curled up in the blankets and sound asleep. He smiles faintly, and walks softer as he approaches the bed, crouching down at her side. "Well... this won't do." He murmurs quietly, eyeing her dangling leg, and with great care he attempts to lift and push it back under the blankets.

JENNA: * Jo makes a faint noise, almost a grumble, and attempts to nestle down a little more in the pillow, tucking her leg up when it's set back where it belongs. Thus situated, she gives a sleepy sigh, sinking back past any attempt to pull her from sleep's grasp.

JUSTIN: * Shane quirks a satisfied smile, and slinks quietly around to his side of the bed. Sitting down with a tired stretch and silent yawn, he barely resists the urge to just flop back and make himself comfortable, instead pulling back the blankets to slip beneath them with as little movement as possible.

JENNA: * Jo doesn't seem the least bit bothered by his joining her, gravitating toward his warmth even as she sleeps. Even with that, however, she doesn't appear at all inclined to wake, leaving any activity besides falling asleep largely out of the question, unless talk brings response through dreams.

JUSTIN: * Shane lies on his back, watching the ceiling while he considers the following day's agenda. He wants to make sure he touches base with a few people, though to please Jo, he'll try to keep things as brief as he can. Above that, however, he finds himself thinking about their would-be house again. With his mind so busy, it takes him a while to get to sleep, but when he does, he goes out like a candle in a strong breeze.

JENNA: * By morning, Jo has gravitated even closer to her companion, snuggled against him in their now-habitual way. When she wakes, it's not with her usual clarity, and she makes a disgruntled noise, burrowing against Shane to buy more time before she has to get up and face the day ahead of them.

JUSTIN: * Shane unconsciously wraps arms around her as she burrows, nuzzling into her hair with a quiet snortling noise, like a brief snore that snuck out. In his usual manner, he is fairly content to stay asleep for as long as the outside world allows, and shows no signs of waking, even with the early sunlight sifting through the curtains.

JENNA: * Jo is willing to let him do so with her usual patience -- at least until her stomach begins making disgruntled noises about wanting breakfast. She huffs a sigh, nuzzling closer for a moment before attempting to shift away. She makes an attempt not to wake him, but it's made difficult by their proximity.

JUSTIN: * Jo's attempts to squirm out of his arms causes Shane to stir, though he seems fairly unconcerned about it. One of his eyes slips halfway open, and he smiles a little, before promptly leaning over to flop himself across her middle. "Too early, go back to sleep..."

JENNA: * Jo makes a muffled noise -- somewhere between amused and disgruntled -- and she swats at him, flopping back for a moment in apparent surrender. "I'm hungry, lazy." She reaches over to toy with his hair, ending the motion in a sharp tug. "You're the one who wants to wander all over town today, anyway."

JUSTIN: * Shane murmurs, snuzzling her belly and buring his face. "Rest of town needs wake up first..." He mutters, grasping around her with his arms. "You can eat in bed." However, he doesn't propose how she's supposed to get food into bed if he doesn't let her go.

JENNA: * Jo sighs, mockingly put-upon, and tugs his hair again. "I'd be happy to eat it in bed, but I can't even get food with you lying on top of me, you know," she says, shifting her hand down to rub at his neck lazily. "And I'll bet the people in town were up long before the sun."

JUSTIN: * Shane inches his slowly upward, finally managing to get to his elbows (before he can have an unfortunate collision with her breasts), and places a kiss on her chin. "We can pretend they weren't..." He drops back to the bed beside her, fingers drumming on her stomach while he hides a yawn against her shoulder. "You're too much of a morning person."

JENNA: "You're too much of an afternoon person," Jo retorts, though she does lean over to nuzzle his hair. "I never spent this much time in bed before you came along." She is almost unwilling to argue about staying in bed as long as he likes, but her stomach gives a thunderous growl, and she grimaces.

JUSTIN: * Shane's eyebrow quirks up, and he moves his head to give her stomach a blank stare. "Hiding gremlins in your stomach?" He grins, moving down to place an ear against her belly. "Do it again. Can you make them talk?"

JENNA: * Jo makes a faint grumbling noise, sitting up and thwacking him in the back of the head. "If you don't let me eat, I'll just tear your arm off and cook it," she threatens, attempting once again to scoot out from under him. Even another breakfast of jerky is better than hunger pangs, at this point.

JUSTIN: * Shane rubs the back of his head, sighing dramatically at the treatment. "Oh, fine, have it your way." He rolls off of her, sprawling on his back and staring up at the ceiling. "And all I wanted was love..." With a sniff, he puts on a look of mock injury, secretly thinking over what he wants for breakfast.

JENNA: * Jo scoots to the edge of the bed, swinging her legs over as she looks for her boots, hoping they've managed to dry somewhat overnight. "Want me to bring something up?" she asks, locating them and walking over to pull them on. "Since it's such an ungodly hour of morning and all ..."

JUSTIN: "Hush, you." Shane wiggles the blanket at her threateningly, then slides out of the bed and stretches. "I'm awake now, anyway. Might as well join you." He checks on some of his hanging clothing, finding it dry, if not all together clean. Something to do later, he figures, and grabs the best set he can find before dressing.

JENNA: * Jo does snag a piece of jerky to keep her stomach from growling again before breakfast is served, then she gives a long stretch, waiting by the door for her companion to finish getting dressed. "Well, if you think you can get down the stairs without falling asleep again." She grins.

JUSTIN: * Shane tuts her, crouching down to tie his boots before he joins her at the door. "I just like to sleep in, I'm not narcoleptic." He gives her hair a tug, opening the door and motioning for her to take the lead. "Besides, can't afford to be lazy when we've things to do, now can I?"

JENNA: "Mm, if you say so." Jo starts down up the hall, then down the steps to the dining area, doubting his things to do are anything she's terribly interested in. She winds her way to a table shortly, looking out the window to note that the earlier sunlight was misleading -- while it has stopped raining, there are still plenty of clouds rolling around the sky.

JUSTIN: * Shane ambles along behind her, waving for a server as he plops into the nearest chair. "Well, I suppose we won't be up to the same things for most of the day, but I'll try to be brief." He turns toward her, hooking his fingers in her beltloops and swaying her slightly side to side. "If you'd like, I'll let you choose the next stop we make."

JENNA: "I don't really have any plans," Jo replies, letting him tug her as he will for a moment before slouching in her chair. "So you can do whatever you want. I just want food." She peers around for a waitress, who is not long in coming, as there are almost no other customers.

JUSTIN: * Shane makes a slightly displeased face, having hoped she'd be a little easier to cheer on the matter. He has to admit, however, that she doesn't seem genuinely /upset/ about it anymore -- so maybe he should consider it a win. "How hungry are you?" He asks innocently enough, accepting the offered menus and sliding hers toward her, whether she'll use it or not. "Big meal, or...?"

JENNA: * She gives him a hard look, then peers at the menu. "I'm /hungry/, or would you like my stomach to tell you all about it?" The menu doesn't keep her interest long, and she pushes it aside to rest her elbows on the table. "Meat. Eggs. Bread." She glances at him sideways, offering an amused grin.

JUSTIN: * Shane clucks his tongue, but he takes the hint well enough. "All right. Ham and sausage omlettes -- big ones. And a plate of toast, with butter and spreads... Hm." He flips through the menu briefly, then closes it. "And what would you like to drink, Jocasta dear?"

JENNA: "Water," is the prompt response, though her gaze drifts outside to the mud and puddles left behind by the storm with some distaste. "Maybe juice." She glances back at Shane, brows lifting. "And what are you going to have?"

JUSTIN: * Shane collects her unused menu, stacking it with his before handing them to the waitress. "Why, milk of course. Would I settle for less?" He smiles, folding his arms on the table. "A cup of orange juice for you, then -- and a pitcher of water." The waitress scribbles things hurriedly on her pad, and disappears again with promises that she'll be back shortly with the drinks. "With all the fatty foods you enjoy so much, it's a wonder you don't have a gut on you."

JENNA: "I get plenty of exercise, in case you hadn't noticed," Jo retorts. "And you eat the same stuff I eat, so I don't want to hear about it." She flicks her fingers at him, turning her head to look at the rest of the room, which remains largely empty, aside from one or two regulars chatting with the staff. She is mildly relieved that no one has recognized them yet, and thus they haven't been subjected to showers of thanks.

JUSTIN: * Shane pats his stomach, giving it a brief stare before shrugging his shoulders. "True, but I also eat plenty of fruits and vegetables." He grins a little, poking her with the toe of his boot. "You know, the healthy stuff." Their drinks arrive just then, and he's not slow about taking a sip from his glass. "We'll see how much weight you put on when you're too old for constant exercise."

JENNA: * Jo rolls her eyes, but she doesn't voice a response, picking up her glass and taking a sip before turning her attention to the kitchen in anticipation of the coming food. "Wonder if that cranky old fart is still at the docks," she says suddenly, scratching her cheek. "Wonder if he knew what was there the whole time."

JUSTIN: * Shane crosses his feet under his chair, leaning on the table and watching Jo quietly for a moment. He shrugs suddenly, grabbing his glass for another sip before answering. "If he did, I can't imagine why he wouldn't have told us. But then, he is cranky." He smiles a little, also turning a look toward the kitchen, which shows no sign of their waitress. "I doubt the Valkyrie would have much liked his attitude. She didn't much like us, either, though." He looks back over at Jo. "Probably doesn't like anyone."

JENNA: "I'd be cranky if I had to guard ruins for millennia with no break and no end in sight ..." She folds her arms on the table and leans her head down, smiling faintly. "Maybe they'd get along. Anything's better than being that bored, the way I see it." She lifts her head after a moment, reconsidering. "Well.. almost anything."

JUSTIN: * Shane grins a little, fingering his glass absently. "Well, I suppose I'd rather be bored than dead. But that might just be a personal preference." He glances up as the doors to the kitchen swing open, and their waitress begins the walk to their table, food in hand. "And I'd rather be bored than hungry." He sits up a little straighter as their dishes are placed on the table, and turns Jo another grin.

JENNA: "I guess a valkyrie wouldn't have that problem," Jo replies after the waitress has gone on her way, then turns to the food with gusto. Her stomach has for several minutes been threatening to growl vociferously. Much to her satisfaction, the food silences it, tasting extra-good with hunger as its seasoning.

JUSTIN: * Shane smiles, going at his food with a more normal pacing to his actions. He sips at his milk between bites, and for a while he's content to not interrupt her starvation-driven assault of the omlette and toast. Once he's about a third of the way through his meal, he sits back for a brief break, and watches Jo with a crooked smile. "I guess it's to your liking."

JENNA: * Jo glances at him sideways, mouth still full of food, and finishes chewing and swallowing before she replies. "I'm hungry," is her explanation, eyebrow arched. "That makes everything taste better." She pauses to take a long drink of her juice, then sets the glass down with a content sigh and turns back to the food.

JUSTIN: * Shane chuckles quietly, leaning forward again to continue eating. "I suppose you are. No wonder you whacked me in the back of the head." Intending to catch up to her, so they can finish at least relatively at the same time, he keeps his commentary to himself from there, and concentrates on his food.

JENNA: * Jo makes a small effort to slow her progress, though she doesn't manage by much. She finishes shortly, washing the lot down with the rest of her juice and glancing over to see waht progress Shane's made. "Guess it's your show now," she remarks.

JUSTIN: * Shane tuts quietly, trying to hurry up and stuff down the last of his meal. He manages without too long of a wait for Jo, finishing his milk and pushing his dishes away from him with a loud exhalation. "How you manage not to avoid indigestion is a mystery to me..."

JENNA: "Strong stomach," she suggests, pushing her own dishes away and getting to her feet. "I've never had any problems like that," she adds with a shrug, then pauses. "Well, some of the stuff I ended up eating when I was a kid wasn't so great ... but I didn't have much choice. Guess I'm conditioned." She grins.

JUSTIN: * Shane reaches over and gives her stomach a gentle poke, smirking. "I hope my cooking doesn't soften you up." He gets to his feet with a slight stretch, then starts thumbing through his wallet. "You have many strange and wonderful talents, Miss Jocasta. At least you are in no danger of ever boring me." He grins, yanking out a handful of coins -- leaving a few on the table for a tip -- before starting for the front counter.

JENNA: "A real tragedy, that," Jo snorts, ambling after him. "I'll be able to sleep at night now, for sure." She pauses behind him for a moment, then starts outside, peering skyward suspiciously before trotting down the still-damp steps to the muddy street. She peers around the town as well, never bustling, but busy enough in its own right.

JUSTIN: * Shane appears outside shortly after, hopping down the steps to land in the street behind her. "Well then. What to do first." He folds his hands behind his head, turning his gaze down the street, toward the main center of the small village. "I guess I should get the chatty stuff out of the way first." He glances back to Jo, smiling only slimly. "That way we have the rest of the day for whatever, right?"

JENNA: * Jo gives him a slightly puzzled look. "Take however long you want," she says. "I can entertain myself pretty well." She gives him a wary look, wondering if this is a sign of their earlier disagreement rearing up again. "It's not a big deal, really."

JUSTIN: * Shane bites at his lip for a moment, then takes Jo's hand and starts walking slowly down the road. "Okay." He figures that the best way to avoid an argument is to agree for now. If his guess is any good, she wouldn't want him to change his plans just to please her -- because with the way she thinks, she would undoubtedly think he expected something in return. Not something he wants to get into now. "I guess it won't be too hard to find you when I'm done. Small village."

JENNA: * Jo nods, looking at him again and giving his hand a squeeze. "Probably be at the beach, anyway ..." She glances ahead, guessing from the general direction they're walking that he intends to make a visit to the family whose sheep came under attack. She scratches her cheek with her free hand. At least the sheep are all right.

JUSTIN: "I had a feeling." Shane turns her a brief smile, returning the squeeze. He's quiet for a while after that, passing several houses and waving at a few passers-by before he opens his mouth to speak again. "If you'd rather skip the session completely, I can cover for you... I think they'll understand."

JENNA: * Jo nods idly, watching the houses as they walk past, and deciding it's probably better if she does take him up on that offer. "I'll leave you to it," she says after a moment, though she does keep walking with him, having nothing better to do at the moment.

JUSTIN: * Shane tugs her in for a brief, hugging squeeze before letting her go again, smiling a little at her agreeability -- not that he suspected she would want to argue that particular concession. Perhaps they'd avoid arguing afterall. "If I'm not out after a couple hours, I think it's safe to say they've knocked me out and are holding me captive in their cellar." He turns her a sideways look. "You'll have to go on without me."

JENNA: "Won't do," she replies pleasantly, gaze fixed on the rapidly-approaching sheep pen. "I'll be damned if I hand you over to someone else after all the trouble we've been through." Unsurprisingly, there appear to be one or two folk wandering around outside, one of whom appears to be none other than Elise. Another would seem to be her mother, and a third is stationed nearer the sheep.

JUSTIN: * Shane snorts, giving her a soft nudge with his elbow. "Don't want to lose the prize, after all the work, hm?" He grins, slowing their approach a little, to give Jo time to make her escape if she feels like it. "And here I was worried it might have been because you cared." He leans over, placing a kiss against her temple. "If you want to hide, now would probably be the best time."

JENNA: * Jo shrugs, shifting slightly away from him and angling toward the sheep pen. Hiding isn't really her primary goal, but she has no particular desire to be dragged into the conversation. She lifts her hand in an idle farewell and slips away. Elise and her mother, on the other hand, don't appear to have noticed the approach.

JUSTIN: * Shane gives Jo a brief wave, watching her go with only a hint of disappointment. In the end, he supposes, it really is probably better for everyone if he doesn't force her to socialize. Taking in a deep breath, he blows it out again slowly, clearing his mind of unwanted paranoia and other garbage, and picks up his pace again as he steers toward the house.

JENNA: * Once he's nearer, Elise looks up in surprise, expression blank for a moment before recognition dawns, at which point she waves, tugging on her mother's arm and gesturing before she calls out a greeting. Jo, in the meantime, has exchanged greetings with the man near the sheep, learning in the course of a few sentences that the animals are quite well and there haven't been any other lizard attacks.

JUSTIN: * Shane slips his hat off, and combs back his disarrayed hair before offering a friendly wave in response. "Well, I said I'd stop by for a visit sometime, so... here I am." His hands fold in front of him as he comes to a stop in front of the pair of women, and he bows politely. "I trust you're all well?"

JENNA: "Of course," says Elise, apparently in great cheer. "There's been no trouble since the last time the lizards were here." Her mother gives a faint snort, handling a basket of what appears to be wet laundry. "No trouble, indeed." She cuffs her daughter gently, then moves on with the basket, shaking her head. Elise, however, merely smiles. "Mama thought the wedding got a little out of hand," she supplies.

JUSTIN: * Shane arches his brow, moving his arms to cross comfortably over his chest. "The wedding?" He leans forward, giving Elise a scrutinizing look. "Now this is a story I think I want to hear." He grins, bringing a hand up and curling it into a loose fist to rest his chin against. "Whose wedding was this, that got out of hand?"

JENNA: * Elise's smile widens almost immediately. "Well, mine, don't you think?" Her gaze darts out toward the sheep pen, where she seems momentarily surprised to see Jo conversing with the man who's probably her husband. "Mama was pretty firm about wanting to keep things small, but Dar's mama and papa had to have their say." She looks a little tired, but she seems to shrug it away. "Either way, we're married now, so there ain't much more to say on it." She continues to watch as Jo bids the young man a farewell and ambles away, vanishing shortly -- and presumably to the beach.

JUSTIN: * Shane holds his hat across his chest, half bowing. "Well, congratulations are in order then, I do believe." He turns to follow Elise's sight, and spies the pair conversing before Jo turns to leave. "That's the lucky man, is it?" He smiles briefly, though his eyes follow Jo more than they stay on the young man. "You must be excited to settle down and start your own family."

JENNA: "Truly!" This point she seems eager to discuss. "Me and Dar are trying to get ourselves a home before the little one comes along .. we can't go on living here, it's just too much. It'd be nearby, though.. Dar's still working for Papa, after all." She looks wistfully toward the young shepherd, who appears to be sending his fair share of glances in her direction as well. She pauses, apparently realizing all at once who the woman talking to her husband was. "Oh!" she says. "Then you are still traveling together!" She seems pleased, for some reason.

JUSTIN: "Hm? Oh--" Shane glances back over, but Jo has already disappeared from sight. He reaches a hand back to rub his neck, smiling shyly. "Yes, we've... had some revelations since the last time you saw us." Turning back to Elise, he tries not to blush. "But I'm sure you don't want the details."

JENNA: * This statement, however, only seems to intrigue the girl more. "Well, if you don't want to talk about it, that's well and fine, but ..." She trails off, grinning almost impishly, as if she's won some kind of internal bet.. "Not that Mama and I couldn't tell anyway -- I /am/ glad you managed to catch her."

JUSTIN: * Shane looks even more embarrassed, shuffling his foot in the dirt and staring off to the side. "So am I..." He sighs wistfully, looking down at his hat and brushing it off. Trying to regain his posture, he straightens, giving Elise a broad smile. "I suppose I could spare a story or two about what we've been up to, if you wouldn't mind the company."

JENNA: * Elise's smile brightens immediately, and she steps over to the door, waving for him to follow. "Please, come have some tea -- I'm sure Papa would be happy to hear about it, too. He hasn't been doing as much work lately -- Mama says he's gotten lazy." She pauses at the door, glancing over her shoulder at him. "Though I wouldn't bring that up in front of him."

JUSTIN: * Shane chuckles lightly, moving a hand to cover his grin before shaking his head. "I'm far more polite than that, fortunately." He steps after Elise, tucking his arms behind his back as he follows. "I hope I'm not intruding at all. Don't much like the idea of inviting myself in, if you're busy."

JENNA: "Not at all," Elise replies cheerfully, heading for the kitchen. "Mama will probably be along shortly, and she'll have words if I haven't served the tea by then ... Go ahead and sit at the table," she calls over her shoulder, and before long the sound of clattering utensils and water being put on to boil can be heard.

JUSTIN: * Shane does as he's told, stopping only to remove his muddy boots and hang his hat on the rack. "Well, if that's how it is..." He drapes his coat over the back of the chair, and seats himself, looking around at the quaint furnishings. "Then by all means, tea would be lovely."

JENNA: * The tea isn't long in the making, and before too much time has passed, Elise has returned with enough for four, inviting her father to join them as they exchange stories about travel and the area. Her mother comes along soon after, as promised, and several hours are passed in chatty company. Jo, in the meantime, has finished most of her errands, one of which included seeking out old Jay, who took them to the island, and the doctor who tended her wounds. Those accomplished, she makes her way to the beach and spends the rest of her time there, going through a few exercises.

JUSTIN: * By the time Shane leaves the house, his throat is beginning to feel a little hoarse, but he feels rather refreshed by the conversation all the same. There just isn't much talking to be done on the road, except with Jo -- but there isn't much point in relating stories to someone who already knows them. While his mind is on her, he recalls her suggestion hours earlier, and starts his walk toward the beach at a brisk clip. If she's not there, he'll apparently have a search on his hands.