Sea Grass by Betty Breen

Nora Althaus' invitation to the remaining members of her defunct writing group mentioned sunny walks to the beach, fireside meals, an uninterrupted weekend of laughter, short writing exercises and a surprise birthday celebration. What she didn't expect was an uninvited guest, an interfering husband, a minor house fire, a brewing romance and a heart-breaking tale of woe.

While all the tears shed in the late evening resulted from unbridled laughter, the wee hours produced tears shed by the most surprising member of the group. At some time during the long sleepless night, Nora dragged a box of lovingly used dolls down from the attic. Each guest eventually selected one and defined why that particular doll defines her. Long held secrets are revealed to each of Nora's guests prior to leaving Cape Cod. Each guest is asked to sum up their thoughts on the weekend, and Nora is surprised to learn that each one sums up her ideas with another trip to the Cape. The general consensus is that no one really knows all there is about anyone, even a lifetime friend.