20. July 4

Summary

• In 1961, Kya goes to a lagoon on the 4th of July, wearing a too-short peach chiffon dress, expecting to see Tate. She is patient and waits for Tate, even as the day passes unbearably hot and humid.
• Kya waits all day for Tate's boat, keeping herself busy reading the books he'd given her, cooling herself in the lagoon, and going back to her shack for food.
• As evening dawns and there's still no sight of Tate, Kya goes for a swim in the lagoon and then sits naked on the bank to dry.
• Over the following two days, Kya waits for Tate, her hope decreasing. The days are blisteringly hot, and she shifts her attention listlessly, presumably losing interest and becoming neutral.
• While waiting, Kya watches the life around the lagoon involving frogs and fireflies and observes their biological mating behavior, including varying signals and female fireflies' strategy of attracting males for mating and eating.
• Despite the harsh and cunning behavior of the fireflies, Kya acknowledges the absence of moral judgment, that it's simply biology, just life continuing.
• After giving Tate another hour, Kya finally leaves to return to her shack.
• The following morning, Kya went back to the lagoon, cursing the remaining pieces of hope.
• When Tate doesn’t show up, she screams his name in despair, eventually collapsing, and feels the pull of a tide she’s familiar with.