In the distance, Kate prepared to take her morning swim. As Sawyer approached Claire, she looked up from where she sat rolling the ball Locke had made Aaron for Halloween. Aaron too stared up at the man who cradled his infant with apparent discomfort. The toddler shielded his little eyes against the morning sun.
"With Aaron potty training so much earlier than usual, I thought you might miss the old days." Sawyer extended the infant to her. "Wanna change him?"
"No, Sawyer, I don't, thank you," Claire said as she rose and dusted the sand from her pants.
He cradled the baby back against his chest and grumbled, "Fine, then, I'll be on my way. But first let me congratulate you on finally getting together with Captain A-rab."
"What makes you think we're together?"
"I saw him smooching on you last night in front of your hut."
"Yeah, well," Claire said, "he was only saying good night. We're giving it a try. No rush. There isn't likely to be any drama, so I'm afraid there'll be nothing to amuse yourself with."
"What? No angst? Come on. Every couple's got to have a little angst. We don't get the soaps here."
"I doubt it," Claire replied. "Which is odd, actually, when I think about it, because I certainly had a lot of angst in my relationship with Charlie, and Sayid did, too, in his relationship with Shannon. But I really don't see it happening with us." She mused on the subject for awhile and did not quite realize she had asked out loud, "Why would that be?"
"Well, Miss Sherlock," said Sawyer, "I reckon' that's because Sayid ain't likely to kidnap your baby, and you ain't likely to ask him to kill someone he doesn't particularly feel like killing." With a crinkle of his nose, he walked off muttering, "This kid stinks."
Claire was still contemplating the bizarre facts Saywer's comments highlighted when Hurley approached her and asked, "Thanksgiving meal's tomorrow afternoon. Did you figure out that sauce yet?"
"I think so," said Claire. "I'll have something to bring, anyway." Then she tilted her head. "So …are we supposed to bring presents?"
"Presents?" asked Hurley with a furrowed brow. "No, it's like, just a time to eat and give thanks for everything, you know."
"Oh, good." That was a relief. She didn't want to have think about what sort of present she should be getting Sayid. That was always a touchy point in a new relationship. One didn't want to imply too much.
Hurley chuckled to himself and shook his head as he walked on.